Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas

Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas
Studio album by The Robertsons
Released	October 29, 2013
Genre	Christmas
Label	UMG Nashville
Producer	Buddy Cannon

Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas is the first full-length Christmas album from the cast of A&E reality television series Duck Dynasty, released October 29, 2013, via UMG Nashville.^[1][2]

Background

The announcement of the album came on June 10, 2013 in the Music City Center during the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Tennessee. It was revealed that Buddy Cannon is producing the album, and that it features the family's “special brand of Southern, down-home sense of humor.”^[3] CEO of Duck Commander, Willie Robertson, was quoted as saying, "Christmas is an important holiday for us not only because of our strong faith but also our holiday family traditions. We're having a great time making this album. We hope you enjoy it."^[1]

Recording

The album features a number of traditional seasonal songs as well as originals written and performed by the Robertsons. Special guests include country stars Luke Bryan, George Strait, Josh Turner and Alison Krauss.^[4]

Release

Walmart released an exclusive 'ZinePak deluxe edition of Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas. The limited-edition package features the full-length album, plus one additional bonus track ("Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy"), as well as a 64-page magazine with exclusive family interviews, photos, fun facts, holiday recipes, scented Christmas ornament, and gift-tag stickers.^[5] Walmart let voters decide between the choice of three covers which one will be on the special release.^[6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Country Weekly	B+[7]
GotCountryOnline	[8]
Confront Magazine	[9]
Montreal Gazette	[10]

Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas garnered mostly positive reception from music critics. Tammy Ragusa of Country Weekly gave the album a B+ rating and states: "If you're a big fan of the Robertson family from the hit A&E reality series Duck Dynasty (i.e., you buy every piece of merch bearing Willie's or Uncle Si's photo or the expression "Happy, Happy, Happy"), then get your wallet out. You're not going to want to go through this holiday season without Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas.^[7] Writing for Roughstock, Matt Bjorke adds: "It may come off as a bit of a novelty album people who don't follow the program but that doesn't mean it's not a well-made album, which Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas most definitely is."^[11] Daryl Addison of Great American Country writes: "Duck the Halls is a friendly celebration of the season that will have fans of Duck Dynasty asking for seconds."^[12]

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart and number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, selling 69,000 copies in its first week of release. The album was behind another holiday album, Kelly Clarkson's Wrapped in Red, which debuted at number three with 70,000 copies.^[13] In its second week of release, Duck the Halls remained at number one on the Top Country Albums chart, seeing a slight sales increase to 73,000 copies.^[14] The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA on December 11, 2013,^[15] and it became the second best-selling Christmas album of 2013 with 745,000 copies sold in the US.^[16] As of December 2014, Duck the Halls has sold 807,000 copies in the United States.^[17]

Track listing

Source:^[2][18]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Ragin’ Cajun Redneck Christmas" (Willie Robertson)	Willie Robertson, Dallas Davidson	3:27
2.	"I'll Be Home for Christmas" (Missy Robertson)	Walter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck Ram	3:50
3.	"You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" (Si Robertson)	Theodor S. Geisel, Albert Hague	3:04
4.	"Christmas Cookies" (Phil Robertson and George Strait with Miss Kay)	Aaron Barker	3:18
5.	"Away in a Manger" (Sadie Robertson with Alison Krauss, Luke 2: 8-14 Scripture Reading by Mia)	Traditional	4:03
6.	"Hairy Christmas" (Willie Robertson and Luke Bryan with Phil, Uncle Si, Jase, Jep)	Chancie Neal, Jimmy Melton, Michael Mobley	3:30
7.	"Baby, It's Cold Outside" (Missy and Jase Robertson)	Frank Loesser	3:45
8.	"Duck the Halls" (Robertson Family)	Buddy Cannon, Willie Robertson, Jase Robertson, Korie Robertson, Missy Robertson	2:29
9.	"Camouflage And Christmas Lights" (Reed Robertson)	Michael Logen, Andrew Dorff	3:29
10.	"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (Sadie Robertson and Robertson kids with Uncle Si)	Johnny Marks	2:41
11.	"The Night Before Christmas" (Si Robertson)	Willie Robertson	3:41
12.	"Why I Love Christmas" (Missy Robertson with Josh Turner)	Josh Turner	3:32
13.	"Silent Night" (Robertson family)	Traditional	4:19
14.	"Phil’s Prayer, Willie’s Closing"		1:10

