2008 Holiday Gift Guide for Country Music Fans

Each year, there is a multitude of great country music released. I had the difficult time of trying to pick just 20 albums to highlight. You will note that I haven't highlighted any Greatest Hits collections. These are just some of the best from this year, as well as a couple gems from previous years that I can't help but add to this list. You'll find artists from classic (Johnny Cash) to contemporary (Taylor Swift), and everything in between.

2008 wasn't a banner year for new DVD releases, but there were still some exceptional additions that I've added to this list. Many of my recommendations are for DVDs that are essential to any fan who enjoys a historical point of view, such as the Opry Video Classics or the Grand Ole Opry at Carnegie Hall. But, I've also included a couple live concert DVDs and one must-have country motion picture as well.

There are autobiographies and encyclopedias of country music history, but I've concentrated on some fun reads. You'll learn about country music history from the Country Music Pop-Up Book, but in a fun way, not in a textbook format. If you enjoy singing along with your favorite country songs, you may want to pick up the new Playstation game SingStar Country. Then, there is my favorite book on the list, Robert K. Oermann's Behind the Grand Ole Opry Curtain: Tales of Romance and Tragedy. You won't want to put the book down until you've read it cover to cover. There's one last book I must mention. That would be Trisha Yearwood's Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen. Definitely some mouthwatering home-style recipes in her collection.

Every year, we see a new crop of country Christmas albums. These are the newest, and in the case of Tracy Lawrence, re-releases for 2008. The selection includes albums from Faith Hill, newcomer Julianne Hough, George Strait and even a new Elvis Presley duet album.