Trisha Yearwood returns to Grand Rapids on December 17—this time joined by the Grand Rapids Symphony—for a holiday performance built around her brand-new Christmas album, Christmastime. Before the show, she spoke with Grand Rapids Magazine about the inspiration behind the album, her favorite tracks, and what fans can expect from the tour.
Grand Rapids Magazine: I listened to some of the songs and was quickly “transported” into the Christmas spirit. What inspired you to do a Christmas album?
Trisha Yearwood: Everybody loves Christmas! I made my first solo Christmas record early in my career, 1994. It felt like it was long overdue. I’ve been keeping a list of my favorite songs for years. The timing felt right.
GR Mag: I particularly liked Cool Yule and Blue Christmas. What’s your favorite song on the album?
TY: It’s really tough to pick a favorite. Every song has meaning and a reason behind its choosing, but if I had to pick a favorite, I’d probably say the original song, “Merry Christmas, Valentine” a song I got to write with Garth, and he was sweet enough to sing harmony on it, too!
GR Mag: On Years—nice nod to your name, by the way—were those real memories of your own? As a country girl myself, it felt authentic.
TY: Years was written by my friend Beth Nielsen Chapman and she recorded it in the early 90’s. I’ve loved the song since that time and always wanted to record it. I definitely relate to going home to family. I guess I love it so much because it does remind me of my own life. It’s not technically a Christmas song, but it takes place during the holidays, so I made it work!
GR Mag: Our symphony is great, and I’m sure you’ll have a great time performing with them. How much time do you get to practice with them?
TY: We generally get to the venue day of show, and have a full run through in the afternoon before the show that night. I’m looking forward to it.
GR Mag: You’re on a tour of several cities. Will you be performing with other symphonies, or is that something special just for Grand Rapids?
TY: It’s the 12 days of Christmas tour. With 2 nights in Nashville, where we launch this tour, that makes 11 cities and 11 orchestras. It’s going to be a great way to get deep into the Christmas spirit.
You can see Trisha Yearwood with the Grand Rapids Symphony on December 17, 2025, at 7 p.m. at DeVos Performance Hall. Tickets are available at the venue’s website. https://www.devosperformancehall.com/p/events-and-tickets/ticketing-information
