Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 1

Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 1 is a compilation album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley issued in 1974 by RCA Records. It features 14 tracks, which includes twelve songs and two interviews with Presley. It was certified Gold on January 8, 1975, Platinum and 2x Platinum on July 15, 1999 and 3x Platinum, by the RIAA on March 8, 2018.

Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 1
Greatest hits album by
Elvis Presley
ReleasedJanuary 2, 1974
GenreRock and roll, rockabilly, blues, pop
LabelRCA Records
Elvis Presley chronology
Raised on Rock/For Ol' Times Sake
(1973)		 Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 1
(1974)		 Good Times
(1974)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Christgau's Record GuideB[1]

Content

Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 1 opens with his first recording from 1954, "That's All Right", the song that started his recording career at Sun Records.

Ultimately, four volumes devoted to Presley were released over the next decade in RCA's A Legendary Performer series, the only RCA Victor recording artist other than Glenn Miller to have multiple volumes issued in that series. The series is also notable for the first release of several previously unissued recordings by Presley, with each successive volume containing increasing amounts of unreleased material. This first volume included previously unissued live performances of several songs from Presley's 1968 TV special, an alternate version of his first known recording for Sun Records ("I Love You Because"), and the first American release of "Tonight's All Right for Love", previously available only on European pressings of the G.I. Blues album. The two interview recordings were originally issued by RCA Victor in 1958 as the EP, Elvis Sails.

Although RCA Victor had released a few alternate takes of Presley studio recordings in the past—for example, two different takes of the song "Old Shep" from his second LP Elvis from 1956, and two different takes of the song "Lover Doll" from the soundtrack to the film King Creole were released on the official 1958 soundtrack album and the reissue EP King Creole Volume 1 [2]—this was the first time the company began seriously issuing such material, although releases of alternate takes and unissued recordings by Presley would not begin on a large scale until after his death in August, 1977. Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 3 issued in November, 1978, consisted almost entirely of previously unreleased recordings.

Track listing
Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."That's All Right"Arthur "Big Boy" CrudupJuly 6, 19541:33
2."I Love You Because" (previously unreleased take)Leon PayneJuly 6, 19543:27
3."Heartbreak Hotel"Mae Boren Axton, Tommy Durden, Elvis PresleyJanuary 10, 19562:08
4."Elvis"—January 13, 19570:34
5."Don't Be Cruel"Otis Blackwell, Elvis PresleyJuly 2, 19562:03
6."Love Me" (from Elvis TV special)Jerry Leiber and Mike StollerJune 27, 19682:32
7."Tryin' to Get to You" (from Elvis TV special)Rose Marie McCoy, Charlie SingletonJune 27, 19682:33
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."Love Me Tender"Vera Matson, Elvis PresleyAugust 24, 19562:42
2."Peace in the Valley"Thomas A. DorseyJanuary 13, 19573:20
3."Elvis' Farewell to His Fans"—June 10, 19582:14
4."(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I"Bill TraderJune 11, 19582:30
5."Tonight's All Right for Love" (from the European edition of G.I. Blues)Joseph Lilley, Abner Silver, Sid WayneMay 6, 19601:20
6."Are You Lonesome Tonight?" (from Elvis TV special)Lou Handman, Roy TurkJune 27, 19683:31
7."Can't Help Falling in Love"Luigi Creatore, Hugo Peretti, George David WeissMarch 23, 19613:00

Personnel
  • Elvis Presley - lead vocals, rhythm guitar, percussion
  • Scotty Moore - lead guitar, rhythm guitar
  • Hank Garland - lead guitar
  • Bill Black - double bass
  • Bob Moore - double bass
  • D.J. Fontana - drums, percussion
  • Buddy Harman - drums, percussion
  • Floyd Cramer - piano
  • Alan Fortas - percussion
  • Lance LeGault - tambourine
  • Charlie Hodge - acoustic rhythm guitar

References
  1. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: P". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 10, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  2. Roy Carr & Mick Farren, Elvis: The Illustrated Record (Harmony Books, 1982), p. 59


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