Walmart exclusive edition (bonus track)[19]
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
13.	"Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy"	Buck Owens, Don Rich

Personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic^[20]

The Robertsons Robertson Kids — featured artist Jase Robertson — featured artist, arranger, primary artist Jep Robertson — featured artist Korie Robertson — arranger Missy Robertson — arranger, pre-production arranger, primary artist Phil Robertson — featured artist, primary artist Reed Robertson — primary artist Sadie Robertson — primary artist Uncle Si Robertson — featured artist, primary artist Willie Robertson — arranger, primary artist

Technical personnel Natthapol Abhigantaphard — assistant Eric Adkins — photography Daniel Baacigalupi — assistant Sorrel Brigman — assistant Jake Burns — assistant Buddy Cannon — arranger, production Tony Castle — engineer, mixing Leland Elliott — assistant Shannon Finnegan — production coordinator Tom Freitag — assistant Scott Frick — assistant Carl Gorodetzky — contractor

Adam Grover — assistant Jonathan Harter — assistant Sam Howard — assistant Andrew Mendelson — mastering Karen Naff — art direction, design Ernesto Olvera — assistant Derek Parnell — assistant John Pirkey — pre-production arranger Eberhard Ramm — copyist Pamela Sixfin — concert mistress Bergen White — string arrangements, vocal arrangement Brian Wright — A&R

Additional musicians

• David Angell — strings
• Monisa Angell — strings
• Sam Bacco — percussion
• Wyatt Beard — background vocals
• Jim "Moose" Brown — piano
• Pat Buchanan — electric guitar
• Buddy Cannon — background vocals
• Melonie Cannon — background vocals
• Tony Castle — piano
• Jim Chapman — background vocals
• Janet Darnall — strings
• David Davidson — strings
• Beverly Drukker — strings
• Dan Dugmore — electric guitar, baritone guitar, steel guitar
• Conni Ellisor — violin
• Kevin "Swine" Grantt — bass guitar
• James Grosjean — strings
• Steve Herman — trumpet
• Steve Hinson — electric guitar, steel guitar
• Jim Horn — flute
• Jon Mark Ivey — background vocals
• Shane Keister — piano, synthesizer
• Elizabeth Lamb — strings
• Paul Leim — drums
• Jim Lotz — bassoon
• Randy McCormick — clavinet, Hammond B3, piano, synthesizer
• Liana Manis — background vocals
• Anthony La Marchina — strings
• Jon Mark — background vocals
• The Nashville String Machine — strings
• Daniel O'Lannerghty — bass guitar
• Mary Kathryn Van Osdale — strings
• Carole Rabinowitz — strings
• Mickey Raphael — harmonica
• John Wesley Ryles — background vocals
• Joe Scaife — percussion
• Lisa Silver — background vocals
• Pamela Sixfin — strings
• Kira Small — background vocals
• Denis Solee — clarinet
• Joe Spivey — fiddle
• Bobby Terry — acoustic guitar
• Dan Tyminski — acoustic guitar, mandolin
• Alan Umstead — strings
• Catherine Umstead — strings
• Bruce Wethey — strings
• Bergen White — piano, background vocals
• Kristin Wilkinson — strings
• John Willis — acoustic guitar, electric guitar, gut string guitar
• Lonnie Wilson — drums
• Karen Winkelmann — strings
• Cindy Wyatt — harp

