How Great Thou Art (Elvis Presley album)

Last updated
How Great Thou Art
Elvis Presley How Great Thou Art LP Cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedFebruary 27, 1967 (1967-02-27)
RecordedOctober 31, 1960 (1960-10-31) ("Crying in the Chapel"); May 25–27, 1966 (1966-05-25 1966-05-27)
Studio RCA Studio B (Nashville)
Genre Gospel
Length31:33
Label RCA Victor
Producer Felton Jarvis
Elvis Presley chronology
Spinout
(1966)
How Great Thou Art
(1967)
Easy Come, Easy Go
(1967)

How Great Thou Art is the eighth studio album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor in February 1967. How Great Thou Art is a gospel album with slow numbers on one side, and fast-paced numbers on the flipside. The album earned Presley a Grammy Award for Best Sacred Performance, while it became a Billboard top 20 pop hit and it appeared on the Top Country Albums chart on the top 10.

Contents

After the initial success of his films and their respective soundtracks, Presley's movie career began to decline by the mid-1960s. Due to the continued success of his previous gospel recording, His Hand in Mine (1960), and the fact that his 1965 single of "Crying in the Chapel" -- a leftover from the 1960 album sessions -- became an unexpected major hit, RCA accepted Presley's proposal of a follow-up release. The tracks were recorded in May 1966, and produced by Felton Jarvis with the accompaniment of the Imperials and the Jordanaires.

Following its February 1967 release, How Great Thou Art was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The recording was promoted with a radio special on Palm Sunday that featured its tracks. Subsequent reviews praised Presley's album while its certification was updated to multiple platinum by 2010.

Background

In March 1960, at the end of his career in the United States Army, Elvis Presley returned to recording music. [1] That year, his release Elvis is Back! reached number 2 on the Billboard Top Albums chart, [2] while it topped the UK Albums Chart. [3] Meanwhile, the release of the soundtrack of his film G.I. Blues (1960) topped both Billboard's Top Albums and the UK Albums Chart. [4]

Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, shifted the focus of the singer's career to acting. [5] Presley preferred dramatic roles, but after the flop of Flaming Star (1960) and Wild in the Country (1961) the use of his music in films increased. [6] Presley's next film, Blue Hawaii (1961), became a box-office success, [7] while its soundtrack topped Billboard's Top Albums Chart for 20 weeks. [8] Parker decided to shift the business model to produce films that would sell soundtracks, while the soundtracks would in turn promote the films. Consequentially, Presley stopped recording non-soundtrack albums. [9] Presley grew increasingly unhappy with the quality of the songs, as well as the plots of the films in which he starred. [10] By 1965, Presley's box-office earnings started to decline. [11]

Production

Concurrent with his box-office earnings decline, Presley was insisting that RCA work on a new gospel album, but his requests were rejected each time. As Presley's records failed to match his earlier albums' profits, his 1960 gospel album His Hand in Mine sold well. [12] Meanwhile, the April 1965 release of "Crying in the Chapel," recorded during the His Hand in Mine sessions, reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. [13] [14] RCA and Parker reconsidered Presley's idea and they arranged the date for the next recording sessions. [12] The recordings would be Presley's first non-soundtrack album in more than two years, and the production was assigned to Felton Jarvis, marking his first collaboration with Presley. [11] Chet Atkins, producer and manager of Nashville's RCA Studio B, assigned Jarvis because of Presley's preference to record at night. [15]

Advertising in Cashbox promoting the release of How Great Thou Art Elvis Presley - How Great Thou Art ad.jpg
Advertising in Cashbox promoting the release of How Great Thou Art

To prepare his voice, Presley worked with members of his entourage -- Charlie Hodge and Sonny West -- at Graceland. [16] Together they reviewed the material that Presley's publisher Hill & Range sent, but they settled on recording songs that Presley liked that were not owned by the company. [17] Presley requested that the label hire singer Jimmy Jones to appear on the album, but he could not be located by Parker's assistant nor Hill & Range's representative Freddy Bienstock. [18] Presley's management then hired the singer's favorite gospel quartet: The Imperials, led by Jake Hess. [19] Additionally, the Jordanaires and a backing group that consisted of Millie Kirkham and two other female session backup singers completed the vocal section. [18] According to the Jordanaires, member Ray Walker suggested that Presley record the song "How Great Thou Art" based on the success of George Beverly Shea's recording that was used on Billy Graham's events. Meanwhile, Presley's assistant Charlie Hodge claimed Presley decided to record the song after he played a version by Sons of the Pioneers for Presley. [11] The selected songs that were in the public domain were rearranged to meet requirements to register the copyright by Presley's management. [20]

