Capitol Records, in conjunction with King Cole Partners, LLC, have announced the October 29 release of A Sentimental Christmas with Nat “King” Cole and Friends: Cole Classics Reimagined.
The lead single from the festive set, “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire),” a virtual duet with 12-time Grammy winner John Legend, is available today. The appearance of the new version arrives in the year that the Christmas classic, first recorded by Cole in 1946, turns 75.
The unique holiday album, which can be pre-ordered here, sets the beloved singer’s restored vocals alongside new arrangements and contemporary artists, creating a collection of elegant and sentimental duets of holiday classics. As well as Legend, other featured artists include Kristin Chenoweth, Gloria Estefan, Johnny Mathis, and Calum Scott.
A Sentimental Christmas with Nat “King” Cole and Friends: Cole Classics Reimagined will be available on CD, vinyl, and all digital formats. Walmart will offer an exclusive Rudolph Red vinyl edition.
The album is co-produced by Jay Landers and Grammy-winning Oscar nominee Jorge Calandrelli, who also arranged and conducted the material. Songs were sourced from Cole’s LP The Christmas Song as well as from other recordings in his peerless catalog.
The set was co-produced, mixed, and mastered by multi-Grammy-winning engineer and mixer Dave Reitzas (Natalie Cole, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion). Reitzas has great history with the Cole family for his mix pf the Grammy-winning virtual duet “Unforgettable,” by Natalie and Nat “King” Cole.
The holiday release will delight both new fans and lifelong admirers of the man born in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1919. Signed to Capitol Records in 1943, Cole released his initial LP as the lead vocalist of the King Cole Trio in 1945, topping Billboard’s inaugural album chart. In an all-too-brief 20-year career, he recorded more than 150 singles that reached Billboard’s pop, R&B, and country charts and sold more than 50 million records.
Pre-order A Sentimental Christmas with Nat “King” Cole and Friends: Cole Classics Reimagined, which is released on October 29.