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (2013) Peak position Canadian Albums (Billboard)[21] 8 US Billboard 200[22] 3 US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[23] 1 US Top Holiday Albums (Billboard)[24] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2013) Position US Billboard 200[25] 124 US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[26] 31 Chart (2014) Position Canadian Albums(Billboard)[27] 28 US Billboard 200[28] 18 US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[29] 6

Certifications

Region	Certification	Sales/shipments
Canada (Music Canada)[30]	Gold	40,000^^
United States (RIAA)[31]	Platinum	807,000[17]
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone ^xunspecified figures based on certification alone

References

1. "'Duck Dynasty' Family to Release Christmas Album". Yahoo! Music. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
2. "Duck The Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
3. Stark, Phyllis (10 June 2013). "Duck the Halls CMA Music Festival’s day three highlights". MSN. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
4. Weber, Katherine (October 1, 2013). "'Duck Dynasty' Christmas Album to Feature Country Stars Luke Bryan, George Strait (Promo VIDEO)". The Christian Post. Retrieved October 3, 2013.
5. "Duck The Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas 'ZinePak". Walmart.com. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
6. "Walmart on Facebook". Facebook. 11 September 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
7. Ragusa, Tammy (November 12, 2013). "Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas". Country Weekly. Retrieved December 16, 2013.
8. Toro, Tara (October 31, 2013). "ALBUM REVIEW: Duck The Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas". GotCountryOnline. Retrieved December 16, 2013.
9. Vosburgh, Kelsie (November 10, 2013), Review:Duck the Halls - A Robertson Family Christmas, retrieved December 16, 2013
10. O’Meara, Jamie (December 17, 2013), Christmas album reviews: From Kelly Clarkson to Duck Dynasty, Montreal Gazette, retrieved December 17, 2013
11. Bjorke, Matt (18 November 2013). "Album Review: Duck Dynasty's "Duck The Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas"". Roughstock. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
12. Addison, Daryl (24 November 2013). "GAC Album Review: Duck The Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas". Great American Country. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
13. Caulfield, Keith (6 November 2013). "Arcade Fire's 'Reflektor' Debuts At No. 1 On Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
14. Bjorke, Matt (13 November 2013). "Country Album Chart News: The Week of November 13, 2013: Duck Dynasty's The Robertson Family Stay at #1 Album With "Duck The Halls" Christmas Recording". Roughstock. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
15. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?content_selector=gold-platinum-searchable-database#
16. Paul Grein (January 2, 2014). "Chart Watch: The Top 10 Christmas Albums of 2013". Yahoo Music.
17. Bjorke, Matt (December 24, 2014). "Country Album Chart Report For December 24, 2014". Roughstock. Retrieved December 24, 2014. sales figures given here
18. "DUCK THE HALLS: A ROBERTSON FAMILY CHRISTMAS RELEASES SOON!". UMG Nashville. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
19. "Duck The Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas (Walmart Exclusive)". Walmart.com. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
20. "Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas - Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
21. "The Robertsons – Chart history" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for The Robertsons.
22. "The Robertsons – Chart history" Billboard 200 for The Robertsons.
23. "The Robertsons – Chart history" Billboard Top Country Albums for The Robertsons.
24. "The Robertsons Album & Song Chart History". Billboard Top Holiday Albums for The Robertsons. Prometheus Global Media.
25. "Billboard 200 Albums: Year-End top-selling albums across all genres". Billboard.
26. "Top Country Albums: 2013 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
27. "Top Canadian Albums: 2014 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Retrieved 2015-01-15.
28. "Billboard 200 Albums: Year-End top-selling albums across all genres". Billboard.
29. "Top Country Albums: 2014 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
30. "Canadian album certifications – The Robertson Family – Duck the Halls". Music Canada.
31. "American album certifications – The Robertsons – Duck the Halls". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH

External links

• Official website
• Duck The Halls Facebook Page
• Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas on Twitter