Reach Out to Jesus

[MikeFromHolland]

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Though several sites mention The Imperials as the first ones to release Reach out to Jesus, and David Neale couldn’t confirm the claim that the writer of the song, Ralph Carmichael, recorded it in 1968 this confirmation can easily be found on the album cover of the 1968 album “The Smooth Sounds of The Velvetones”. It mentions ‘Ralph Carmichael background’. So musician and composer Carmichael did record it in 1968, as a backing artist for the Velvetones.

NB: as pmp rightly points out in his comment, it’s pushing things a bit too far stating Carmichael recorded it, while he (or his band, orchestra or whatever) was only backing up the Velvetones. So Carmichael recorded it should be read as ‘was on a recording’ or something like that.

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As said, The Imperials also released their version in 1968. It was on their album The Imperials …Now

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Elvis would record his version on June 8/9, 1971 with The Imperials and Carol Montgomery as backup singers. It was released on his album He Touched Me.






Sources
https://secondhandsongs.com/work/151720
https://www.discogs.com/release/11613994-The-Velvetones-The-Smoooth-Sounds-Of-The-Velvetones

https://davidneale.eu/elvis/originals/list7.html#S1407
https://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/710608.html#03

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[DearGeorgie]

Actually it was on HE TOUCHED ME, not ELVIS NOW

[MikeFromHolland]

Actually it was on HE TOUCHED ME, not ELVIS NOW

Oops, I messed up. Corrected it. Thanks!

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[Jaime1234]

I absolutely adore Elvis' version.

[pmp]

Elvis certainly based his version on the Imperials version, but Elvis's version is vastly superior. His vocal is stunning, despite coming from a largely lacklustre set of sessions. And there are subtle changes to the arrangement, too, like that wonderful piano part, and ditching the guitar fills that just get in the way of the Imperials.

However, saying that Ralph Carmichael recorded it is pushing it a bit far. That's like saying The Jordanaires recorded Hound Dog. They might have been on the recording, but it was an Elvis recording.

And what part Carmichael played is unknown unless someone has heard the whole album. I would think that, rather than doing backing vocals himself (just one backing singer? That sounds a bit strange), that it was The Ralph Carmichael Singers (or choir, as they were sometimes called) or his orchestra. As far as I know, all of his LP credits are for the singers or orchestra. And the word "background" would suggest this, too, and was used during the 1950s and 1960s to mean "arranged by" or a role as conductor of an orchestra etc. Even discogs (the link given in the opening post) refers to "backing BAND."

I'm happy to be proven wrong, but, either way, you can't say he recorded the song just because he had input into someone else's version.

[MikeFromHolland]

Elvis certainly based his version on the Imperials version, but Elvis's version is vastly superior. His vocal is stunning, despite coming from a largely lacklustre set of sessions. And there are subtle changes to the arrangement, too, like that wonderful piano part, and ditching the guitar fills that just get in the way of the Imperials.

However, saying that Ralph Carmichael recorded it is pushing it a bit far. That's like saying The Jordanaires recorded Hound Dog. They might have been on the recording, but it was an Elvis recording.

And what part Carmichael played is unknown unless someone has heard the whole album. I would think that, rather than doing backing vocals himself (just one backing singer? That sounds a bit strange), that it was The Ralph Carmichael Singers (or choir, as they were sometimes called) or his orchestra. As far as I know, all of his LP credits are for the singers or orchestra. And the word "background" would suggest this, too, and was used during the 1950s and 1960s to mean "arranged by" or a role as conductor of an orchestra etc. Even discogs (the link given in the opening post) refers to "backing BAND."

I'm happy to be proven wrong, but, either way, you can't say he recorded the song just because he had input into someone else's version.

Okay, you have a point. Added a remark to the OP. Thanks!

Let’s leave out Carmichael. Which one was released first: the Velvetones release mentioning Carmichael on its cover, or the Imperials? And how can we proof it? At least both should be mentioned as possible contender as long as the exact release dates are not known.


