Peace in the Valley (EP)

Peace in the Valley is an extended play single by Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor Records in mono, catalogue number EPA 4054, in April 1957. The recordings included were taken from sessions on January 12, 13, and 19 at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California. It reached #3 on the short-lived Billboard EP chart, and #3 on the album chart, and #39 on the singles chart.

Content

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.

All four selections were well-known hymns, rather than the uptempo songs that formed the basis for spirituals from the African-American community that Presley also favored.^[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.

Personnel

• Elvis Presley – vocal, guitar
• The Jordanaires - vocals
• Scotty Moore – electric guitar
• Floyd Cramer – piano
• Dudley Brooks – piano
• Hoyt Hawkins - organ
• Bill Black – bass
• D. J. Fontana – drums

Track listing

Side one

Side two

References