Arden, North Carolina (September 12, 2023) — For their first release since last year’s Music To Your Ears — and their first under their new name — Anthem Edition, the acclaimed Southern Gospel quartet formerly known as The Old Paths, serve up a multi-faceted collection of Christmas songs that celebrate the joys of the holiday while never losing sight of its true meaning. From its opening track to the closing bravura a cappella arrangement of the “His Name Medley,” Here Comes Christmas is a collection that captures every aspect of the holiday season.
The set leads off with “Here Comes Christmas,” a bright, energetic new song that highlights the anticipatory excitement of the weeks that lead up to Christmas Day itself and practically begs for a sing-along as it paints “a Rockwell kind of scene.” The mood turns contemplative with another new entry, “The Way It’s Always Been,” a gently evocative ballad that looks back to Christmas past.
“Nothing puts you in the mindset of joy and cheer quite like Christmas music,” says Anthem Edition’s Tim Rackley. “And when we recorded our new Christmas project, we wanted that merriment to resonate throughout every song. I believe Here Comes Christmas is the perfect blend of unique and nostalgic, new favorites mixed with timeless classics, and will be the soundtrack to many Christmas seasons to come!”
Songs Included:
- Here Comes Christmas
- The Way It's Always Been
- Feliz Navidad
- Thanks Giver
- We Three Kings
- The Greatest Gift
- His Name Medley (Cherish That Name/What A Beautiful Name)
About Anthem Edition
Anthem Edition burst onto the scene in 2003, initially as a trio called The Old Paths. Founding members Doug Roark and Tim Rackley set forth with a clear vision and mission: to glorify the Lord and seek His ways in everything. The trio soon morphed into a quartet, and started gaining national attention. In 2012, the group signed with Crossroad Music’s Sonlite Records label, a collaboration which brought forth the breakout album, ‘Right Now.' This debut record quickly yielded two #1 hits, ‘Battlestand’ and ‘God’s Great,’ and earned the group a Singing News Fan Award for Favorite New Quartet. A variety of circumstances lead to the difficult decision for the group to stop touring in 2015, but just two years later, God opened the door for a return to the road. The quartet partnered once again with Crossroads, and in recent years have released several projects producing fan favorite songs such as 'Come Sunday Morning,’ ‘Look at All I Lost,’ ‘How Good The Good News Feels’ and more.
In late 2022, The Old Paths announced that they would be changing the name of the group. After much consideration and discussion, the new name Anthem Edition was announced, as well as the addition of Andrew Utech as the group’s new bass vocalist. While the music and message have stayed the same from the beginnings, Anthem Edition fully embodies the vision of the award-winning quartet, and positions them to forge their path into the future.
Release Date: November 3, 2023