Frank Sinatra’s Christmas ‘Gift’ Arrives Early : Music: The singer’s first recording in more than seven years is ‘Silent Night.’ Albums bought locally will benefit Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

The first recording by Frank Sinatra in more than seven years is being released Saturday on “The Christmas Album, a Gift of Hope,” a collection of Christmas songs being issued by the San Diego-based Children’s Hospital Foundation to benefit children’s hospitals around the country. The Children’s Hospital of Orange County will be the local recipient.

The 75-year-old Sinatra’s new version of “Silent Night”--featuring his son, Frank Jr., on piano--is one of about two dozen selections on the album. Others feature Reba McEntire, Barry Manilow, Willie Nelson, James Earl Jones, Magic Johnson, Bill Medley, George Jones, Kenny Loggins, Hank Williams Jr., Nancy Sinatra, Stryper, Lou Rawls, Dionne Warwick and Henry Mancini. Also included is a trio performance by ‘50s-’60s teen idols Freddie Cannon, Johnny Tillotson and Brian Hyland.

Most such Christmas albums are compilations of previously released material, but producer Michael Lloyd said “we wanted something that would be special to people, and stand out from other collections, so 18 of the 24 songs are unique to this album. They were newly recorded, specifically for this.”

Lloyd and the musicians donated their services, and the album is being released by the foundation itself rather than a record company, so all proceeds except the cost of manufacturing will go to the hospitals.

This is the second year that Lloyd had organized a Children’s Hospital Foundation album. Last year’s raised more than $1 million nationwide, Lloyd said, with the money going to the local hospitals in the areas where they were sold. “That means the money raised in Orange County stays in Orange County,” said Lloyd. “It’s a good opportunity to give to the hospital in your area, and you get a nice Christmas package too.”

The Little Mermaid Guild of the Children’s Hospital of Orange County is hosting a reception to celebrate the album’s release Saturday at the Waterfront Hilton in Huntington Beach. Helen Wardner, hospital director of support groups, said she hopes to have an initial order of 5,000 cassettes (which will sell for $8.95) and compact discs ($12.95) in local outlets including Bullocks and Nurseryland stores by next week. Call CHOC’s Guild Office for information: (714) 532-8675.

Lloyd’s production credits over the past 20 years range from Rawls and the Osmonds to Stryper and Belinda Carlisle. His specialty, he said, is soundtrack packages; the best-selling “Dirty Dancing” set was one of his projects. Even with such experience, he said, coordinating the Christmas album was an arduous, 10-month project.

He also said it was worth it.

“Sinatra’s performance (his first since the 1984 ‘L.A. Is My Lady’ album) was literally unbelievable. He may be 75 now--and he knows his voice isn’t the same as it was when he was 25--but the thing is, he’s no less compelling than ever. It’s coming from a different, more experienced point of view now. His emotional output is so great on ‘Silent Night’ that hearing him sing it is like having a great motion picture unfold in front of you.”