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FAITH HILL, JOY TO THE WORLD: A SOUNDSTAGE SPECIAL EVENT
DECEMBER 25 AT 10 PM
EIGHT/KAET-TV

– Faith Hill’s Exclusive One-Time Performance of Her Newly Released CD –

Christmas came early this year for Soundstage. Faith Hill chose the show for the first and only full performance of her newly released Christmas album, Joy to the World. Hill’s exclusive complete performance of Joy to the World, Faith Hill, Joy to the World: A Soundstage Special Event, airs Christmas Day, Friday, Dec. 25, 2009 at 10 p.m. on Eight/KAET.

Hill’s extraordinary performance included songs from the entire album, including its first single, “A Baby Changes Everything.” Joined by a 31-person orchestra, led by esteemed conductor David Campbell, and a nine-person choir, Hill wowed the audience with her unique and powerful interpretations of timeless Christmas standards, including “Silent Night, “Little Drummer Boy,” “Holly Jolly Christmas” and other classics.

Faith Hill, Joy to the World: A Soundstage Special Event is the second Christmas taping for Soundstage since its rebirth in 2001. “We were honored that Faith chose Soundstage to present her holiday album,” states Joe Thomas, Soundstage producer/director. “Soundstage prides itself on presenting unique performances and Faith’s show will certainly be one of our most memorable shows.”

While the majority of Soundstage concerts are filmed before an intimate studio audience at WTTW’s Grainger Studio in Chicago, Hill’s performance was taped on a specially constructed set within the famed Sears Centre Arena before an audience of nearly 3,000.

Over the years, the innovative and prestigious Soundstage achieved widespread critical acclaim and featured the artists that defined the era, including Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt, Al Green, Doobie Brothers, Harry Chapin, Dionne Warwick, Temptations and Kenny Loggins, among others. Since Soundstage was reintroduced, performers have included the Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Joss Stone, Wilco, Sonic Youth, All-American Rejects, KT Tunstall, Train, Alison Krauss, Alanis Morissette, Alan Jackson and more.

About Eight/KAET-TV
Eight, Arizona PBS specializes in the education of children, in-depth news and public affairs, lifelong learning, and the celebration of arts and culture — utilizing the power of noncommercial television, the Internet, educational outreach services, and community-based initiatives. The PBS station began broadcasting from the campus of Arizona State University on January 30, 1961. Now more than 80 percent of Arizonans receive the signal through a network of translators, cable and satellite systems. With more than 1.3 million viewers each week, Eight consistently ranks among the most-viewed public television stations per capita in the country. Arizonans provide more than 60 percent of the station’s annual budget. For more information, visit www.azpbs.org.

Eight is a member-supported service of Arizona State University.