The recording of How Great Thou Art took place in May 1966. [21] On the first day, May 25, 1966, Presley practiced the songs with the backup singers on the piano. After two hours, he started the first take of "Run On." Presley sang the song using the same vocal techniques the Golden Gate Quartet used on their performances of the song. [18] The first number took seven takes, then Presley moved to the title-track. [18] How Great Thou Art was recorded in four takes. [22] Jerry Schilling, a friend of Presley who was present at the session, remarked that after the last take the singer was "drained" and that he "almost fainted." He continued with the traditional song Stand By Me, which Presley had difficulty singing. [23] Jarvis worked with him repeating the takes several times so Presley could use the vibrato needed to reach the falsetto range. [19] After the eleventh take, Presley moved to a number often sung by Hess, Where No One Stands Alone. [24] The next day, they recorded So High, Farther Along and In the Garden. [24] The third night of recording, May 27, was set to be the last one for the album since the Imperials were scheduled to leave for the start of their Canadian tour. Presley recorded If the Lord Wasn't Walking by My Side as a duet with Hess. [25] Additionally, the session produced Somebody Bigger Than You and I , Without Him, and Where Could I Go But to the Lord. [26] The production of the record placed the slower numbers on the A side while the B side was dedicated to faster-paced songs. [27] As Crying in the Chapel had not yet appeared on an album release, the slow-tempo song was included as a bonus track to close the B-side. [28] The album cover featured the church and steeple of the First Church of Christ of Sandwich, Massachusetts. [29]

Release and reception

How Great Thou Art was released in February 1967. [22] Billboard qualified the release as "great," while the review remarked that the songs pointed to the where Presley "got his style of singing." [30] Meanwhile, Cashbox felt that Presley sang the tunes in a "feelingful, sincere manner." [31] The St. Petersburg Times called it a "considerable success," [32] while The News Journal considered it Presley "at his versatile best." [33] The Courier-Post felt that the songs of the A-side were "good," but that Presley "fails" on the flipside. The reviewer concluded that How Great Thou Art was "good listening," and that Crying in the Chapel presented Presley in "near his best." [34] Journal & Courier wrote that the album was "well sung," [35] while El Paso Times mentioned Presley's transition from "teenage to later pop," and it considered the style of the album "smooth and acceptable." [36] The album reached number 18 on the Billboard 200 and number seven on the Top Country Albums chart. [19] On March 19, 1967, on Palm Sunday, Parker made a deal for the album to be played on 276 stations across the United States, while in cases six stations on the same area joined the program. Parker gave three minutes for the sponsoring of local charities to the announcers of each station and a national spot for the Red Cross during the broadcast. [37] The same year, on December 3, Parker included songs of the album in a similar Christmas broadcast that comprehended 2,000 stations. [38] By February 1968, the album was certified gold by the RIAA. [39]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg
MusicHound Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg
Rough Guides Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg

In March 1968, at the 10th Annual Grammy Awards, the album won the category for Best Sacred Performance, [40] and was Presley's first win at the Grammy Awards. [19] By the following decade, the title-track became part of his usual repertoire in concerts. [41] One 1974 performance, for the album Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis , would also win the Grammy for this category, as would his 1972 album, He Touched Me . All three Grammys won by Presley during his lifetime were for his gospel/sacred recordings.

