The Voice's Chevel Shepherd Drops Retro Holiday Album (Video)

Winner of season 15 of NBC’s The Voice, Chevel Shepherd, spent two weeks in Durango, Colorado self-recording and co-producing a collection of holiday tracks spanning generations—from Bill Monroe’s 1951 “Christmas Times A Comin’” to contemporary classic from The Polar Express, “When Christmas Comes to Town.” The 12-song album, A Good Ol’ Country Christmas, in time for the holidays, available now.

Independently released on Chevel’s Country Sweetheart label and distributed by ONErpm, the holiday album opens with Loretta Lynn’s “Country Christmas,” followed by “Mary Did You Know” and including classics like “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” and “Winter Wonderland.”

Co-produced by Chevel and Scott “Scooter” Smith, the singer was accompanied by her band as well as special guests Gary Cook (mandolin and acoustic guitar) and Matt Palmer (fiddle/twin fiddles), relying on fiddle, banjo and steel guitar during her recording session in Colorado.

“I grew up singing carols with my family, and it’s really not the holidays without these songs as our soundtracks,” Chevel shares. “A Good Ol’ Country Christmas reminds me of how special this time is at home, the people who raised me and the traditions we hold dear.”

At only 18-years-old, the Farmington, New Mexico native is committed to remaining true to her roots and influences. Raised on country music and the outdoors—tending to animals on the farm, fixing cars with her dad and barrel racing at the rodeo—Chevel reveres the sound of her musical idols, Loretta Lynn, Reba, Tanya Tucker and The Chicks. The vocalist walked away from the recording contract that comes with winning The Voice in order to maintain creative control of her own sound.

Chevel recently released “Just Like the Circus” penned by Kacey Musgraves, Shane McAnally and Ashley Arrison. Chevel and director David Dibble envisioned the accompanying music video.