If you're like me and prefer your Christmas music to be the good, old traditional hymns, you're sure to appreciate Tennessee Ernie Ford's The Star Carol. Originally released on October 20, 1958, Ford's rich baritone-bass voice, backed by an angelic choral accompaniment, told the story of Jesus's birth with uncanny reverence and beauty, making the album a perennial Christmas favorite for many for years to come.

As the years turned into decades, though, the album gradually became a fond memory that many associated with their childhood Christmas memories, as no CD release was forthcoming until, I believe, July 1, 2008. That, of course, fell out of print rather quickly, but now this wonderful album is available for download by one and all.

You'll no doubt notice that a few of the songs on the album are not well-known or even traditional Christmas songs. Three of them -- "O Hearken Ye," "Some Children See Him" and the title track "The Star Carol" -- are more contemporary Christmas songs composed by Alfred Burt. Burt had died of cancer at the age of 33, four years earlier, before his dream of having an album of his Christmas songs released could come true. In fact, he spent the last days of his life finishing the songs for that would-be album; "The Star Carol" was completed just hours before his death. That album, The Christmas Mood, was released soon thereafter, but it failed to make a splash and was quickly forgotten -- but not by all, as producer Buddy Cole brought the song "The Star Carol" to Ernie Ford in 1958. The song's melody and message touched Ford deeply, and his recording of it led Capital Records to make it the title track of the album. It's a beautiful song that more than deserves its spot beside such traditional Christmas favorites such as "O Holy Night," "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "Joy to the World," "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and "Silent Night."

Personally, I was most pleased to see "We Three Kings" included as well, as that is a favorite of mine that doesn't find its way on many commercially-released Christmas albums.

You would be hard pressed to find a better album celebrating the true meaning of Christmas than this one. In fact, I think a new generation of listeners will soon be adding Tennessee Ernie Ford's The Star Carol to their own list of Christmas favorites.