(November 3, 2026) -- Southern Gospel favorites The Kingdom Heirs aren't just a holiday essential at Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas each year, they are beloved across the country and around the world for their six Christmas collections released since 1999. Now, 10 years on since their most recent holiday album, the gospel quartet return with A Kingdom Heirs Christmas via Sonlite Records. It's a brand new EP -- now available for pre-save/add ahead of its November 27 release -- featuring five original songs and two familiar classics, offered in their signature Kingdom Heirs style.

"From the beginning of November until the season ends in January, we do around 180 Christmas shows at Dollywood," lead vocalist Chris Bryant explains. "So when we realized that it had been 10 years since our last Christmas project, we knew it was time for a new collection of instant favorites!"

And favorites these songs will most certainly be, as the EP boasts upbeat toe tappers ("It All Started in Bethlehem," "That Manger Held a Miracle," "Time Around the Tree"), warm and familiar jazzy tunes ("Winter Wonderland"), soft ballads ("He Makes Room," "When I Hear a Christmas Song"), and nostalgic Southern favorites ("Christmas in Dixie"). All combine to create a fresh, modern collection that will no doubt become an annual favorite - not just for Kingdom Heirs fans or Smoky Mountain Christmas attendees, but for all Christmas music lovers.

"We really wanted to include a good mix of old and new material on this EP, and we feel like it all came together perfectly," Bryant continues. "Some of our favorite songwriters sent us some great new songs for this album, and we even have one song written by our very own tenor vocalist John Young, so that is an extra special bonus for sure!"

Indeed, Young penned the nostalgic and cinematic "Time Around the Tree," which begins tenderly and thoughtfully before its energy builds and soars, as it paints a picture of every living room's Christmas centerpiece with gratitude, joy, and Christ as focal points. Other well-known and much-loved sacred and gospel songwriters on the project include Adina Bowman, Gene Ezell, Karen Gillespie, and Dixie Phillips, whose compositions are perfectly matched with the collection's two iconic covers, "Winter Wonderland" and "Christmas in Dixie," both of which shine with the Kingdom Heirs' singular quartet treatment.

"We absolutely love Christmas and Christmas music!" Bryant concludes. "I start listening to Christmas music before the fall decor has even been taken down. For me, it just brings back so many great memories and warms my heart."

"I hope that this album brings those same feelings and memories to anyone who hears it while reminding us all of the reason for the season, the greatest gift of all - Jesus!"

After 10 years since their latest holiday offering, A Kingdom Heirs Christmas is the perfect reminder that the Kingdom Heirs and Christmas go together like hot cocoa and a warm fire; like peace and joy; like Christ's all-powerful love and his journey to Earth to redeem us all.

Pre-save/add A Kingdom Heirs Christmas HERE.

About The Kingdom Heirs:

From the Mountains of East Tennessee, Southern Gospel music fills the air. The music-rich region is the home of the Kingdom Heirs, one of Southern Gospel's top male quartets. The group started performing in local churches and concert halls and as their music and message spread to a wider audience, so did their popularity and demand. Later, in 1982, they began singing at the Silver Dollar City theme park, even before it became the ever-popular Dollywood. In 1986, when the theme park took on its new name, the Kingdom Heirs were asked to become the park's resident gospel group. In 2025, both the Kingdom Heirs and Dollywood celebrated over 40 years of family entertainment. Not only are they an essential musical attraction at Dollywood, they are a favorite to millions everywhere, across the country and around the world. In 2026, the group has released a series of brand new original music as singles - including "Jesus Never Met a Sinner (That He Couldn't Save)," "Always Get the Grace," "I Take It to the Lord," and their most recent release, "Until Faith" - all to critical acclaim, with striking playlist adds and plenty of action on the gospel charts, as the Kingdom Heirs look ahead to a brand new album in early 2027.

About Crossroads:

Crossroads is a market leader in the Southern Gospel, Bluegrass, and Americana fields. Established in 1993, following the combination of Horizon Music Group and Sonlite Records, Crossroads now operates several divisions including Crossroads Label Group (Horizon Records, Sonlite Records, Mountain Home Music, Skyland Records, Pisgah Ridge Records, Crossroads Records, and Organic Records), Crossroads Distribution, Crossroads Radio Promotions, and Crossroads Recording Studios. Led by a strong executive team of Christian music and Bluegrass music veterans, Crossroads combines cutting-edge technology with creative innovation to connect fans with our artists' music.

For more info on The Kingdom Heirs, visit the JFH Artists Database.

 

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