Dailey and Vincent Release First Christmas Album After 11 Years Together

It would be more than a decade before bluegrass duo Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent, who make up Dailey & Vincent, released their first Christmas album, The Sound of Christmas, but both admit it's a project they have longed for from the beginning.

"We've always wanted to do one," Dailey told PopCulture.com. "Eleven years into our career as Dailey & Vincent, we finally get to do our Christmas record.'"

"It was inspired by so many sounds of Christmas, from Bing Crosby, Dolly Parton, Alabama and Brenda Lee," he continued. "So we took all of these songs that we liked and we said, 'We're just going to make a Christmas CD of songs we grew up loving, from 'Frosty the Snowman' to 'Let it Snow' to 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' to 'Mary Did You Know.'"

Along with recent Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, Ricky Skaggs, their album, The Sound of Christmas also features country music icon Parton, who is featured on the track, "Road to Bethlehem."

"Having her on this CD is a dream of ours," Vincent said. "The minute that I heard the song, I called Jamie up and I said, 'This has really touched my heart and I'm just praying Dolly will say yes and she'll like the song. If you're okay with it, I'd like to send it to her and ask her if she would like to sing it with us.'"

"Of course she did," he continued. "She said absolutely she would be honored to sing this song."

The two singers describe pairing up with other legends in the industry as more than just an opportunity to write a big name on their tracks — instead, it's an indescribable, emotional bond.

"When you sing with another artist," Dailey added, "that's something that's so intimate, it's stronger than a friendship ... Getting to sing with Ricky Skaggs, Dolly Parton, Reba, a bluegrass or gospel band we love, there is no stronger bond to use your vocal cords with."

Their festive album reached No.1 on the Billboard Bluegrass chart and No. 8 on the Billboard Holiday Albums chart.

"It's a huge honor," Vincent said. "You never know what's No. 1 or No. 8, you never know what you're going to get into but the people are really responding to the CD and I'm so thankful for that."

The pair recently became members of the Grand Ole Opry unexpectedly in December of 2016 and just talking about the special night brings tears to their eyes.

"Marty [Stuart] sang a song with us," Dailey recalled. "We said, 'Ladies and gentlemen, that's Marty Stuart, here at the Grand Ole Opry.' He was supposed to leave but he grabbed the microphone and said, 'We have some business to take care of here.' We thought 'Oh, it's our tenth year. They're going to bring out a cake and congratulate [us] on ten years and our 100th performance' and then he said, 'Country music loves you. Country music needs you and the Grand Ole Opry welcomes you.'"

Dailey & Vincent have several shows on the calendar throughout the remainder of the year. Find dates by visiting their website.

Purchase The Sound of Christmas here.

Photo Credit: Getty images/John Shearer