View source for Christmas Is Here (Danny Gokey album)

{{Infobox album
| name       = Christmas Is Here
| type       = studio
| artist     = [[Danny Gokey]]
| cover      = Christmas Is Here by Danny Gokey.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = {{Start date|2015|10|16}}
| recorded   =
| venue      =
| studio     =
* Willowbrooke Studios (Franklin, Tennessee)
| genre      = {{hlist|[[contemporary worship music|Worship]]|[[contemporary Christian music|CCM]]|[[pop rock]]|[[soul music|soul]]}}
| length     = {{Duration|m=37|s=21}}
| label      = [[BMG Rights Management|BMG]]
| producer   = [[Keith Thomas (record producer)|Keith Thomas]]
| prev_title = [[Hope in Front of Me]]
| prev_year  = 2014
| next_title = [[La Esperanza Frente a Mi]]
| next_year  = 2016
| misc       = {{Singles
| name        = Christmas Is Here
| type        = studio
| single1     = [[Lift Up Your Eyes]]
| single1date = September 25, 2015
}}
}}
'''''Christmas Is Here''''' is the first Christmas album and third studio album recorded by [[Danny Gokey]]. [[BMG Rights Management|BMG Records]] released the album on October 16, 2015. He worked with [[Keith Thomas (record producer)|Keith Thomas]], in the production of this album.<ref name="AllMusic Credits">{{cite web |title=''Christmas Is Here'' - Danny Gokey : Credits|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|accessdate=November 15, 2015 |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/christmas-is-here-mw0002873050/credits}}</ref> An original track co-written by Gokey, "[[Lift Up Your Eyes]]", was released September 25, 2015 as the lead single.<ref>{{cite web|title=Danny Gokey: Lift Up Your Eyes - Music on Google Play|url=https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Danny_Gokey_Lift_up_Your_Eyes?id=Brxkumou5met2cmbd2lad2q2v6y&hl=en|website=[[Google Play Music]]|accessdate=November 12, 2016}}</ref> The album debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' [[Top Holiday Albums]] chart and in the top 10 of the [[Christian Albums|Christian]] and [[Independent Albums|Independent]] albums charts.
==Critical reception==
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = 365 Days of Inspiring Media
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="365DoIM">{{cite web|first=Joshua|last=Andre|title=Music Reviews: Danny Gokey – Christmas Is Here |url=http://www.365daysofinspiringmedia.com/reviews/danny-gokey-christmas-is-here/ |publisher=365 Days of Inspiring Media |accessdate=November 15, 2015|date=November 8, 2015}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[CCM Magazine]]''
| rev2Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="CCM">{{cite journal |first=Kevin |last=Sparkman |title=Danny Gokey – 'Christmas Is Here'
|url=http://www.ccmmagazine.com/reviews/danny-gokey-christmas-is-here/ |journal=[[CCM Magazine]] |accessdate=November 17, 2015 |date=November 16, 2015}}</ref>
| rev3 = The Christian Beat
| rev3Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="TCB">{{cite web|first=Sarah|last=Baylor|title=Danny Gokey's "Christmas Is Here": Soulful & Upbeat|url=http://www.thechristianbeat.org/index.php/exclusives/1167-danny-gokey-s-christmas-is-here-soulful-upbeat|publisher=The Christian Beat|accessdate=November 15, 2015|date=October 28, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031120101/http://www.thechristianbeat.org/index.php/exclusives/1167-danny-gokey-s-christmas-is-here-soulful-upbeat|archive-date=October 31, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev4 = New Release Today
| rev4Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="NRT">{{cite web|first=Caitlin|last=Lassiter|title=Soulful Christmas Music |url=http://www.newreleasetoday.com/userprofile_reviewssinglepost.php?review_id=23304&user_id=130961|publisher=New Release Today|accessdate=November 24, 2015 |date=October 23, 2015}}</ref>
}}
Rating the album three and a half stars for ''[[CCM Magazine]]'', Kevin Sparkman says, "Christmas may be here, but Danny Gokey's vocals are always in season."<ref name="CCM"/> Caitlin Lassiter, indicating in a four star review by New Release Today, describes, "''Christmas Is Here'' is a perfect example of how to take classic favorites and remake them into modern songs of holiday praise and worship."<ref name="NRT"/> Joshua Andre, awarding the album four stars at 365 Days of Inspiring Media, writes, "Well done Danny for such a poignant, powerful and prolific Christmas album".<ref name="365DoIM"/> Giving the album four stars from The Christian Beat, Sarah Baylor states, "Danny Gokey's ''Christmas Is Here'' is definitely the perfect album to get you in the holiday spirit."<ref name="TCB"/>
==Track listing==
{{Track listing
| headline        = Christmas Is Here
| total_length    = 37:21
| title1          = What Christmas Means to Me
| writer1         = Anna Gordy Gaye, George Gordy, Allen Story
| length1         = 3:21
| title2          = [[It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year]]
| writer2         = [[Edward Pola]], [[George Wyle]]
| length2         = 2:15
| title3          = [[White Christmas (song)|White Christmas]]
| writer3         = [[Irving Berlin]]
| length3         = 2:57
| title4          = [[Mary, Did You Know?]]
