Boyz II Men’s holiday staple cover of Donny Hathaway’s five-decade-old “This Christmas” gets a countrified refresh with Brett Young in this new version from CMT’s forthcoming holiday edition of Crossroads. The soulful crooners from “Motownphilly” join Chris Tomlin, Colbie Caillat, Dann Huff, Darius Rucker, Gavin DeGraw, and Maddie & Tae in performing renditions of classic Christmas hits from his inaugural holiday album, “Brett Young & Friends Sing the Christmas Classics.” The new edition debuts Wednesday, December 8th at 8p/7c, before the also-premiering “CMT’s A Tennessee Kind of Christmas.”
“We’re excited to ring in the holiday season with our very first Christmas-themed Crossroads along with an all-new music special starring some of country music’s greatest voices,” shared Margaret Comeaux, Vice President of Production, CMT & Executive Producer. “The Christmas cheer begins with hitmaker Brett Young and a variety of special guests both in and out of genre, followed by an incredible lineup of classic country legends in a Tennessee-themed holiday special. It will be a can’t-miss night of music filled with traditions both new and old alongside amazing renditions of our favorite holiday hits.”
Regarding his work with Boyz II Men, it’s not the first time the soul legends and Young have shared time on a CMT stage. On a 2019 episode of CMT Crossroads, they sang the trio’s hits, including “Motownphilly,” “End of the Road,” and “In Case You Didn’t Know.” Regarding his adoration of the R & B legends, Young noted, “Boyz II Men was so present and prevalent in my life when I started writing songs. Every once in a while, when you guys sing your solos I can tell who’s who, but when you’re singing together, it’s like who’s doing what right now? It pushed me as a singer before I even knew it was doing that.”