Elvis' Favorite Gospel Songs As Sung by JD Sumner LP

[Justin]

I did some shopping at the great Amoeba music in Hollywood last night and I happen to turn to a nearby section of country LP's and right there staring in front of me was this LP:



I picked it up and flipped it around and saw that it was signed by JD Sumner himself so that was a nice surprise.



For $1.99, I thought the price was right so I grabbed it. At home I discovered that it also comes with a poster of the image on the front cover. I haven't listened to it yet--I don't have a record player! So you can probably expect me to put up a review for this later when I do get to listen to it. Does anyone else have this or has heard it? I'm not expecting anything mind-blowing but again, for two bucks I thought it was an easy purchase.



And while on the subject of Amoeba music--I still park my car on Cole Pl right next to the CNN building which I learned later (thanks to this board) happened to be the location where these photos below were taken. I'm always reminded of that when I park and walk over to Amoeba down the block.





http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=51660

[drjohncarpenter]

I did some shopping at the great Amoeba music in Hollywood last night and I happen to turn to a nearby section of country LP's and right there staring in front of me was this LP:



I picked it up and flipped it around and saw that it was signed by JD Sumner himself so that was a nice surprise.



For $1.99, I thought the price was right so I grabbed it. At home I discovered that it also comes with a poster of the image on the front cover. I haven't listened to it yet--I don't have a record player! So you can probably expect me to put up a review for this later when I do get to listen to it. Does anyone else have this or has heard it? I'm not expecting anything mind-blowing but again, for two bucks I thought it was an easy purchase.



And while on the subject of Amoeba music--I still park my car on Cole Pl right next to the CNN building which I learned later (thanks to this board) happened to be the location where these photos below were taken. I'm always reminded of that when I park and walk over to Amoeba down the block.





http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=51660

Lovely story, and what a great record store indeed, the last of a dying breed! The other two Amoeba stores being, of course, in San Francisco and Berkeley.

I remember that record coming out, but I was too young and yet too savvy to pick up a copy. Ads appeared in Elvis and record collector magazines, but it kind of felt like a money-grab in the wake of Presley's death.

One imagines the performances are fine, but both "These Hands" and "I Can Feel The Touch Of His Hand" are numbers I do not associate with Sumner and Stamps' five and a half years with the Elvis Presley show.

[ranskal]

Cool story, Justin...thanks for sharing it!

[elvisjock]

I Can Feel The Touch Of His Hand was a staple in The Stamps live act in the 70s. The live album, recorded at Murray State University in 1975, features an extremely powerful rendition of the song, led by Bill Baize.

[andyj]

Nice little album, I transferred to CD a few years back.
its a great little insight into Elvis musical tastes as far as Gospel music goes.
Although Doc doesn't associate the two tracks with J.D Sumner & The Stamps, I think J.D would have a slightly better inclining into Elvis' Gospel music taste a tad better than him, and both tracks I can see Elvis liking very much, especially "I Can Feel The Touch Of His Hand" as Elvis clearly enjoyed Bill Baize's singing as he did J.D's. It is a possibility that's why he had them as part of his stage show perhaps?.
Just because they weren't sung on every show through the 70's as Elvis introduced them does not mean they were not some of his favourite gospel music tracks! the Doc's comment on association makes no real sense.

[Dan_T]

I have this album, I bought it i Memphis back in 1985, I believe.

A nice tribute album.

[VEGAS74]

Here is the single QCA records released from the album...sweet, sweet spirit is on the B side

[drjohncarpenter]

I Can Feel The Touch Of His Hand was a staple in The Stamps live act in the 70s. The live album, recorded at Murray State University in 1975, features an extremely powerful rendition of the song, led by Bill Baize.

Ack. Does Baize go to hog heaven on that one?

Although the songs I noted may have a Stamps connection, it is unusual that out of the vast Presley gospel catalog, on an LP made in tribute to him and being sold with his name and photo prominently featured, a couple of songs outside that list were selected. Heck, the group could have included items like "Walk That Lonesome Road" or "Help Me," both of which were done on stage in the '70s during an Elvis set.

