YouTube Gospel Music: Elvis Presley
Contents
YouTube provides a wealth of gospel music videos, including those by Elvis Presley.
Introduction
Gospel music is a genre of Christian music. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is composed and performed for many purposes, including aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, and as an entertainment product for the marketplace. Gospel music usually has dominant vocals (often with strong use of harmony) with Christian lyrics. Gospel music can be traced to the early 17th century, with roots in the black oral tradition. Hymns and sacred songs were often repeated in a call and response fashion. Most of the churches relied on hand clapping and foot stomping as rhythmic accompaniment. Masses would be sung in Latin (the language of church texts at the time) by choirs; soloists would sometimes sing which was known as cantoring or plainsong. An example of gospel blues is Thomas Dorsey’s “Precious Lord, Take My Hand”.
The Gospel music of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley was a man of many talents, and one of those was his gospel singing. Elvis grew up in the church and gospel music was a big part of his life. He often said that gospel music was his favorite type of music to sing. Elvis recorded many gospel songs throughout his career, and his gospel music is still enjoyed by fans today.
His early years
Elvis grew up in poverty in Tupelo, Mississippi. He was a shy child and an early enthusiast of African-American gospel music. He sang in his church choir from an early age. At the age of 11, he received his first guitar as a gift from his mother. He taught himself to play and became quite skilled. After high school, he moved to Memphis, where he began his singing career
His career
Elvis Presley proved himself to be more than just a rock and roll singer with his forays into gospel music throughout his career. From his early recordings like “Peace in the Valley” to his legendary live performances at Madison Square Garden and Hawaii, Elvis put his own spin on religious songs that delighted fans of all ages. Here are ten of the best gospel tunes associated with Elvis Presley.
“Peace in the Valley” was one of the first gospel songs that Elvis recorded, and it quickly became a fan favorite. This performance from 1957 showcases Elvis’ powerful voice and impeccable phrasing, qualities that would come to define his style.
One of Elvis’ most memorable gospel performances came at Madison Square Garden in 1972. “How Great Thou Art” won a Grammy Award for Best Sacred Performance, and it is easy to see why. The song starts off slow and builds to a crescendo, with Elvis hitting some incredibly high notes towards the end.
In 1960, Elvis recorded an entire album of gospel music called “His Hand in Mine.” The title track is a beautiful ballad that showcases both Elvis’ vocal range and emotional depth.
Though it was not released until after his death, “Saved” is one of the best-known gospel songs associated with Elvis Presley. This soulful track was recorded in 1977, near the end of Elvis’ life, and features some of his most impassioned vocals.
His later years
The end of Elvis Presley’s life was shrouded in mystery. He was a bloated, pill-popping mess who hadn’t had a hit record in years. By the early 1970s, his career was in steep decline. In October of 1976, he returned to Graceland, his Memphis mansion, after a stint in Las Vegas. He was42 years old and hadn’t been on stage in over a year.
On August 16th, 1977, he was found dead in his bathroom at Graceland. The official cause of death was heart failure, but there have been many theories about what really killed Elvis. Some say it was an overdose of prescription drugs; others believe he died from eating too many fried chicken dinners. Regardless of the cause, Elvis Presley’s death was a tragedy.
Conclusion
We hope you have enjoyed our selection of Elvis Presley’s gospel music. We believe that this music truly captures the essence of Elvis’ spirituality and offers a window into his soul. While Elvis is best known for his rock and roll hits, we feel that his gospel music is some of his most beautiful and timeless work. Thank you for listening!
