Eric Clapton has dedicated ‘Jingle Bells’ on his new Christmas album to Avicii.
The 73-year-old musician has announced that the seventh track on his ‘Happy Xmas’ album is a tribute to the late DJ, who tragically died in April at the age of 28.
The LP is Clapton’s 24th studio album and his first release since 2016’s ‘I Still Do’ and the tracklist will contain a mixture of traditional and alternative Christmas songs, such as ‘White Christmas’, ‘Silent Night’, ‘Away in a Manger’ and new composition ‘For Love On Christmas Day’.
Speaking to Billboard, he said: "I had in my head that these holiday songs could be done with a slight blues tinge, and I started to figure out how to play the blues lines in between the vocals.
"I got it down and one of the most identifiable songs on the album, the one that became the foundational style, is ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.’"
The artwork for the album is a hand-drawn picture of Santa Clause, which Eric has signed.
‘Happy Xmas’ tracklist:
1. ‘White Christmas’
2. ‘Away In A Manger (Once In Royal David’s City)’
3. ‘For Love On Christmas Day’
4. ‘Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday’
5. ‘Christmas Tears’
6. ‘Home For The Holidays’
7. ‘Jingle Bells’ (In Memory Of Avicii)
8. ‘Christmas In My Hometown’
9. ‘It’s Christmas’
10. ‘Sentimental Moments’
11. ‘Lonesome Christmas’
12. ‘Silent Night’
13. ‘Merry Christmas Baby’
14. ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’