Most savvy fans would have expected all the gospel tracks to have been ones connected to Elvis, from the '50s to the '70s, save the cash-in single, "Elvis Has Left The Building."

Bonus

Here's the super-rare cassette release of the album:

771100_Elvis' Favorite Gospel Songs_cassette.JPG

[VEGAS74]

I have just give the album a spin for the first time and I like it!... between each track JD talks what Elvis thought of each song and why he liked them so much...nice album.

[elvisjock]

Hog Heaven, Murray State style. Listen til the end.

[drjohncarpenter]

Hog Heaven, Murray State style. Listen til the end.

..

Ain't no pile of gold at the end of THAT rainbow ...

[mysterytrainrideson]

Nice story, Justin. Purchasing and discovering the LP is signed by JD himself is a nice little touch.

[joekro1977]

Great story - many years ago I purchased a CD of recordings that mixed these with others from the Jordainairs. I believe it was called "20 Elvis Gospel Favorites."

[Justin]

Nice story, Justin. Purchasing and discovering the LP is signed by JD himself is a nice little touch.

Honestly, that was the only reason I bought it. I'm a bit of an autograph collector so that was what pushed me to get it...price was right for two bucks!

Just remembered another Elvis connection: Amoeba Music is just 1 block from the old RCA Building at 6363 Sunset Blvd. The building is now the Los Angeles Film School.

[Justin]

Lovely story, and what a great record store indeed, the last of a dying breed! The other two Amoeba stores being, of course, in San Francisco and Berkeley.

I'd love to visit those locations one day. Yes they are a dying breed--let's hope they hang on for many more years!

[londonflash]

Great story, Justin. Not an album you will play too often though, eh?

[mysterytrainrideson]

Nice story, Justin. Purchasing and discovering the LP is signed by JD himself is a nice little touch.

Honestly, that was the only reason I bought it. I'm a bit of an autograph collector so that was what pushed me to get it...price was right for two bucks!

Just remembered another Elvis connection: Amoeba Music is just 1 block from the old RCA Building at 6363 Sunset Blvd. The building is now the Los Angeles Film School.

Love these then and now pictures.

[andyj]

Its so funny with the Doc comments just because those two tracks were not part of Elvis Gospel recordings, that's a good reason for his comment of them not being there, but as the title of the LP suggests "Favourite Gospel Songs As Sung By J. D Sumer" not Elvis' Favourite Gospel Songs That he recorded"

anyway anyone wanting to put those tracks too a CD here is a CD cover and label for anyone who wants,

Front.jpg

disc.jpg

Back.jpg

[r&b]

Its amazing how albums like this sold after Elvis died, just because it had Elvis' name or picture on the cover. An album I never would have bought otherwise, but I did because of the above reasons. Everyone seemed to be cashing in on his death, not only RCA. Its true, how Elvis fans bought (or still buy) anything associated with his name on it. I think I played it half a dozen times, then sold it, knowing it was only going to be another dust collector. Maybe you will like it better.

[drjohncarpenter]

Nice story, Justin. Purchasing and discovering the LP is signed by JD himself is a nice little touch.

Honestly, that was the only reason I bought it. I'm a bit of an autograph collector so that was what pushed me to get it...price was right for two bucks!

Just remembered another Elvis connection: Amoeba Music is just 1 block from the old RCA Building at 6363 Sunset Blvd. The building is now the Los Angeles Film School.

Pretty awesome -- RCA Hollywood.

Elvis cut some of the "G.I. Blues" soundtrack on that real estate in 1960, plus he held many concert rehearsals between 1969 and 1975, and both the "Burning Love" singles session in 1972 and Today album session in 1975. He also met Brian Wilson at RCA Hollywood.

