Elvis' Gospels

Elvis Presley - The Gospel Roots of the Rock and Roll Extraordinaire

Many people know Elvis Presley as the King of Rock and Roll, but few fail to see beyond the mellow voice crooning old rock songs to the music of Elvis? early days. Elvis, one of the musical greats of all time was the number one solo singer of all time, with more multi platinum albums than any other artist in history. While Elvis was a great fan of various types of music, his personal favorite type of music to sing was Gospel. Even though people mostly remember Elvis for his lively rock and roll tunes, it was gospel music that he was always humming to himself.

His gospel roots actually run quite deep; in fact, they trace all the way back to a First Assembly of God church in Memphis, Tennessee. It was there where Elvis became transfixed by gospel music, even escaping his parents when only a toddler to try to go up and sing with the choir. The Blackwood Brothers quartet came to his church, and Elvis found himself transfixed with the lyrics and harmony of the gospel group, and soon it became his dream to be a member of a gospel quartet.

Although many discouraged Elvis from pursuing gospel music, he continued to enjoy its sound, even as he began to make it big as a rock singer. Various gospel groups, such as the Speers, the Stamps, the Imperials, and the Jordanaires, often sang the backup vocals for Presley, and he was known to enjoy times after his concerts sitting around with the gospel groups singing old gospel songs. Soon Elvis was approached about singing some gospel music, and he recorded his first gospel song, How Great Thou Art, which was the song that would win him his first Grammy Award. Amazingly enough, Presley went on to win two other Grammies, and both of them were also for gospel songs he had recorded.

Some of the most well-known songs that Presley performed were songs like Heartbreak Hotel, Hound Dog, and Suspicious Minds etc. but he also recorded a great variety of gospel songs that became hits as well. Some of the gospel songs recorded by him included He Touched Me and Peace in the Valley.

His favorite singer was Mario Lanza, he was also a gospel singer, so he had that Mario Lanza has influenced him to sing Gospel songs.

Finally in 2001, Elvis Presley was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, some years after his death. In an induction ceremony, Presley was remembered for his love of gospel music and the touching way he sang those gospel songs. Being inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame made Elvis the very first artist to be in the Music Hall of Fame for three separate genres, which is an amazing achievement. Still today, the gospel music of Elvis lives on and no doubt will still be played and enjoyed for years to come.