This Is Christmas (Luther Vandross album)

This Is Christmas is a Christmas album by American singer Luther Vandross. It was released on October 18, 1995, by Epic Records. Produced by Vandross along with Nat Adderley Jr. and Marcus Miller, the album received mixed to negative reviews from music critics and peaked at number 28 on the US Billboard 200 and number 4 on both Billboard's Top Holiday Albums and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Being a steady seller throughout the Christmas season, it was eventually certified platinum in 2002 by the RIAA.

In November and December 1995 the album lent its title to a syndicated television special which was hosted by Vandross and featured songs from the album, as well as performances by special guests.

In 2002 Sony Music released six of the album's tracks, along with two spiritual tracks from the same era, on the compilation album, Home for Christmas.

Expanded Version
In October 2012 Sony rearranged, expanded, and repackaged the entire album under the new title, The Classic Christmas Album. The additional tracks were odd songs Vandross had recorded for other Christmas releases:


 * "The Christmas Song" was previously released on A Very Special Christmas 2 (1992).
 * "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (Live) (duet with Chaka Khan) was recorded at the 1998 Soul Train Christmas Starfest and was previously unreleased.
 * "May Christmas Bring You Happiness" and "At Christmas Time" were previously released on Funky Christmas (1976).

Track listing
Notes
 * "The Christmas Song" was previously released on the album A Very Special Christmas 2 (1992)
 * "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (Live) (duet with Chaka Khan) was recorded at the 1998 Soul Train Christmas Starfest and was previously unreleased
 * "May Christmas Bring You Happiness" and "At Christmas Time" was previously released on the album Funky Christmas (1976)

Personnel

 * Luther Vandross – lead vocals, backing vocals, arrangements (2, 3, 4, 7, 9), vocal arrangements (2, 3, 7, 8, 9), spoken vocals (3)
 * John Anderson – acoustic piano (1, 8), synthesizers (1, 8), drums (1, 7-9), arrangements (1-4, 7-9), keyboards (2, 3, 7, 9), Fender Rhodes (4)
 * Jason Miles – synthesizer sound programming (1-4, 7-9), drum programming (1-4, 7-9)
 * Reed Vertelney – keyboards (2), drum programming (2), arrangements (2)
 * Ivan Hampden Jr. – keyboards (3), drums (3, 5, 6, 9, 10), arrangements (3, 9)
 * Nat Adderley Jr. – acoustic piano (4, 5, 6, 10), string arrangements (4), keyboards (5, 6), arrangements (5, 6)
 * Eric Caudieux – synthesizer sound programming (5, 6)
 * Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar (2-5, 7-10)
 * Phil Hamilton – guitar (5, 6)
 * Marcus Miller – bass (3, 4, 10), keyboards (10), Hammond B3 organ (10), arrangements (10), choir conductor (10)
 * Luico Hopper – bass (5, 6)
 * Eluriel "Tinker" Barfield – bass (7)
 * Erroll "Crusher" Bennett – percussion (5)
 * Steve Kroon – percussion (6)


 * Dick Oatts – tenor saxophone solo (5, 6)
 * Clarence Clemons – tenor saxophone solo (7)
 * Richard Marx – arrangements (4)
 * Earl McIntyre – horn orchestration (5, 6)
 * Peter Dimitriades – string concertmaster (6)
 * Alfred Brown – string contractor (6)
 * John Clayton – string arrangements and conductor (10)
 * Emile Charlap – orchestra contractor (10)
 * Tawatha Agee – backing vocals (2, 3, 7, 8, 9)
 * Robin Clark – backing vocals (2, 3, 7, 8, 9)
 * Milt Grayson – backing vocals (2)
 * Cissy Houston – backing vocals (2, 3, 7, 9)
 * Paulette McWilliams – backing vocals (2, 3, 7, 8, 9)
 * Cindy Mizelle – backing vocals (2, 3, 7, 8, 9)
 * Fonzi Thornton – backing vocals (2, 3, 7, 8, 9), vocal contractor, vocal arrangements (7)
 * Brenda White-King – backing vocals (2, 3, 7, 9)
 * Darlene Love – backing vocals (3), lead vocals (7)
 * Kevin Owens – backing vocals (7)

Choir on "O' Come All Ye Faithful"
 * Tawatha Agee, Katreese Barns, Vivian Cherry, Robin Clark, Ada Dyer, Genobia Jeter, Yvonne Lewis, Paulette McWilliams, Kevin Owens Tamira C. Sanders, Valerie Simpson, Fonzi Thornton (choir contractor)


 * Production


 * Luther Vandross – producer (1-4, 7-9), executive producer
 * Nat Adderley Jr. – producer (5, 6)
 * Marcus Miller – producer (10)
 * Ray Bardani – audio recording (1-4, 7-9), lead vocal recording (5, 6, 9), mixing
 * Paul Brown – audio recording (5, 6)
 * Stan Wallace – audio recording (5, 6)
 * Dan Wojnar – audio recording (9)
 * Joe Ferla – orchestra recording (9)
 * David Ward – additional recording, sound designer (10)
 * Tony Duino-Black – assistant engineer
 * Paul Falcone – assistant engineer
 * Robert Friedrich – assistant engineer


 * Carl Glanville – assistant engineer
 * Geraldo Lopez – assistant engineer
 * Aya Takemura – assistant engineer
 * Max Risenhoover – digital editing (1-5, 7-10)
 * Eric Caudieux – digital editing (2, 5, 7)
 * Ted Jensen – mastering
 * Marsha Burns – project coordinator
 * George Corsillo – design
 * Patti Manzone – design
 * Alberto Tolot – photography
 * Jeff Jones – hair, makeup