"Love Song of the Year" was released on LP about 12 months later. Apparently, Elvis never sang it on stage.
Images courtesy of the essential Elvis website, elvisrecords.com
Elvis Presley "Love Song of the Year" Promised Land (RCA Victor APL1-0873, January 8, 1975)
The song is somewhat polarizing within the hard core Presley fan base. Some love it, some hate it. Apparently, Presley heard the tune shortly before the December session in Memphis, while playing music one night at his Beverly Hills home with his new, personal vocal group Voice.
In an 1982 AP interview with Christian, one learns the secret of how it all came about, and a subsequent, previously-unknown meeting with Elvis to listen to the recording together, at the Las Vegas Hilton in January 1974!
"Everything in my life has just fallen into place . . . For example, the early placing of "Love Song of the Year" with the late Elvis Presley came about after some musician friends who were in Presley's backup band played it during a late night jam session.
"I guess one of the highlights of my life was, I was in Vegas working for Wayne and he (Presley) came to open at the Hilton and he called me over at the Sands and said, 'I just recorded your song and I'm opening here tonight. It's going to be real busy, but I'd love for you to come and listen to the acetate of it and see if you like it.'
"I was obviously blown away," Christian recalls. "That was the first year I was in the music business, the very first year."
Washington Observer-Reporter - Monday, February 1, 1982
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=6w2ZCmoKEM0C&dat=19820201
Here's Chris' current hit single, mentioned at the time of the interview:
Chris Christian, "I Want You, I Need You" (Boardwalk 126, September 26, 1981)
Cash Box "Top 100" #36, November 26, 1981, Billboard "Hot 100" #37, November 21, 1981
Information posted on YouTube:
Chris Christian (born as Lon Christian Smith in Abilene, Texas) is a songwriter, record producer, and a record label executive. His songs have been recorded by Elvis Presley, Olivia Newton-John, Sheena Easton, Dionne Warwick, The Carpenters, Amy Grant, The Imperials, Sandi Patty and others.
He started Amy Grant's music career in 1976 by playing a demo of one of her songs over the telephone to executives at Myrrh Records after she had gotten a job working Saturdays at his recording studio. He produced her first album and acted as executive producer for her second, handing over production duties to his college friend Brown Bannister.
He has produced for The Pointer Sisters, Patti Austin, Al Jarreau, Natalie Cole, Ali Lohan, as well as the song "I Want You, I Need You," which peaked at #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1981. Cheryl Ladd sings back-up on the song.
Christian has produced albums that have been nominated for nine and won four Grammy Awards. He has also been nominated for seven Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, winning five. He has also released sixteen albums of his own.
He previously recorded as a member of the trio of Cotton, Lloyd & Christian. Christian also played guitar in the Chet Atkins band.
In 1981, Chris launched his own label Home Sweet Home Records. On that label he produced albums for White Heart, Steve Archer, Mark Heard and many others.
Christian is currently CEO of World Digital Media Group, a joint venture by Radio Shack, Dish Network, Sirius Radio, and CC Entertainment. WDMG owns YMC Records, and CC Entertainment owns Home Sweet Home Records.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0_QD-rrWuo
Lucky man, that Chris Christian!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Christian
