AS we head towards the big event and there’s only a couple of shopping days left before we only our Christmas gifts I thought I’d recommend a few releases that you may want to add to your Christmas listening.

you like trio sounds The Dixie Chicks have recently released a double CD entitled The Essential Dixie Chicks, listing 30 tracks it contains the majority of their hits and more.

Rockabilly and authentic country sounds feature in the latest release from Marty Stuart who visits The Sage Gateshead next year on January 29.

Modern Billboard chart success sounds come in the shape of Billy Currington whose latest album called Enjoy Yourself proves why he is at the top of his career.

If you’re a bluegrass fan then there’s a highly acclaimed release from Dierks Bentley entitled Up On The Ridge which is a great modern contemporary release with a bluegrass flavour throughout and to my mind is one of his best to date.

For classic releases there’s a belter of a double album release from “the storyteller of country music”, Tom T Hall simply titled Tom T Hall 50 Greatest Hits. Finally if it’s band sounds that light your Christmas tree, treat yourself to the last offering from Little Big Town and their release entitled The Reason Why. This album contains some of the best vocals and instrumentation around, accompanied by great songs from a band who by now should have charted quite a few number ones to their credit.

To hear country artists singing Christmas songs, log on to The American Connection on euvue.co.uk when I’ll be presenting a special radio show on Christmas Day which you can catch any time over the festive period.

Have yourselves a Happy Country Christmas.