Carrie Underwood, Amy Grant, Bono & Lady Antebellum Join Michael W. Smith on His New Christmas Album; Watch Video Here

By Timothy Yap Aug 13, 2014 01:00 AM EDT

Contemporary Christian singer and three-time GRAMMY® winner Michael W. Smith will be releasing his star-studded Christmas album "Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas" on Sept. 30. It will be an all star cast of an album featuring Vince Gill, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Amy Grant, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Nettles, Bono and Michael McDonald.

This will also be Smith's fourth Christmas project, following the successful releases of Michael W. Smith Christmas (1989), Christmastime (1998) and It's A Wonderful Christmas (2007).

"This is the most unique and unusual record I've ever done in my 31-year career. The entire record was sequenced together before we recorded one song," recalls Smith. "Sonically you're hearing me in a way that you've probably never heard me before. At one point it's like Smitty meets Bublé. There's my granddaughter's voice singing the song from 'Home Alone,' plus the whole orchestral and symphonic feeling of Christmas, mixed together with all these amazing voices and guests - yet it all fits together in a remarkable way."

This will also be the first time Smith will be working with CMA Awards and CMA Country Christmas producer Robert Deaton. Deaton was inspired by Smith's performance with Jennifer Nettles during the 2013 CMA Country Christmas television program, and suggested to Smith they create a full Christmas recording as co-producers. The two welcomed renowned orchestral maestro David Hamilton as a third co-producer, who arranged and oversaw the London Symphony Orchestra's recordings on the project.

"When we started talking about who could be on this record with him, the list got really narrow really fast," remarked co-producer Robert Deaton. "There's a difference between a singer and an artist, or a celebrity and an artist. While we were fortunate to have these amazing guests on the record, it all feels like a cohesive piece and you never leave the fact that it's a Michael W. Smith record. That was important. That, along with working with co-producer David Hamilton, who is the resident genius, was amazing. This entire process has just been phenomenal."

Thematically, the album is uniquely divided into three sections, creating an overall arc to the recording. Beginning with the childlike and wintery aspects of the start of the Christmas season, the collection evolves with songs and instrumentations reflecting the true meaning of Christmas with the celebration of family and faith, concluding with what Christmas brought to the world, the birth of Jesus.

Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas

1. The Miracle of Christmas

2. It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

3. Happy Holidays/Holiday Season

4. Christmas Time Is Here (feat. Vince Gill)

5. White Christmas (feat. Lady Antebellum)

6. Somewhere In My Memory

7. The Spirit of Christmas (Deck the Halls, Good King Wenceslas, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Feels Like Christmas, O Come All Ye Faithful)

8. Silent Night (feat. Little Big Town)

9. What Child Is This (feat. Martina McBride)

10. Almost There (feat. Amy Grant)

11. All Is Well (feat. Carrie Underwood)