As he announced in the news page on his official website a couple of days ago, Bob Dylan has recorded a Christmas music album that he has scheduled to release this coming holliday season. To be titled Christmas In The Heart and released on Columbia Records, it will be availabe at Amoeba Music and other stores on October 13th.

The release, which will be the 47th album by the legendary musician born Robert Allen Zimmerman, will be Dylan's first Christmas themed release and will likely surprise some fans who never expected the artist, who came to fame as a protest singer, to cover such songs as "Winter Wonderland." Other songs to be featured on the album include “Little Drummer Boy” and “Must Be Santa.”

The album will not be the first time the 68 year old artist has done traditional Christmas fare though. Three years ago on his radio show, Theme Time Radio Hour series 1, episode 34, he did a reading of "Twas The Night Before Christmas" (video clip below). Dylan's Christmas In The Heart will be a benefit for various hunger-relief charities including the wonderful Feeding America organization.