Bonus Tracks: Available Now on iTunes: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. Coming in November: “Silent Night” will be available at Barnes & Noble.com, “Little Drummer Boy” will be available at Amazon.com

Nearly 20 years into her recording career, Mary Chapin Carpenter has released her first-ever Christmas album. For the selections on Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas, Carpenter wrote her own set of seasonal songs which explore the many meanings and emotions that Christmas evokes in each of us.

These songs, mixed with a few hand-picked gems from other writers and rarely heard traditional tunes, will speak directly to long-time Mary Chapin Carpenter fans and introduce a new audience to her warmth, intelligence and unmistakable voice. These are not merely holiday songs, they are classic Mary Chapin Carpenter songs that artfully capture the spirit of the season. This is a rare Christmas album that, for many, can enjoy regular play well beyond the traditional holiday season. Along with Jennings, who plays guitars, piano, bass, drums and provided background vocals, Carpenter has stellar support on this recording from longtime musical partner Jon Carroll on piano.