On a side note: Discogs doesn’t mention the release dates and I can’t state as firmly as you do if the person who wrote Carmichael as ‘backing band’ on discogs is right. What is his/her source for this statement? It’s not mentioned on the backside of the cover…

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[colonel snow]

More versions:

00-00-68 - Wesley Barnett & The Galileans (LP);
00-00-69 - The Orells (LP);
00-00-70 - (Big) John Hall (LP);
00-00-70 - Doug Oldham (LP);
00-02-71 - Vestal Goodman (LP).

colonel snow

[pmp]

Elvis certainly based his version on the Imperials version, but Elvis's version is vastly superior. His vocal is stunning, despite coming from a largely lacklustre set of sessions. And there are subtle changes to the arrangement, too, like that wonderful piano part, and ditching the guitar fills that just get in the way of the Imperials.

However, saying that Ralph Carmichael recorded it is pushing it a bit far. That's like saying The Jordanaires recorded Hound Dog. They might have been on the recording, but it was an Elvis recording.

And what part Carmichael played is unknown unless someone has heard the whole album. I would think that, rather than doing backing vocals himself (just one backing singer? That sounds a bit strange), that it was The Ralph Carmichael Singers (or choir, as they were sometimes called) or his orchestra. As far as I know, all of his LP credits are for the singers or orchestra. And the word "background" would suggest this, too, and was used during the 1950s and 1960s to mean "arranged by" or a role as conductor of an orchestra etc. Even discogs (the link given in the opening post) refers to "backing BAND."

I'm happy to be proven wrong, but, either way, you can't say he recorded the song just because he had input into someone else's version.

Okay, you have a point. Added a remark to the OP. Thanks!

Let’s leave out Carmichael. Which one was released first: the Velvetones release mentioning Carmichael on its cover, or the Imperials? And how can we proof it? At least both should be mentioned as possible contender as long as the exact release dates are not known.


On a side note: Discogs doesn’t mention the release dates and I can’t state as firmly as you do if the person who wrote Carmichael as ‘backing band’ on discogs is right. What is his/her source for this statement? It’s not mentioned on the backside of the cover…




.

Presumably they listened to the lp.

[MikeFromHolland]

Elvis certainly based his version on the Imperials version, but Elvis's version is vastly superior. His vocal is stunning, despite coming from a largely lacklustre set of sessions. And there are subtle changes to the arrangement, too, like that wonderful piano part, and ditching the guitar fills that just get in the way of the Imperials.

However, saying that Ralph Carmichael recorded it is pushing it a bit far. That's like saying The Jordanaires recorded Hound Dog. They might have been on the recording, but it was an Elvis recording.

And what part Carmichael played is unknown unless someone has heard the whole album. I would think that, rather than doing backing vocals himself (just one backing singer? That sounds a bit strange), that it was The Ralph Carmichael Singers (or choir, as they were sometimes called) or his orchestra. As far as I know, all of his LP credits are for the singers or orchestra. And the word "background" would suggest this, too, and was used during the 1950s and 1960s to mean "arranged by" or a role as conductor of an orchestra etc. Even discogs (the link given in the opening post) refers to "backing BAND."

I'm happy to be proven wrong, but, either way, you can't say he recorded the song just because he had input into someone else's version.

Okay, you have a point. Added a remark to the OP. Thanks!

Let’s leave out Carmichael. Which one was released first: the Velvetones release mentioning Carmichael on its cover, or the Imperials? And how can we proof it? At least both should be mentioned as possible contender as long as the exact release dates are not known.


On a side note: Discogs doesn’t mention the release dates and I can’t state as firmly as you do if the person who wrote Carmichael as ‘backing band’ on discogs is right. What is his/her source for this statement? It’s not mentioned on the backside of the cover…




.

Presumably they listened to the lp.

Guess you’re right and it’s indeed the Carmichael band.

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[Markus K.]

Thanks for the share, Mike!

I really love the version of the song from "The Velvetones" and tried to find out a bit more about their recording.
Unfortunately, details of their musical history are hard to get by as it seems, just as it not easy to find their two LPs.

Their self titled first album however also featured their version of another song associated with both, Elvis and The Imperials, namely "He touched me".


One variation of the self titled first album.

I found that they appeared on the "Faith Broadcasting Network" on a recurring show called "Sing with Audrey" (that is Audrey Mieir) and also found a video clip of the two Morales sisters Pam and Alice (nice to see that connection to the Imperials here) together with Jerry Pippen singing "Reach out to Jesus" on that program.

I really love their version and the smoooth sound they achieved here. Looking forward to receiving my copy of their second album any day now while still looking for a reasonably priced and well preserved version of their debut LP. If anyone has one to give away or knows where to find one, please, let me know.