Rating:
Genre: Rock
Release Date: 10/25/1994

Elvis recorded quite a bit of gospel over the course of his career, and this two-CD, 55-song set has the bulk of it. Most of this is drawn from his three gospel LPs (His Hand in Mine, 1960; How Great Thou Art, 1967; He Touched Me, 1972), as well as a 1957 EP. Presley was undoubtedly heavily influenced by gospel (at times he indicated regret at not having chosen to become a gospel singer), and this material has played pretty well with critics. Elvis sings with skill and reasonable commitment, and the backing musicians include such Elvis/Nashville standbys as Scotty Moore, Hank Garland, Floyd Cramer, Charlie McCoy, Pete Drake, the Jordanaires, and James Burton. At the same time, let's have a reality check here. Rock- and pop-oriented fans are going to find this two-and-a-half-hour set tough going, unless they have a taste for spirituals as well. Things get a little more accessible when the tempos brighten, but often it's on the sedate side. For both collectors and listeners, highlights of the collection are five previously unreleased tracks from 1972. Recorded with only Charlie Hodges on piano and J.D. Sumner & the Stamps on backing vocals, they present Presley's gospel at its sparsest and most spontaneous.

~Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

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Floyd Cramer - Piano
Hank Garland - Guitar
The Jordanaires - Vocals
The Jordanaires - Ensemble
Elvis Presley - Guitar
Elvis Presley - Arranger
Elvis Presley - Vocals
Elvis Presley - Main Performer
Bill Black - Drums
James Burton - Guitar
Scotty Moore - Guitar
The Sweet Inspirations - Vocals
The Sweet Inspirations - Ensemble
Dick Baxter - Engineer
Kenneth A. Buttrey - Drums
Jerry Carrigan - Drums
Chip Young - Guitar
Mickey Crofford - Engineer
D.J. Fontana - Piano
D.J. Fontana - Drums
Buddy Harman - Drums
Charlie Hodge - Piano
Charlie Hodge - Vocals
Ginger Holladay - Vocals
Mary Holladay - Vocals
The Imperials Quartet - Ensemble
Felton Jarvis - Producer
Millie Kirkham - Vocals
Bill Lacey - Audio Restoration
Mike Leech - Arranger
Jim Malloy - Producer
Sonja Montgomery - Vocals
Mike Moran - Engineer
Gus Mossler - Engineer
The Nashville Edition - Vocals
The Nashville Edition - Ensemble
Jay Newland - Remastering
Thorne Nogar - Engineer
Al Pachucki - Engineer
June Page - Vocals
Susan Pilkington - Vocals
Norbert Putnam - Bass
Boots Randolph - Saxophone
Temple Riser - Vocals
Gordon Stoker - Organ
J.D. Sumner - Voices
Ron Tutt - Drums
Ernst Mikael Jorgensen - Producer
Ernst Mikael Jorgensen - Compilation Producer
Roger Semon - Producer
Roger Semon - Compilation Producer
The Stamps - Ensemble
Kathy Westmoreland - Vocals
Mary Greene - Vocals
Bob Moore - Bass
Charles K. Wolfe - Liner Notes
Joe Guercio - Vocals
Norman Moore - Art Direction
J.D. Sumner & the Stamps - Vocals
Paul Williams - Producer
Paul Williams - Compilation Producer
Ria Lewerke - Creative Director
Larry Schnapf - Vocals
Joe Moscheo - Piano
Bill Porter - Engineer
Dayna Fredrickson - Design
David Briggs - Organ
David Briggs - Piano
Charlie McCoy - Organ
Charlie McCoy - Bass

My Mother's Hymn Book
    Johnny Cash / CD / 2004
All Time Gospel Favorites [Time Life]
    Loretta Lynn / CD / 2004
Sing Their Family Gospel Favorites
    Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers / CD / 2004

Release Date: 10/25/1994
Genre: rock