In August 1977, James Blackwood sang (with the Stamps) the How Great Thou Art at Presley's funeral. [11] In 1988, RCA reissued the record on compact disc. [42] The RIAA certification for How Great Thou Art was updated to platinum on March 27, 1992. [39] In 2008, Sony Music released a remastered version of How Great Thou Art that included three bonus tracks. [43] In 2010, the Presley collector label Follow That Dream released a version that also contained all the outtakes from the recording sessions. [44] The same year, the album certification was upgraded to 3× Platinum on October 13. [39]

The Rolling Stone Album Guide rated the release with five stars out of five. [45] The publication remarked the "splendid" vocal support that Presley received, as the guide hailed as "effective on the dramatic." [46] MusicHound rated it with three-and-a-half bones out of five. [47] Allmusic gave the release four stars out of five. Critic John Bush remarked the "different conceptions" that each side of the record offered: The reviewer considered the opening "very high church" and traditional, while he praised the flipside as "a far more exciting proposition" with the use of "rocking" or "swinging pianos" with "breakneck tempos." [48]

Track listing

Original release

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."How Great Thou Art"Stuart K. HineMay 25, 19663:00
2."In the Garden" C. Austin Miles May 26, 19663:11
3."Somebody Bigger Than You and I" Hy Heath, Sonny Burke, Johnny Lange May 27, 19662:25
4."Farther Along"Traditional; arranged by Elvis Presley May 26, 19664:04
5."Stand by Me"Traditional; arranged by Elvis PresleyMay 25, 19662:26
6."Without Him" Mylon LeFevre May 27, 19662:27
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."So High"Traditional; arranged by Elvis PresleyMay 26, 19661:56
2."Where Could I Go But to the Lord" James B. Coats May 27, 19663:36
3."By and By"Traditional; arranged by Elvis PresleyMay 26, 19661:49
4."If the Lord Wasn't Walking by My Side" Henry Slaughter May 27, 19661:36
5."Run On"Traditional; arranged by Elvis PresleyMay 25, 19662:21
6."Where No One Stands Alone" Mosie Lister May 25, 19662:42
7."Crying in the Chapel"Artie GlennOctober 31, 19602:26

2008 reissue bonus tracks

No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
14."You'll Never Walk Alone" Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers September 11, 19672:43
15."We Call on Him"Fred Karger, Sid Wayne, Ben Weisman September 11, 19672:31
16."Who Am I?" Charles Rusty Goodman February 22, 19692:07

2010 Follow That Dream reissue

Disc One
Original album
No.TitleLength
1."How Great Thou Art"3:02
2."In the Garden"3:11
3."Somebody Bigger Than You and I"2:27
4."Farther Along"4:06
5."Stand by Me"2:29
6."Without Him"2:32
7."So High"1:59
8."By and By"3:38
9."Where Could I Go but To the Lord"1:52
10."If the Lord Wasn't Walking by My Side"1:38
11."Run On"2:23
12."Where No One Stands Alone"2:44
13."Crying in The Chapel"2:28
Bonus songs
No.TitleLength
14."You'll Never Walk Alone"2:46
15."We Call on Him"2:34
16."If Everyday Was Like Christmas"2:57
First takes
No.TitleLength
17."How Great Thou Art" (takes 1 & 2)3:31
18."Somebody Bigger Than You and I" (takes 1,3,11)4:31
19."Stand by Me" (takes 1 & 2)2:55
20."Without Him" (take 1)3:04
21."So High" (take 1)2:16
22."By and By" (take 4)1:53
23."If the Lord Wasn't Walking by My Side" (take 1)1:53
24."Run On" (takes 1 & 2)4:51
25."Where No One Stands Alone" (takes 1 & 4 spliced)3:07
26."You'll Never Walk Alone" (take 1)5:35
27."We Call on Him" (takes 1 & 2)2:55
Disc two
May 1966 sessions
No.TitleLength
1."Run On" (takes 3-6)5:01
2."Stand by Me" (takes 5-7)3:43
3."Stand by Me" (takes 9 & 10)4:19
4."Where No One Stands Alone" (takes 2, 3 & wp 1)4:42
5."Where No One Stands Alone" (wp takes 2, 3 & 5)2:22
6."So High" (takes 2 & 3)2:21
7."Farther Along" (takes 1& 2)3:57
8."By and By" (takes1, 2, 3, 4 (fs), 5 & 7)4:28
9."By and By" (takes 8 & 9)2:33
10."In the Garden" (takes 1-3)5:03
11."Somebody Bigger Than You and I" (take 12)2:42
12."Somebody Bigger Than You and I" (takes14 (fs), 15 & wp 5)4:39
13."Without Him" (takes 4 & 8)2:49
14."Without Him" (takes 11, 13 & 14)4:35
15."If the Lord Wasn't Walking by My Side" (takes 2-4)3:04
16."If the Lord Wasn't Walking by My Side" (take 6)1:49
June 1966 sessions
No.TitleLength
17."If Every Day Was Like Christmas" (takes 1 & 2, undubbed master)3:27
September 1966 sessions
No.TitleLength
18."We Call on Him" (takes 4 & 5)3:11
19."We Call on Him" (take 7)2:48
20."We Call on Him" (take 8)2:36
21."You'll Never Walk Alone" (take 2)3:54
22."You'll Never Walk Alone" (takes 3, 4, 6 & 8)4:47

