Elvis Presley famously stated at a 1957 press conference, “My first [love] I would say would be spiritual music … I mean some of the old colored spirituals, you know, from years back.” This deep connection to spiritual and gospel music permeated his career, even during his peak rock ‘n’ roll fame. While many wonder about Elvis Favorite Gospel Song, his entire catalog of religious recordings showcases profound commitment. He began recording gospel early on and continued intermittently throughout his life.
RCA Records released a significant body of Elvis’s gospel work during his lifetime: four LPs, one EP, and six singles. The journey began with the Peace in the Valley EP in April 1957. His first full gospel LP, His Hand in Mine, arrived in November 1960, featuring twelve tracks. A standalone single, “Crying in the Chapel,” became a hit in April 1965, prompting RCA to release two more gospel singles the following Easter, pulling tracks like “Joshua Fit the Battle” and “Milky White Way” from the His Hand in Mine album.
Elvis Presley’s ‘Peace in the Valley’ EP cover, his first gospel record release.
March 1967 saw the release of his second gospel LP, How Great Thou Art, containing twelve new recordings. An Easter single followed in 1968 with “You’ll Never Walk Alone” / “We Call on Him.” These tracks reappeared on the budget LP You’ll Never Walk Alone in March 1971, which primarily featured previously released material alongside two soundtrack songs: “Sing You Children” (Easy Come, Easy Go) and “Let Us Pray” (Change of Habit). Elvis’s fifth gospel single, “Life” / “Only Believe,” was released just a month later.
His final dedicated gospel single (“He Touched Me” / “Bosom of Abraham”) and his last gospel LP (He Touched Me) both arrived in the Easter season of 1972. However, Elvis continued recording gospel numbers like “Help Me” and “I Got a Feelin’ in My Body,” including them on his pop albums. Live versions of “How Great Thou Art” and “Why Me Lord?” also featured on concert LPs in the mid-seventies.
Cover art for Elvis Presley’s first gospel LP album ‘His Hand in Mine’.
With roughly 60 Presley gospel recordings released during his lifetime, selecting the very best is subjective. Here is a countdown of ten outstanding examples of his work in the genre.
Elvis Presley’s Top 10 Gospel Recordings
10. “Peace in the Valley” (1957)
Recorded in Hollywood on January 13, 1957, this was the title track for his first gospel EP. Elvis had performed it just a week prior on The Ed Sullivan Show. While perhaps not as technically polished as his later gospel work from the 1960s, his evident commitment to the song’s message resonated with audiences and helped counter some earlier criticisms.
9. “You’ll Never Walk Alone” (1968)
During Nashville sessions in September 1967, Elvis recorded this standard. Mike Cimicata and Ernst Jorgensen described the session in the notes for the I Believe compilation: “On the last night of sessions, he sat down at the piano and asked for the lights to be turned down. He started playing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ over and over… seemingly lost in his own world.” Producer Felton Jarvis crafted the master from these intense takes, resulting in a single release and a 1968 Grammy nomination for Best Sacred Performance.
Album cover for Elvis Presley’s Grammy-winning gospel LP ‘How Great Thou Art’.
8. “Run On” (1967)
Recorded during the May 1966 Nashville sessions aimed at producing a new gospel album, “Run On” exemplified the dynamic sound achieved. With 14 studio musicians, The Jordanaires, The Imperials, and a female trio, the resources were ample. Ernst Jorgensen described it as “an up-tempo number in the jubilee tradition.” Kicking off with Floyd Cramer’s piano and a low hum from the vocal groups, the second take captured immense energy. Jorgensen noted it as “a remarkable updating of traditional gospel music—tough, powerful, even threatening.”
7. “Joshua Fit the Battle” (1960)
A standout track from the His Hand in Mine album, this song showcased Elvis’s synergy with The Jordanaires. Gordon Stoker of the Jordanaires noted the complexity: “Listen to it; those words are not easy.” Despite the challenge, they achieved a seamless blend on the upbeat tune after a few takes, perfecting the timing and intricate vocal parts at the song’s end for an inspiring finish.
6. “I Got a Feelin’ in My Body” (1974)
Elvis often started recording sessions by singing spirituals with his backing vocalists around a piano. He began his December 1973 Stax Studios sessions in Memphis with this “funkily rhythmic contemporary religious number,” written by Dennis Linde (composer of “Burning Love”). Ernst Jorgensen called it “a great kickoff for the sessions.” The track became a highlight on the 1974 Good Times album.
Cover of Elvis Presley’s final gospel LP ‘He Touched Me’, released in 1972.
5. “He Touched Me” (1972)
The title track of his final gospel LP was recorded on May 15, 1971, during Nashville sessions. Elvis’s deep familiarity with hymns allowed him to capture the emotional essence in just a few takes. The Imperials, for whom “He Touched Me” was a signature song, provided backing vocals. The subsequent He Touched Me album earned Elvis his second Grammy Award.
4. “His Hand in Mine” (1960)
For his first full sacred LP recording session in October 1960, Elvis worked with his usual pop musicians and vocalists. In one marathon session, they produced 14 masters. “His Hand in Mine,” originally recorded by The Statesmen, one of Elvis’s favorite gospel groups, was the second track recorded. Charlie Hodge harmonized with Elvis, drawing on their shared familiarity with the genre. According to Jorgensen, “Over the course of only five takes, they developed an impressive vocal arrangement featuring both the Jordanaires and Millie Kirkham.”
3. “Saved” (1968)
Jordanaire Ray Walker once distinguished spirituals (born from pain, holding back) from rhythm gospel (frantic, all-out). By this definition, “Saved,” recorded for the 1968 TV special, might be Elvis’s purest rhythm gospel performance. Driven by an infectious beat, his vocal was high-energy throughout, holding nothing back. Used in a medley on the special, the standalone recording wasn’t released until years later.
2. “Crying in the Chapel” (1965)
Recorded late during the October 1960 sessions for His Hand in Mine, Elvis pushed to record this track despite the group’s fatigue. Gordon Stoker recalled, “We were tired… but I’m thankful we don’t sound tired.” Issues with publishing rights kept it off the initial album. Five years later, RCA released the recording as a single, and it unexpectedly climbed to #3 on the Billboard pop chart, becoming his most commercially successful gospel record.
1. “How Great Thou Art” (1967)
Cited by Jordanaire Gordon Stoker as Elvis’ favorite gospel song, Elvis initially claimed unfamiliarity with it. After hearing The Jordanaires perform it, he decided to record it. “Neal Matthews, our second tenor, made an arrangement,” Stoker explained. “Elvis listened to it, rehearsed it and recorded it by memory.” Jorgensen noted Elvis sang with “sincerity and dedication,” adopting a slower tempo than The Statesmen’s version to emphasize spirituality and build the song into a “powerful anthem.” It became the title track for his 1967 gospel album, winning Elvis his first Grammy. A live version secured another Grammy in 1974.
Conclusion
Elvis Presley’s deep-seated love for spiritual music was a constant throughout his career, resulting in a rich legacy of gospel recordings. While he achieved unprecedented fame in rock ‘n’ roll, his commitment and passion shone brightly in his religious music. Although selecting the ‘best’ is personal, tracks like “Peace in the Valley,” “Crying in the Chapel,” and especially “How Great Thou Art”—often considered Elvis Favorite Gospel Song—demonstrate his profound connection to the genre. It’s telling that while pop music accolades were sometimes elusive, the music industry recognized his exceptional talent in gospel music multiple times with Grammy Awards, cementing his status as a significant voice in sacred music history.
