It is with great pride and joy that I announce to you that I have added a 4th hour to the Yule Log soundtrack. It will premiere here in New York at 12 noon on Christmas Day. This is the first substantive change to the program in 36 years and the biggest single change in its 43-year-old history, as it is the first time that an entirely new hour of classic Christmas music has been added to the broadcast. The Yule Log is now officially a 4-Hour program and the old practice of just repeating previously played music for a fourth broadcasted hour is now terminated.

As a result of its growing popularity, as well as several requests from WPIX over the last few years, I have decided to add a 4th hour of music to the Yule Log soundtrack. This is the first time in 36 years that additional songs have been added to the program.

I actually had total leeway to add a 4th hour of music to the program when we restored the audio soundtrack for WPIX in 2006, but I decided against it because I felt very strongly that my job back then was just to restore the audio soundtrack to its original 3-hour form with as little creative input from me as possible. However, since WPIX and many of the other Tribune affiliates now air the program for more than 3 hours (as a result of its great success in the Nielsen ratings) and are just repeating previously played music, I felt the time was now appropriate to add an additional 4th hour.

This will actually fulfill a lifelong dream of adding music that I've always felt should have been a part of the Yule Log soundtrack all along. There are a total of 23 great classic Christmas songs that comprise this spectacular new 4th hour of music and it boasts some very rare out-of-print gems. In fact, of the added hour’s 23 selections, 8 are currently out-of-print, and of those 8, a total of 6 have never been released on CD before (these 6 songs had to be taken from their original vinyl LPs and digitally remastered especially for this broadcast). The new hour also boasts 9 new artists to the soundtrack, and of those 9, a total of 7 have never appeared on the Yule Log before; they include Bert Kaempfert, Mitch Miller, Bing Crosby, Sammy Kaye, Vic Damone, Johnny Mathis and Mike Douglas. And by the way, for the record, the 2 new returning artists to the program are The New Christy Minstrels and The Living Voices -- both appearing on the Yule Log for the first time in over 40 years.

I just know everyone will absolutely love this new 4th hour of music. It has a good balance of instrumental and vocal tracks and it covers the gamut of emotions -- from reverent to sentimental to joyous, jolly and fun.

Here now is an overview of the newly added 4th hour:

The new 4th hour leads off with a great classic that used to air on the Yule Log in the late 1960’s; it is now restored back to the program to its rightful place: it’s Mantovani’s brilliant interpretation of Adeste Fideles. Songs #2, #13 and #17 are 3 great Ray Conniff classics that are now home to the Yule Log for the first time -- including his definitive version of The Little Drummer Boy. Songs #3, #12 and #22 are the 3 great Christmas originals by Bert Kaempfert -- songs that were absolutely tailor-made for the Yule Log: Holiday For Bells, Children’s Christmas Dream and Jingo Jango. Song #4 is a must for the kid in all of us: Mitch Miller’s Must Be Santa. In keeping with tradition, the reigning King of the Yule Log, Percy Faith, is awarded 4 appearances in the new 4th hour with 4 songs that I have always felt belonged on the program: songs #5, #9, #15 and #23 (by the way, it is also in keeping with tradition that Mr. Faith concludes the Yule Log broadcast). Back on the program for the first time since 1968 are The New Christy Minstrels, but this time with their 2 best songs: Sleigh Ride (song #6) and Here We Come A-Caroling (song #14). Songs #7 and #21 are the 2 greatest Christmas songs that the Harry Simeone Chorale ever recorded; they were recorded exclusively for Goodyear’s 1967 LP, The Great Songs Of Christmas, Vol. 7. One of the biggest omissions from the Yule Log soundtrack these last 43 years was Bing Crosby; however, with song #8 that has now been corrected as Bing makes his first appearance ever on the Yule Log with his great original, A Time To Be Jolly. Also new to the Yule Log is the great Sammy Kaye, and you will absolutely adore these 2 great originals: Santa, Santa, Santa Claus (song #10) and All Around The Christmas Tree (song #19). Another first-timer on the program is Vic Damone, and song #11 is his rousing rendition of Deck The Halls. For the first time in over 40 years The Living Voices return to the program, but this time with their great classic Be A Santa (song #16). Next is the other great omission from the Yule Log soundtrack all these years, Johnny Mathis; song #18 is his reverent and poignant version of O Holy Night. And finally, the wonderful Mike Douglas is awarded a deserved place in the new 4th hour with his jubilant and inspiring Touch Hands On Christmas Morning.