Peace in the Valley (EP)

1957 EP by Elvis Presley

Peace in the Valley

EP by

Elvis Presley

Released| April 11, 1957[1]
Recorded| January 12, 13 & 19, 1957
Studio| Radio Recorders (Los Angeles)
Genre| Gospel
Length| 12:36
Label| RCA Victor
Producer| Steve Sholes
Elvis Presley chronology
| Love Me Tender
(1956)  | Peace in the Valley
(1957)  | Loving You
(1957)

|
|

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.

## Background

[edit]

By the 1950s, Presley's hometown of Memphis, Tennessee had become a center for gospel music in the United States.[2] 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. A live recording of "How Great Thou Art" from the 1974 live album Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis would win Elvis a third Grammy.

## Content

[edit]

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.[3] Six months after the appearance of this EP, the four songs issued here would be added as bonus tracks to eight recordings of Christmas songs for his first holiday album.

## Track listing

[edit]

Side oneNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Recording date| Length

|
|
|
|

1.| "(There'll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me)"| Thomas A. Dorsey| January 13, 1957[4]| 3:22
2.| "It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)"| Stuart Hamblen| January 19, 1957[5]| 3:53

Side twoNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Recording date| Length

|
|
|
|

1.| "I Believe"|

* Ervin Drake
* Irvin Graham
* Jimmy Shirl
* Al Stillman

| January 12, 1957[6]| 2:05
2.| "Take My Hand, Precious Lord"| Dorsey| January 13, 1957| 3:16

## Personnel

[edit]

Credits from Ernst Jorgensen and Keith Flynn's analysis of session tapes and RCA and AFM/union paperwork.[7][8][9]

The Blue Moon Boys

* Elvis Presley – lead vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar
* Scotty Moore – electric lead guitar
* Bill Black - double bass
* D. J. Fontana – drums

The Jordanaires

* Gordon Stoker - backing vocals; piano on "Peace in the Valley", "I Believe", and "Take My Hand, Precious Lord"
* Hoyt Hawkins - backing vocals; organ on "It Is No Secret"
* Neal Matthews - backing vocals
* Hugh Jarrett - backing vocals

Additional personne and production staff

* Dudley Brooks - piano on "It Is No Secret"
* Steve Sholes - producer
* Thorne Nogar - engineer

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "1950s discography".
2. ^ Wolfe, Charles. Amazing Grace: His Greatest Sacred Performances. RCA 66421-2, 1994, liner notes, p. 8
3. ^ Jorgensen, Ernst. Elvis Presley A Life in Music: The Complete Recording Sessions. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1998; p. 84.
4. ^ "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: January 13, 1957". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/570113.html
5. ^ "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: January 19, 1957". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/570119.html
6. ^ "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: January 12, 1957". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/570112.html
7. ^ "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: January 12, 1957". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/570112.html
8. ^ "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: January 13, 1957". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/570113.html
9. ^ "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: January 19, 1957". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/570119.html

## External links

[edit]

* Peace in the Valley at Discogs (list of releases)

* v
* t
* e

Elvis Presley

* Awards
* Albums
* Singles
* Songs
* Films and television
* Personal relationships
* Cultural depictions
* Cultural impact

Studio albums|

* Elvis Presley
* Elvis (1956 album)
* Elvis' Christmas Album
* Elvis Is Back!
* His Hand in Mine
* Something for Everybody
* Pot Luck
* How Great Thou Art
* From Elvis in Memphis
* From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis
* That's the Way It Is
* Elvis Country (I'm 10,000 Years Old)
* Love Letters from Elvis
* Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas
* Elvis Now
* He Touched Me
* Elvis (1973 album)
* Raised on Rock / For Ol' Times Sake
* Good Times
* Promised Land
* Today
* From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee
* Moody Blue

Soundtrack albums|

* Loving You
* King Creole
* G.I. Blues
* Blue Hawaii
* Girls! Girls! Girls!
* It Happened at the World's Fair
* Fun in Acapulco
* Kissin' Cousins
* Roustabout
* Girl Happy
* Harum Scarum
* Frankie and Johnny
* Paradise Hawaiian Style
* Spinout
* Double Trouble
* Clambake
* Speedway
* Viva Elvis
* Elvis Presley: The Searcher

EPs|

* Love Me Tender
* Peace in the Valley
* Jailhouse Rock
* Flaming Star
* Follow That Dream
* Kid Galahad
* Viva Las Vegas
* Tickle Me
* Easy Come, Easy Go