Personnel

Charts

Weekly chart performance of How Great Thou Art
Charts (1967)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [49] 18
US Top Country Albums (Billboard) [50] 7

Accolades

Awards for How Great Thou Art
YearOrganizationAwardResultRef.
1968
10th Annual Grammy Awards Best Sacred Performance Won [40]

Certifications

Certifications and sales for How Great Thou Art
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [51] 3× Platinum3,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elvis Presley</span> American singer and actor (1935–1977)

Elvis Aaron Presley, known mononymously as Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Known as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Presley's energized performances and interpretations of songs, and sexually provocative dance moves, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race relations, brought both great success and initial controversy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heartbreak Hotel</span> Song recorded by Elvis Presley

"Heartbreak Hotel" is a song recorded by American singer Elvis Presley. It was released as a single on January 27, 1956, Presley's first on his new record label RCA Victor. It was written by Mae Boren Axton and Tommy Durden, with credit being given also to Presley. A newspaper article about the suicide of a lonely man who jumped from a hotel window inspired the song. Axton presented the song to Presley in November 1955 at a country music convention in Nashville. Presley recorded it on January 10, 1956, in a session with his band, the Blue Moon Boys, the guitarist Chet Atkins and the pianist Floyd Cramer. "Heartbreak Hotel" comprises an eight-bar blues progression, with heavy reverberation throughout the track, to imitate the character of Presley's Sun recordings.

<i>Elvis Presley</i> (album) 1956 studio album by Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley is the debut studio album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley. It was released by RCA Victor, on March 23, 1956,. The recording sessions took place on January 10 and January 11 at the RCA Victor Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, and on January 30 and January 31 at the RCA Victor studios in New York. Additional material originated from sessions at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, on July 5, August 19 and September 10, 1954, and on July 11, 1955.

<i>Elvis</i> (1968 TV program) 1968 American television special

Singer Presents ... Elvis, commonly referred to as the '68 Comeback Special, is an Elvis Presley concert special that aired on NBC on December 3, 1968. It marked Presley's return to live performance after a seven-year period during which he focused on his film appearances.

<i>Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite</i> 1973 Elvis Presley concert broadcast via satellite

Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite is a concert starring Elvis Presley that took place at the Honolulu International Center and was broadcast live via satellite to audiences in Asia and Oceania on January 14, 1973. The show was presented with a delay in Europe. In the United States, to avoid a programming conflict with Super Bowl VII and Elvis on Tour which was playing in cinemas at the time, NBC opted to air a ninety-minute television special of the concert on April 4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Are You Lonesome Tonight?</span> Song written and composed by Lou Handman and Roy Turk; first recorded by Charles Hart

"Are You Lonesome Tonight?" is a song written by Roy Turk and Lou Handman in 1926. It was recorded several times in 1927—first by Charles Hart, with successful versions by Vaughn De Leath, Henry Burr, and the duet of Jerry Macy and John Ryan. In 1950, the Blue Barron Orchestra version reached the top twenty on Billboard's Pop Singles chart.

<i>From Elvis in Memphis</i> 1969 studio album by Elvis Presley

From Elvis in Memphis is the ninth studio album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley. It was released by RCA Records on June 2, 1969. It was recorded at American Sound Studio in Memphis in January and February 1969 under the direction of producer Chips Moman and backed by its house band, informally known as the Memphis Boys. Following the success of Presley's TV special Elvis and its soundtrack, the album marked Presley's return to non-soundtrack albums after the completion of his film contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).

