Peace in the Valley (EP)

Peace in the Valley is an EP by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released in April 1957 on RCA Victor Records in mono with catalogue number EPA 4054. It reached number three on the short-lived Billboard EP chart, number three on the album chart and number 39 on the singles chart.

Peace in the Valley
EP by
ReleasedApril 1957
RecordedJanuary 12, 13 & 19, 1957
GenreGospel
Length12:36
LabelRCA Victor
ProducerSteve Sholes
Elvis Presley chronology
Love Me Tender
(1956)
Peace in the Valley
(1957)
Loving You
(1957)

Background

By the 1950s, Presley's hometown of Memphis, Tennessee had become a center for gospel music in the United States.[1] Presley grew up listening to this music, and maintained an abiding love for gospel singing his entire life. This EP initiated Presley's commercial presentation of this interest. Presley would go on to make many more recordings of spiritual music, including the issue of the gospel albums His Hand In Mine, How Great Thou Art, and He Touched Me, the latter two earning him Grammy Awards.

Content

The recordings included on the EP were taken from sessions on January 12, 13, and 19 at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California. All four selections are gospel classics, including two by Thomas A. Dorsey 'the father of black gospel'. The four songs are all reverential in spirit, rather than celebratory, uptempo gospel songs.[2] Six months after the appearance of this EP, the four songs issued here would be added to eight recordings of Christmas songs for his first holiday album.

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."(There'll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me)"Thomas A. DorseyJanuary 13, 1957[3]3:22
2."It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)"Stuart HamblenJanuary 19, 1957[4]3:53
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."I Believe"
January 12, 1957[5]2:05
2."Take My Hand, Precious Lord"DorseyJanuary 13, 19573:16

Personnel

The Blue Moon Boys

The Jordanaires

  • Gordon Stoker piano on "Peace in the Valley", "I Believe" and "Take My Hand, Precious Lord", background vocals on all tracks
  • Hoyt Hawkins organ on "It Is No Secret", background vocals on all tracks
  • Neal Matthews background vocals on all tracks
  • Hugh Jarrett background vocals on all tracks

Additional personnel

References

  1. Wolfe, Charles. Amazing Grace: His Greatest Sacred Performances. RCA 66421-2, 1994, liner notes, p. 8
  2. Jorgensen, Ernst. Elvis Presley A Life in Music: The Complete Recording Sessions. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1998; p. 84.
  3. "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: January 13, 1957". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/570113.html
  4. "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: January 19, 1957". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/570119.html
  5. "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: January 12, 1957". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/570112.html
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