‘A Very Special Christmas 25th Anniversary’ Album Artists Revealed

Rascal Flatts, the Band Perry and Vince Gill will celebrate Christmas a bit early this year, for a very worthwhile cause. On October 16, the country superstars join an all-star cast of musicians, including Christina Aguilera, Amy Grant, Dave Matthews, Michael Bublé, Jason Mraz, One Republic and Train, on the holiday-themed CD A Very Special Christmas 25th Anniversary, with proceeds benefiting the Special Olympics.

The double-disc collection, to be released on Big Machine Records, was announced yesterday (August 6), at a press conference at Nashville's Blackbird Studios, owned by John and Martina McBride.

"This 25th anniversary will be the biggest year in the history of this series," says CEO of the Special Olympics, Tim Shriver (quote via Billboard magazine). "This is music that continues to sell. People buy it. They enjoy it. They think it's just great Christmas music, but it's more than that. It's changing the world."

To commemorate the milestone anniversary, a separate CD, A Very Special Christmas: Bringing Peace on Earth, will also be released on Word Music. The collection includes several of contemporary Christian music's biggest stars, including Big Daddy Weave, Natalie Grant and Chris August.

Since 1987, the Very Special Christmas series has featured dozens of holiday hits by some of popular music's best-known artists. The collections have raised more than $100 million for Special Olympics. The 25th anniversary edition CD will be available October 16