Archuleta rocks Christmas from his heart

David Archuleta's favorite memory of past Christmases was gathering his family together, donning a Santa cap and caroling to neighbors in his Murray neighborhood.

This holiday might offer a different way for the singer to carol, thanks to the release of his first album, "Christmas From the Heart," a follow-up to his 2008 self-titled debut that has sold nearly 1 million copies.

The shy, self-effacing teen has remained in the hearts of fans more than a year since he finished in second place on the 2008 season of Fox's "American Idol." That's why his record company, Jive, jumped at his request to record a Christmas album, which will be released Oct. 13. "It was a way to give heartfelt music to people," Archuleta said in a

phone call from his Murray home.

And to show that he hasn't forgotten the home-grown talent that surrounded him as he was growing up, four of the five producers on the album are from Utah, including Kurt Bestor, the composer whose beloved annual Christmas programs have made him an institution.

"Everyone in Utah knows who he is and what he has done," Archuleta said of Bestor. "We were very privileged to work with him."

Bestor jumped at the chance to arrange and produce two of the songs on the new album, as well as co-produce and co-arrange a third with John Hancock.

"This kid is the real deal," Bestor said. What impressed the composer was that the soulful Archuleta didn't want an album that would just be

the "flavor of the month," but still be relevant and meaningful 10 years from now, Bestor said.

Bestor arranged the traditional hymns "Angels We Have Heard on High" and "Ave Maria," and with Hancock, arranged "Pat-a-pan." On top of writing additional lyrics and music for "Pat-a-pan" and playing instruments on the songs, Bestor traveled to the Czech Republic to conduct The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, which recorded the strings that accompany all three of his songs. He also conducted the orchestra on four other songs recorded for the album.

"There are very few opportunities with singers that take my music to a higher level," said Bestor, whose 21st annual Christmas concerts will be held at Abravanel Hall Dec. 10-12. "I was smiling a lot through the sessions."

Archuleta had changed in the year between recording his first album, which Bestor worked on briefly, and the new Christmas release. Before, the teen seemed bashful and reluctant to speak up. This time around, he was still polite but demanding of himself, evidenced by the five hours he invested in singing Bestor's arrangement of "Ave Maria." "He's not happy unless it's right," Bestor said.

Archuleta shrugged off a suggestion that

he's a perfectionist. ""That song is not easy to sing," he said. "Kurt did great with it. He did so much with the song. I try my best to make them sound the best with what I've been given.

The influence of his devotion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is apparent when looking at the album's song list. Rather than novelty songs such as "Frosty the Snowman" or "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," Archuleta chose songs he called reverent, such as "O Holy Night," "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "Silent Night."

While Archuleta will probably not show up outside your kitchen windows to sing carols this year, he's planning a winter tour where he will perform his Christmas songs to audiences. "I have to come to Utah," he said with excitement in his voice.