Sheryl Crow has become the latest artist to record a Christmas album.

The rocker has recorded her favourite holiday tunes for an upcoming album, which will be sold exclusively through greetings card chain Hallmark.

She tells Billboard.com, "I had been wanting to do this for a while, so when the opportunity came up I just kind of jumped at it.

"I love Christmas music; every year we have this ritual after the Christmas Eve service, 40 or 50 people come over the house and we play Christmas music. We pretty much rely on the same Christmas music every year, and every year I've said, `I'm gonna make some Christmas music of my own.'

"The album is just gorgeous. It's kind of a humble record; it's very sweet and innocent and a little bit of a throwback to maybe the '60s or '70s in production. It's definitely a departure from any Christmas record I've ever heard."

Tracks include standards like Oh Holy Night, All Through the Night and White Christmas, as well as new track Hello, Friend.

Crow adds, "(That's) about people coming back together at Christmas, which I think is really poignant."

The untitled festive album will hit Hallmark Gold Crown stores in September (08).

Crow isn't the only star getting ready for Christmas early this year - Faith Hill, Al Jarreau and reunited band Sixpence None The Richer are also recording 2008 holiday albums.