On a very warm night in Southern California as summer was fading, Dean Martin took his familiar spot in the friendly neighborhood recording studio where he was always so comfortable and proceeded to make an album full of song -- Christmas songs to be exact.

Taking on the traditional and the heartwarming standards of the season, the singer, with his easygoing manner and recognizable vocal styling, eased into the mood needed for the moment. Yes, it may have been difficult and seemed odd to think about Christmas in Hollywood in late summer, but the results clearly were rewarding -- for Dino, the orchestra, his producer, and especially for you, the listener.