<i>Elvis</i> (1956 album) 1956 studio album by Elvis Presley

Elvis is the second studio album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor on October 19, 1956 in mono. Recording sessions took place on September 1, September 2, and September 3 at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, with one track left over from the sessions for Presley's debut album at the RCA Victor recording studios on January 30 in New York. It spent four weeks at #1 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart that year, making Presley the first recording artist to have both albums go straight to number one in the same year. It would go on to spend 5 weeks at #1 in total. It was certified Gold on February 17, 1960, and Platinum on August 10, 2011, by the Recording Industry Association of America.

<i>Elvis Christmas Album</i> 1957 studio album by Elvis Presley

Elvis' Christmas Album is the third studio album and first Christmas album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley on RCA Victor, LOC -1035, a deluxe limited edition, released October 15, 1957, and recorded at Radio Recorders in Hollywood. It has been reissued in numerous different formats since its first release. It spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart, and was the first of two Christmas-themed albums Presley would record, the other being Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas, released in 1971. The publication Music Vendor listed Elvis' Christmas Album on their singles charts for two weeks in December 1957 – January 1958, with a peak position of No. 49.

<i>Elvis Is Back!</i> 1960 studio album by Elvis Presley

Elvis Is Back! is the fourth studio album by American singer Elvis Presley, released on April 8, 1960 by RCA Victor. It was Presley's first album of new material since 1958's King Creole soundtrack, as well as his first to be recorded and released in stereophonic sound. The album marked Presley's return to music after his discharge from the U.S. Army.

<i>His Hand in Mine</i> 1960 studio album by Elvis Presley

His Hand in Mine is the fifth studio album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released on November 23, 1960 by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, catalog number LPM/LSP 2328. It was the first of three gospel albums that Presley would issue during his lifetime. Recording sessions took place on October 30 and 31, 1960, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. It peaked at #13 on the Top Pop Albums chart. It was certified Gold on April 9, 1969 and Platinum on March 27, 1992 by the Recording Industry Association of America.

<i>Elvis Golden Records</i> 1958 greatest hits album by Elvis Presley

Elvis' Golden Records is a compilation album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley, issued by RCA Victor in March 1958. It compiled his hit singles released in 1956 and 1957, and is widely believed to be the first greatest hits album in rock and roll history. It is the first of five RCA Victor Elvis' Golden/Gold Records compilations, the first four of which were issued during Presley's lifetime. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart and was certified 6× platinum on August 17, 1999, by the Recording Industry Association of America.

<i>Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis</i> 1974 live album by Elvis Presley

Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis is a live album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Records on July 8, 1974. It was recorded on March 20 of the same year at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee, Presley's hometown. The cover features a photograph of Presley's home, Graceland.

<i>From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential 60s Masters</i> 1993 box set by Elvis Presley

From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential '60s Masters is a five-disc box set compilation of studio master recordings by American singer and musician Elvis Presley during the decade of the 1960s; it was released in 1993 on RCA Records, catalogue number 66160-2. In its initial long-box release, it included a set of collectable stamps duplicating the record jackets of every Presley LP on RCA Victor, and those of the singles pertinent to this box set. The set also includes a booklet with an extensive session list and discography, as well as a lengthy essay by Peter Guralnick. It was certified Gold by the RIAA on November 30, 1993, and Platinum on January 6, 2004. This set followed an exhaustive box set of Presley's 1950s output and was followed by a collection of his soundtrack work a more selective box set of his work in the 1970s.

<i>Amazing Grace: His Greatest Sacred Performances</i> 1994 compilation album by Elvis Presley

Amazing Grace: His Greatest Sacred Performances is a two-disc compilation of studio master recordings by Elvis Presley, released in 1994 on RCA Records and certified double platinum by the RIAA on July 15, 1999. The release also includes a booklet with session details and an essay by Charles Wolfe.

<i>Peace in the Valley</i> (EP) 1957 EP by Elvis Presley

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.

