Kristin Chenoweth, Patti LaBelle ‘Grateful To Share’ Hymns In PBS Special

Published: November 29, 2023

Kristin Chenoweth, Patti LaBelle ‘Grateful To Share’ Hymns In PBS Special

By Movieguide® Contributor

PBS is getting in the Christmas spirit with HOW GREAT THOU ART: A SACRED CELEBRATION, a musical special featuring stars like Kristin Chenoweth and Patti LaBelle.

“Since a very early age, some of the music that has inspired me the most is from being raised in the church,” LaBelle said in a statement about the special. “That music created a foundation for my love of singing. And I have never lost that love and passion for this music. No matter your religion or beliefs, sacred music has the power to inspire, uplift, motivate, and comfort us. I am so grateful to share some of this inspiring music with you alongside my dear friends Kristin Chenoweth and Sandi Patty. I hope you will join us for this very special evening!”

In addition to LaBelle, Chenoweth and Patty, the PBS special features “a 25-piece ensemble of The American Pops Orchestra, and a robust combined choir from community groups and churches in the Washington, D.C. area,” per BroadwayWorld.

“LaBelle belts ‘Lord’s Side,’ ‘You Are My Friend’ and ‘Walk Around Heaven,’ with Chenoweth performing ‘Joyful, Joyful,’ ‘Because He Lives’ and ‘Prayer of Saint Francis,’ and Patti delivering ‘Precious Memories,’ ‘Let There Be Peace on Earth’ and teaming with Chenoweth on the title song, ‘How Great Thou Art,’” TVInsider’s Matt Roush wrote.

HOW GREAT THOU ART: A SACRED CELEBRATION will air on PBS on Nov. 30 and Dec. 2, 3, 4, 10 and 15.

Chenoweth often talks about her love of Christmas. She recently recorded a Christmas album. Movieguide® previously reported:

Actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth said that A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS is at the heart of her new Christmas album, “Happiness Is… Christmas.”

“I wanted to do another Christmas song because, frankly, it makes me happy,” Chenoweth toldGuideposts Magazine. “The music makes everybody happy. And when I was looking at the song selection, I knew that I wanted to do something that had to do with my deep DNA, which is Charlie Brown.”

“The name of the record is ‘Happiness is … Christmas,’” she added. “So what we did is we melded two songs together from CHARLIE BROWN the movie, and another song from the musical…”

Chenoweth said that her hope for the album is to help listeners discover new music and celebrate old classics this Christmas season.

“There’s a song that Jay Landers wrote, ‘Why Can’t it be Christmas Every Day?’ that’s really fun. And it begs the question of why can’t it be Christmas every day? Which is my question for you guys. Certainly if we lived like it was Christmas every day, I think we’d be a lot happier,” she concluded.