Gospel CD First of Several New Elvis Releases
BMG has released "Elvis Ultimate Gospel", the first greatest-hits collection of Elvis Presley's gospel recordings.
"Elvis Ultimate Gospel" features such classic Elvis gospel tunes as "How Great Thou Art," "Amazing Grace," "Crying in the Chapel" and "(There'll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me)." The tracks were mastered from original mastering tapes using direct stream digital for premium sound quality.
While Elvis has long been known as the king of rock 'n' roll, he also has sold more than 250 million gospel recordings in the United States, according to BMG/RCA. This week, "Elvis Ultimate Gospel" debuts on the Billboard Top Contemporary Christian chart at No. 9 and on the Top Country Albums chart at No. 30.
Within the BMG Strategic Marketing Group, an "Elvis Team" was formed two years ago to concentrate solely on the Elvis Presley franchise.
Joe DiMuro, the group's executive VP, says the team is dedicated to catalog and product management, A&R development, marketing and promotion.
The Elvis Team is taking a multi-pronged marketing approach to promoting the album, including working with NASCAR's fan list (which fits the record's demographic) to initiate e-mail blasts through Elvis Presley Enterprises' (EPE) Web site at elvis.com. BMG has its own Web site to promote the CD, elvisultimategospel.com.
And beginning in April, a track from the album will be featured in 900 movie theaters, including selected Regal and United Artists venues, under a deal with Cinema Sounds.
The Elvis Team has been working on radio promotions, with key gospel and crossover stations offering promotional trips to Graceland, prize packages and content giveaways, DiMuro says. The team currently is preparing projects around July 5, the 50-year anniversary of the birth of rock 'n' roll.
BMG and EPE is scheduled to release "The '68 Comeback" deluxe-edition DVD June 22.
The three-disc set contains seven hours of content showcasing never-before-seen performances, the original unedited TV special as it aired and all the outtakes from the skits.
"Aloha From Hawaii" will be released at the same time. The double-DVD will have special packaging with three to four hours of previously unreleased material and content.
Another Elvis project to look out for is "Elvis at Sun", a compilation of Elvis' greatest recordings at Sun Studios, DiMuro says. The Elvis Team says there is a possibility that this will include a previously unreleased track.
As already mentioned, FTD are planning an "Elvis At Sun" book with a three CD set in 2005. In a recent interview with ICE Magazine, Ernst Jorgensen says that "hopefully BMG will have a three CD set with everything Elvis ever recorded for Sun, from the worst sounding acetate ever - of the Louisiana Hayride - to all the Sun masters. It will be very limited, probably just 5,000 copies, a labor of love".
Elvis Ultimate Gospel is now available from ElvisPresleyShop.com
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Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD
Never before have we seen an Elvis Presley concert from the 1950's with sound. Until Now! The DVD Contains recently discovered unreleased film of Elvis performing 6 songs, including Heartbreak Hotel and Don't Be Cruel, live in Tupelo Mississippi 1956. Included we see a live performance of the elusive Long Tall Sally seen here for the first time ever. + Plus Bonus DVD Audio.
This is an excellent release no fan should be without it.
The 'parade' footage is good to see as it puts you in the right context with color and b&w footage. The interviews of Elvis' Parents are well worth hearing too. The afternoon show footage is wonderful and electrifying : Here is Elvis in his prime rocking and rolling in front of 11.000 people. Highly recommended.
Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD Video with Sound.
