Barbra's Back With Christmas Album

NEW YORK (Barbra Official website) - Songstress Barbra Streisand will on Oct. 30 release her first holiday album in 34 years, "Christmas Memories" (Columbia). The album will be the artist's first studio release since 1999's "A Love Like Ours." It features Streisand's interpretations of 12 religious or Christmas-themed songs, including Schubert's "Ave Maria," which was also included on Streisand's 1967 release, "A Christmas Album."

Other songs on "Christmas Memories" include Russell Faith and Clarence Kehner's "Snowbound," Frank Loesser's "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?," and Stephen Sondheim's "I Remember," to which Sondheim added a new, Christmas-themed verse upon Streisand's request.

"Christmas Memories" was recorded live in the studio with a 90-piece orchestra this past July and August and produced by Streisand with Jay Landers. It's the artist's first album release since she concluded her performing career with four high-profile shows in Los Angeles and New York in September 2000.

"A Love Like Ours" debuted at No. 6 on The Billboard 200, and has been certified platinum for shipments of 1 million copies by the Recording Industry Association of America. "A Christmas Album" has been certified five times platinum.