Steve Vai, the Grammy award winning guitarist known for his work with David Lee Roth and Frank Zappa, among others, has launched his own record label and entertainment company.

• Steve Vai

September 24 [14:00 EDT] -- The onset of the holiday season brings with it a wave of Yuletide music as artists step forward to serve up their traditional, and not-so-traditional, offerings, and this year looks to be no exception.

Chris Cornell, Puff Daddy, and No Doubt have already hopped on the holiday music convoy (see "Cornell, Puffy, No Doubt Together For 'Christmas'" from September 23 in the MTV News Gallery), and now word comes of two more seasonal selections.

Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, Tony Bennett, Bruce Springsteen, Frank Sinatra, and others take what looks to be the more traditional route on "Superstar Christmas," which is set to arrive on October 14. Celine Dion, Cyndi Lauper, John Lennon, and Luther Vandross are also among the artists featured on the collection, which will benefit the T.J. Martell Foundation for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS Research.

Meanwhile, on the road less traveled, Steve Vai has pulled together a gaggle of his guitar-slinging pals to record "Merry Axemas," which also hits stores on October 14. Here, listeners can fill their holiday season with the sounds of Joe Satriani's "Silent Night," Brian Setzer 's "Jingle Bells," Joe Perry's "Blue Christmas," and Richie Sambora's "O Holy Night." The album also boasts tracks from Steve Morse, Jeff Beck, Rush's Alex Lifeson, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

• Boyz II Men
• Mariah Carey
• Steve Vai