There is more than love behind those beards. There is money.
The Robertsons of Duck Dynasty fame have risen to the top of the country charts with their Christmas album Duck the Halls. They sold 70,000 in their first week.
Now, three weeks in, it is the biggest debut country holiday album in the last decade according to Nielsen Soundscan.
Willie Robertson, who heads the family’s business that sells products to duck hunters, said they anticipated the album would sell because of the show’s loyal fan base. “But it’s the momentum that’s really something,” he said. “We haven’t even hit the time when we thought it would do well.”
The Robertsons decided to record an album this summer when one of their agents suggested it would be a seamless addition to the “Duck Dynasty” brand: funny, festive, family-oriented. None of them had vocal experience except for Missy Robertson (who sang on last year’s Christmas special), but Willie said they weren’t concerned. “We’ve all sung in church our whole lives,” he said, “and we do lots of karaoke.”
Enlisting some of country music’s biggest stars for cameos, including Josh Turner, Allison Krauss and George Strait, they recorded the album in a studio in their hometown and devised a 14-song tracklist that reflected the show’s personality.
“There are funny parts, serious parts, a little prayer, some of our antics,” he said. “It’s got us all over it.”
“Like Jesus and Santa Claus, we got love behind these beards,” Willie sings with country music heartthrob Luke Bryan on “Hairy Christmas.” “Wishin’ you a hairy Christmas, and a happy, happy, happy New Year.”
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