And there are many other rock 'n' roll stories attached to that studio, with music like "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "19th Nervous Breakdown," and all of Aftermath from the Rolling Stones, "Everybody's Talkin'," as covered by Harry Nilsson, and Jefferson Airplane's Surrealistic Pillow. And hundred more.

http://jerrygarciasbrokendownpalaces.blogspot.com/2012/11/rcas-studio-b-6363-sunset-boulevard.html
http://johannasvisions.com/the-rolling-stones-rca-studios-hollywood-6-9-march-1966/

[Justin]

Elvis cut some of the "G.I. Blues" soundtrack on that real estate in 1960, plus he held many concert rehearsals between 1969 and 1975, and both the "Burning Love" singles session in 1972 and Today album session in 1975. He also met Brian Wilson there. And there are many other rock 'n' roll stories attached to that studio.

Ah yes that's right! Here's a clip of Brian recalling the meeting:

..

The meeting apparently took place in March 1975. Brian must have been working on The Beach Boys' album "15 Big Ones" at the time.

EDIT: The exact date appears to be March 12, 1975 according to Beach Boys historian Andrew G. Doe. The material Wilson was apparently working on is unknown.

http://www.esquarterly.com/bellagio/gigs75.html

[VEGAS74]

Its amazing how albums like this sold after Elvis died, just because it had Elvis' name or picture on the cover. An album I never would have bought otherwise, but I did because of the above reasons. Everyone seemed to be cashing in on his death, not only RCA. Its true, how Elvis fans bought (or still buy) anything associated with his name on it. I think I played it half a dozen times, then sold it, knowing it was only going to be another dust collector. Maybe you will like it better.

Have to say it is true other singers/artists may of cashed in after his death, I did not mind as much with JD,S albums and have to admit I bought Shaun Nielsen,s album "The Songs I Sang For Elvis" because the inside cover was filled with many rare photo,s at that time.
On JD,S album by the way does say on the back that part of the proceeds of the album will go to the Elvis Presley Memorial Fund.

[drjohncarpenter]

Elvis cut some of the "G.I. Blues" soundtrack on that real estate in 1960, plus he held many concert rehearsals between 1969 and 1975, and both the "Burning Love" singles session in 1972 and Today album session in 1975. He also met Brian Wilson there. And there are many other rock 'n' roll stories attached to that studio.

Ah yes that's right! Here's a clip of Brian recalling the meeting:

..

The meeting apparently took place in March 1975. Brian must have been working on The Beach Boys' album "15 Big Ones" at the time.

EDIT: The exact date appears to be March 12, 1975 according to Beach Boys historian Andrew G. Doe. The material Wilson was apparently working is unknown.

http://www.esquarterly.com/bellagio/gigs75.html

What I know is Brian Wilson was at RCA Hollywood on Wednesday, March 12, 1975 to cut some demos before his formal signing to a subsidiary RCA label called Equinox Records.

In the early morning hours of March 13, he burst into Elvis' session. The work on "Pieces of My Life" stopped, and Brian got Elvis to walk back to his studio to listen to what he'd taped. When he asked Elvis if he thought any of the songs were good, Presley replied "Nah." Jerry Shilling claims Elvis had no idea it was Brian Wilson, as Wilson was overweight and sporting a full beard.

What a story, and I believe every word.

[Justin]

What I know is Brian Wilson was at RCA Hollywood on Wednesday, March 12, 1975 to cut some demos before his formal signing to a subsidiary RCA label called Equinox Records.

In the early morning hours of March 13, he burst into Elvis' session. The work on "Pieces of My Life" stopped, and Brian got Elvis to walk back to his studio to listen to what he'd taped. When he asked Elvis if he thought any of the songs were good, Presley replied "Nah." Jerry Shilling claims Elvis had no idea it was Brian Wilson, as Wilson was overweight and sporting a full beard.

What a story, and I believe every word.

Thanks for filling in the blanks! Yup, it's a great story--no doubt it went down exactly as it's been reported. I guess you can't blame Elvis for not recognizing Brian. Brian had radically changed by 1975.

[joekro1977]

FWIW - the songs on the JD Sumner/Stamps side of the CD I bought are actually pretty good renditions of the tunes. I noted that in many cases the approach used (pace, key, etc.) was different than Elvis' take on the song.

But, I suppose I don't listen to it too, too often.