His Songs Of Praise - Volume One

"Amazing Grace" (1) is listed as take 2 undubbed, but it is take 2 without chorus track.
"An American Trilogy" (4) is wrongly listed as Aloha version, but it is the single version from Las Vegas, February 16, 1972, MS
"Bridge Over Troubled Water" (6) is wrongly listed as unedited undubbed master, but it is take 5 from Essential Elvis - Vol. 4 - A Hundred Years From Now

Press note:
The first of two volumes titled "Elvis: His Songs of Praise" from author Trevor Simpson. The two volumes will combine to over 700 pages chronicling the 100 sacred, spiritual and inspirational gospel songs sung by Elvis.
Volume 1 promises over 350 pages with lavishly illustrated high-quality images, many unseen photographs and graphics. Every song has been thoroughly researched in a similar manner to Trevor Simpson's previous trilogy "Elvis: The Best of British".
In early interviews, Elvis divulged that spiritual music was his first love and he publicly continued to reaffirm. Despite being acclaimed as the "King of Rock 'n' Roll', he was only presented with three Grammy awards and they were for his spiritual music and the stories of these iconic songs are much, much more contained within this book.

Forword from Elvis:
We went to church where I loved to hear the choir. My mother once told me that when I was less than two years old, I slid off her lap in church and crawled up on the platform. I stood there singing with the choir even though I couldn't say the words, I could always carry a tune. I imagine I was singing first, if you want to call it singing, when I was about three or four and I would sing in church. Actually all I was doing was yelling, some people think that's what I still do! I read this".
Presley got his start by singing in a church choir, but fame has made him forget all about his religion..." I expected they'd start saying things like that about me not being religious, but this was the first time I'd seen it anywhere. I want you to know this, I believe in God, I believe in Him with all my heart. I believe all things come from God. That includes all the good things that have come to me and my folks. The way I feel about it, being religious means that you love God and are real grateful for all He's given and want to work for Him. I feel deep in my heart that I'm doing all this and pray that if I'm wrong in feeling the way I do, God will tell me. Because I owe everything that's happened to me, to Him.

I belong to the Assembly Of God church which is a Holiness church. I was raised up in a little Assembly Of God church and some character called 'em "Holy Rollers". I always attended church where people sang, stood up and sang in the choir and worshipped God. They sing hymns and spirituals...they sing spiritual songs every once in a while. There was some article came out that was where I got my jumping around from, my religion. My religion has nothing to do with what I do now, because the type of stuff I do now is not religious music. My religious background has nothing to do with the way I sing. Nobody knew what rock and roll was back in those days. I believe in God, I always have, ever since I was old enough to sing a hymn in Sunday School in East Tupelo. My mama and daddy and me would sing in church. She sang like an angel, my mother and she'd dream such big dreams for me. I live with my conscience and that's what's important. That and my faith in God.

My first love I would say would be spiritual music, some of the old coloured spirituals, you know, from years back. I know practically every religious song that's ever been written. There are people that like you and people that don't like you regardless of what field you're in and regardless of what you do. Even if you're perfect, I'm not saying that I'm perfect, because no man is perfect. There was only one perfect man and that was Jesus Christ and people didn't like him, they killed him and he didn't understand why. I go to church every opportunity I get but I don't have as much opportunity as I used to, because I'm on the road most of the time. The last time I went there was so much confusion and autograph seeking that out of respect I've stayed away to make up for it. I've been working on religious songs for an album. I feel God and His goodness and I believe I can express His love for us in music.  (© Trevor Simpson - elvisthebestofbritish.co.uk )