<i>Fun in Acapulco</i> (soundtrack) 1963 soundtrack album by Elvis Presley

Fun in Acapulco is the seventh soundtrack album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor Records in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2756, in November 1963. It is the soundtrack to the 1963 film of the same name starring Presley. Recording sessions took place at Radio Recorders in Hollywood on January 22 and 23 and February 27, 1963; and at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, on May 26 and 28, 1963. It peaked at number three on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart.

<i>Girl Happy</i> (soundtrack) 1965 soundtrack album by Elvis Presley

Girl Happy is the tenth soundtrack album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor Records in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 3338, in March 1965 – the March 1 date is disputed. It is the soundtrack to the 1965 film of the same name starring Presley. Recording sessions took place at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California, on June 10, 11, 12, and vocal overdubs by Presley on June 15, 1964. It peaked at number eight on the Top LP's chart. It was certified Gold on July 15, 1999 by the Recording Industry Association of America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Claus Is Back in Town</span> 1957 song by Elvis Presley

"Santa Claus Is Back in Town" is a Christmas song written in 1957 by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and first recorded that year by Elvis Presley as the opening track on Elvis' Christmas Album, the best-selling Christmas/holiday album of all time in the United States. The song has become a rock and roll Christmas standard.

<i>Easy Come, Easy Go</i> (EP) 1967 EP (soundtrack) by Elvis Presley

Easy Come, Easy Go is an EP by American singer Elvis Presley, containing songs from the motion picture of the same name, released by RCA Victor on March 1, 1967.

References

  1. Doll, Susan 2016, p. 162.
  2. Cotten, Lee 1985, p. 185.
  3. Betts, Graham 2005, p. 531.
  4. NME staff 2011.
  5. Ponce de Leon, Charles 2007, p. 133.
  6. Zoglin, Richard 2020, pp. 102–103.
  7. Neibaur, James 2014, p. 84.
  8. Gaar, Gillian 2011, p. XV.
  9. Gaar, Gillian 2011, p. XVI.
  10. Gaar, Gillian 2011, p. XVII.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Duffet, Mark 2018, p. 199.
  12. 1 2 Gaar, Gillian 2011, p. XXVI.
  13. Grein, Paul 1986, p. 6.
  14. Whitburn, Joel 2010, p. 749.
  15. Guralnick, Peter 1998, p. 228.
  16. Gaar, Gillian 2011, p. XXVII.
  17. Ponce de Leon, Charles 2007, p. 157.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Guralnick, Peter 1998, p. 227.
  19. 1 2 3 4 Doll, Susan 2009, p. 190.
  20. Jorgensen, Ernst 1998, p. 203.
  21. Osborne, Jerry 1999, p. 167.
  22. 1 2 Duffet, Mark 2018, p. 200.
  23. Guralnick, Peter 1998, p. 231.
  24. 1 2 Guralnick, Peter 1998, p. 232.
  25. Guralnick, Peter 1998, p. 235.
  26. Vellenga, Dick & Farren, Mick 1988, p. 209.
  27. Eder, Mike 2013, p. 209.
  28. Collins, Ace 2005, p. 201.
  29. Stevenson, Scott 2016, p. 29.
  30. Billboard staff 2022, p. 76.
  31. Cashbox staff 1967, p. 34.
  32. Ober, Chick 1967, p. 5-B Xtra.
  33. Ellis, Jack 1967, p. 31.
  34. Wells, Joseph 1967, p. 20.
  35. Arganbright, Frank 1967, p. 28.
  36. Funkhouser, Barbara 1967, p. 10.
  37. Scott, Vernon 1967, p. 6-D.
  38. Scott, Vernon 2 1967, p. 14.
  39. 1 2 3 RIAA staff 2022.
  40. 1 2 Johnson, Pete 1968, p. 17.
  41. Gaar, Gillian 2014, p. 94.
  42. RCA Records staff 1988.
  43. Legacy Recordings staff 2008.
  44. FTD staff 2010.
  45. Hoard, Christian & Brackett, Nathan 2004, p. 647.
  46. Hoard, Christian & Brackett, Nathan 2004, p. 650.
  47. Graff, Gary & Durchholz, Daniel 1999, p. 892.
  48. Bush, John 2022.
  49. "Elvis Presley Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  50. "Elvis Presley Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  51. "American album certifications – Elvis Presley – How Great Thou Art". Recording Industry Association of America.
Sources