Live albums|

* Elvis (1968 album)
* From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis
* On Stage
* As Recorded at Madison Square Garden
* Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite
* Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis
* Having Fun with Elvis on Stage
* Elvis in Concert
* An Afternoon in the Garden

Budget albums|

* Elvis Sings Flaming Star
* Let's Be Friends
* Almost in Love
* C'mon Everybody
* I Got Lucky
* Elvis' 40 Greatest
* Pure Gold

Compilation albums|

* Elvis' Golden Records
* For LP Fans Only
* A Date with Elvis
* 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong
* Elvis' Golden Records Volume 3
* Elvis for Everyone!
* Elvis' Gold Records Volume 4
* You'll Never Walk Alone
* Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 1
* Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 2
* The Sun Sessions
* Welcome to My World
* He Walks Beside Me
* Mahalo from Elvis
* Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 3
* Greatest Hits Volume 1
* Elvis' Gold Records Volume 5
* Blue Christmas
* Amazing Grace: His Greatest Sacred Performances
* Command Performances: The Essential 60s Masters II
* Elvis 56
* Greatest Jukebox Hits
* Tiger Man
* Memories: The '68 Comeback Special
* Sunrise
* Suspicious Minds: The Memphis 1969 Anthology
* The 50 Greatest Hits
* ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits
* 2nd to None
* Elvis at Sun
* Hitstory
* Elvis Inspirational
* Elvis Rock
* Elvis Christmas
* The Essential Elvis Presley
* Christmas Duets
* If I Can Dream
* Way Down in the Jungle Room
* The Wonder of You
* Where No One Stands Alone

Greatest hits albums|

* Elvis

Box sets|

* Worldwide 50 Gold Award Hits Vol. 1
* The King of Rock 'n' Roll: The Complete 50's Masters
* From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential '60s Masters
* Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential '70s Masters
* Peace in the Valley: The Complete Gospel Recordings
* Live in Las Vegas
* Today, Tomorrow, and Forever
* Elvis the King
* The Complete '68 Comeback Special
* The Complete Elvis Presley Masters

Biographical media|

* Elvis (1979 film)
* Elvis and Me (miniseries)
* Elvis (1990 series)
* Elvis Meets Nixon
* Elvis (2005 miniseries)
* Elvis & Nixon
* Elvis (2022 film)
* Agent Elvis (2023 series)
* Priscilla

Documentaries|

* The Pied Piper of Cleveland
* Elvis: That's the Way It Is
* Elvis on Tour
* This Is Elvis
* The New Gladiators
* Elvis Presley: The Searcher
* Return of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley

TV specials|

* The Frank Sinatra Timex Show: Welcome Home Elvis
* Elvis ('68 Comeback Special)
* Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite
* Elvis in Concert

Stage shows|

* Cooking with Elvis
* All Shook Up
* Elvis. The Musical
* Elvis: The Concert
* Viva Elvis
* The Elvis Dead

Related people|

* Lisa Marie Presley (daughter)
* Riley Keough (granddaughter)
* Priscilla Presley (ex-wife)
* Brandon Presley (second cousin)
* Sam Phillips
* The Blue Moon Boys
* The Jordanaires
* The Imperials
* The Sweet Inspirations
* TCB Band
* J. D. Sumner
* Stephen H. Sholes
* June Juanico
* Memphis Mafia
* Colonel Tom Parker
* George C. Nichopoulos
* Judy Spreckels
* Linda Thompson
* Ginger Alden
* Larry Geller

Related articles|

* Graceland
* Audubon Street House
* Impersonators
* Elvis and Gladys
* Elvis and Me
* Elvis: What Happened?
* Elvis-A-Rama Museum
* Sun recordings
* Million Dollar Quartet
* Cultural depictions of Elvis Presley
* Songs about Elvis
* Elvis Presley Enterprises
* Elvis Presley Lake
* "Elvis has left the building"
* Elvis Radio
* FBI files on Elvis Presley
* Military service
* Eight Elvises
* Triple Elvis
* Elvis Presley's Pink Cadillac
* Elvis Presley's guitars
* Elvis Presley single
* Elvis Presley Forever stamp
* Elvis sightings
* Elvis sandwich
* Fool's Gold Loaf
* Elvis' Greatest Shit
* List of memorials

* Category

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* MusicBrainz release group

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