Maps of Music

How Great Thou Art (1967)

Where the lyrics of How Great Thou Art take you, and where it was really made.

The closing bonus track of this gospel album was a leftover from 1960 sessions: Crying in the Chapel had not yet appeared on any album when it closed side B.

Key places

Recorded at RCA Studio B in Nashville (1967)

Recording site RCA Studio B — Chet Atkins, producer and manager of RCA Studio B, assigned Felton Jarvis because Presley preferred to record at night. The album was recorded in May 1966. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Church on the album cover (1967)

Album cover First Church of Christ of Sandwich — The album cover shows the church and steeple of the First Church of Christ of Sandwich in Sandwich, Massachusetts. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• How Great Thou Art: ninth studio album by Elvis Presley
• Released by RCA Victor in February 1967
• Gospel album: slow numbers on side A, fast-paced numbers on side B
• Produced by Felton Jarvis, with the Imperials and the Jordanaires providing accompaniment

Background

• By the mid-1960s, Presley's movie career had begun to decline
• His 1960 gospel album His Hand in Mine continued to sell well
• The April 1965 single Crying in the Chapel, a leftover from the His Hand in Mine sessions, reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100
• RCA accepted Presley's proposal for a follow-up gospel release
• Presley had repeatedly asked RCA for a new gospel album, and each request had been rejected
• It was his first non-soundtrack album in more than two years
• Chet Atkins, producer and manager of Nashville's RCA Studio B, assigned Jarvis because Presley preferred to record at night

Recording

• Recorded in May 1966
• The first day, May 25, began with Presley practising the songs on piano with the backup singers
• Presley started with Run On, then recorded the title track in four takes
• The Imperials were due to leave for a Canadian tour, so May 27 was set as the last session
• Slow numbers were placed on side A and faster songs on side B
• Crying in the Chapel, not yet on an album, closed side B as a bonus track

Cover

• Cover shows the church and steeple of the First Church of Christ of Sandwich, Massachusetts

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born January 8, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi; family moved to Memphis, Tennessee when he was 13.
• Began his career in 1954 at Sun Records with producer Sam Phillips, who wanted to bring African-American music to a wider audience.
• Recorded "That's All Right" with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black in July 1954.
• A pioneer of rockabilly, a fusion of country music and rhythm and blues.

Members

• Classic quartet: Presley (vocals, guitar), Scotty Moore (lead guitar), Bill Black (bass), and D. J. Fontana (drums), who joined in 1955.

Career

• RCA Victor acquired his contract in 1955 for $40,000; "Heartbreak Hotel" hit number one in the US in 1956.
• Became a leading figure of rock and roll, though his style was considered a threat to white American youth by some.
• Made his film debut in Love Me Tender (1956) and devoted much of the 1960s to Hollywood films.
• Returned to the stage with the 1968 NBC special Elvis, followed by a Las Vegas residency and tours.
• Gave the first solo-artist concert broadcast worldwide, Aloha from Hawaii, in 1973.
• Died August 16, 1977 at Graceland, aged 42.
• Estimated to have sold 500 million records worldwide; won three Grammy Awards.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Billboard qualified the release as great
• Cashbox said Presley sang the tunes in a feelingful, sincere manner
• The St. Petersburg Times called it a considerable success
• The News Journal said Presley was at his versatile best
• The Courier-Post found the A-side songs good but said Presley fails on the flipside
• Journal & Courier wrote that the album was well sung
• El Paso Times considered the style of the album smooth and acceptable

Reappraisal

• The Rolling Stone Album Guide rated the release five stars out of five
• MusicHound rated it three-and-a-half bones out of five
• Allmusic gave the release four stars out of five
• Critic John Bush praised the flipside as a far more exciting proposition

Records

• Peaked at number 17 on the Billboard 200 in the lead (body text gives 18) and in the top 10 of the Top Country Albums chart (body text gives number seven)
• Certified gold by the RIAA by February 1968
• Won Best Sacred Performance at the 10th Annual Grammy Awards in March 1968, Presley's first Grammy win
• Certification updated to platinum on March 27, 1992
• Certification upgraded to 3× Platinum on October 13, 2010

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• On Palm Sunday, March 19, 1967, Parker arranged for the album to be played on 276 stations across the United States
• Ray Walker reportedly suggested the title track, based on the success of George Beverly Shea's recording used at Billy Graham events
• Jimmy Jones could not be located, so Presley's management hired The Imperials, the singer's favourite gospel quartet
• Charlie Hodge claimed Presley decided to record the title track after he played a version by Sons of the Pioneers
• James Blackwood sang the title track with the Stamps at Presley's funeral in August 1977
• The 2010 Follow That Dream reissue contained all the outtakes from the recording sessions

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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