| writer4         = [[Buddy Greene]], [[Mark Lowry]]
| length4         = 4:49
| title5          = [[Lift Up Your Eyes]]
| writer5         = [[Mia Fieldes]], Danny Gokey, Jonathan Smith
| length5         = 4:14
| title6          = [[The Christmas Song]]
| writer6         = [[Robert Wells (songwriter)|Robert Wells]], [[Mel Tormé]]
| length6         = 2:32
| title7          = Christmas Is Here
| writer7         = Gokey, Becca Mizell, Sam Mizell, [[Keith Thomas (record producer)|Keith Thomas]]
| length7         = 3:15
| title8          = [[This Christmas (Donny Hathaway song)|This Christmas]]
| writer8         = [[Donny Hathaway]], Nadine McKinnor
| length8         = 3:28
| title9          = [[O Holy Night|O, Holy Night]]
| writer9         = Traditional
| length9         = 4:56
| title10         = Give Me Jesus
| writer10        = Traditional
| length10        = 5:34
}}
== Personnel ==
* Danny Gokey – vocals
* [[Keith Thomas (record producer)|Keith Thomas]] – keyboards, programming, acoustic piano, arrangements
* Pat Coil – acoustic piano
* Jonathan Crone – guitars
* Craig Nelson – bass
* Ben Phillips – drums
* Scott Williamson – drums
* Willowbrooke Philharmonic – orchestra
* Chris Harris – backing vocals
* Debi Selby – backing vocals
* Celica Westbrook – backing vocals
'''Choir'''
* Susan Bailey, Lindel Cooley, Marcia Daugherty, Michael Daugherty, Eric Droke, Rebecca Edwards, Joy Gardner, Rachelle Graber, Lisa Graham, Tammi Harris Cleek, Christina Metzger, Jeremy Pate, Terry White and Melanie Winters
=== Production ===
* Penny Railey – executive producer
* Mitchell Solarek – executive producer
* Keith Thomas – producer, engineer
* Jonathan Crone – engineer, mixing, assistant tracking engineer
* Dave McNair – mastering at Dave McNair Mastering (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)
* Daryl Bush – production coordinator
* Lisa Stuart – production coordinator
* Jeremy Cowart – photography
* Danny Gokey – liner notes
==Chart performance==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (2015)
! scope="col"| Peak<br /> position
|-
{{Album chart|rowheader=true|BillboardChristian|9|artist=Danny Gokey|accessdate=November 15, 2015}}
|-
{{Album chart|rowheader=true|BillboardIndependent|10|artist=Danny Gokey|accessdate=November 15, 2015}}
|-
{{Album chart|rowheader=true|BillboardHoliday|1|artist=Danny Gokey|accessdate=November 15, 2015}}
|}
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Danny Gokey}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Christmas Is Here (Danny Gokey album)}}
[[Category:2015 Christmas albums]]
[[Category:Danny Gokey albums]]
[[Category:Christmas albums by American artists]]