Elvis Presley - How Great Thou Art - The Live Comparison Series - Volume 7

The lack of Grammy's won by Elvis in proportion to his success and cultural impact has been discussed ad infinitum on many cyber platforms. There is no doubt that was Elvis at his peak in today's music scene he would be winning these awards in a manner befitting his status. These days there is far less "snobbery" as nominees and subsequently winners are decided more on record sales/downloads and public opinion much in the same way as the Academy Awards are decided.
In any event Elvis Presley won just three Grammy's in his lifetime all for spiritual performances. Whilst it is difficult to label this anything other than a travesty that he only won three and none for contemporary material, it is perhaps no surprise that the Grammy's he did win were for the music closest to his heart - gospel music. For the record those three Grammy's were - Best Sacred Performance 1967 (How Great Thou Art album); Best Inspirational Performance 1972 (He Touched Me album) and Best Inspirational Performance Song 1974 (How great Thou Art). In 1961 it should be noted that Elvis was nominated for five and still failed to win an award!!
During his lifetime, Elvis was nominated for another eleven over and above the three he won. "A Fool Such As I" (one nomination) Record Of The Year ,1959; "A Big Hunk O' Love" (two nominations) Best Performance By A "Top 40" Artist; Best Rhythm & Blues Performance , 1959;"Are You Lonesome Tonight?" (three nominations) Record Of The Year; Best Vocal Performance Single Record Or Track, Male; Best Performance By A Pop Single Artist, 1960; "G.I. Blues" (two nominations) Best Vocal Performance Album, Male; Best Sound Track Album Or Recording Of Original Cast From A Motion Picture Or Television, 1960; "Blue Hawaii" (one nomination) Best Sound Track Album Or Recording Of Original Cast From A Motion Picture Or Television, 1961; "You'll Never Walk Alone" (one nomination) Best Sacred Performance, 1968; "Softly, As I Leave You" (one nomination) Best Country Vocal Performance, Male, 1978.

00:00 Version One - 11 November 1970, Portland.
Elvis decided to introduce "How Great Thou Art" to his setlist for his November 1970 tour and it debuted The Oakland Coliseum on 10 November. This first version, from the following evening, is very close to the arrangement of the 1967 award winner recorded in Nashville at RCA's studio B on 25 May 1966 at a session specifically arranged to produce a gospel album. A further similarity is that both versions feature The Imperials Quartet.

02:51 Version Two - 23 February 1971, Closing Show, Las Vegas

05:23 Version Three - 9 April 1972, Evening Show, Hampton Roads Coliseum
Now including a full orchestral arrangement and a faster chorus, and additionally The Imperials had now been replaced by J.D. Sumner and The Stamps Quartet.

08:09 Version Four - 24 June 1973, Uniondale, New York

12:21 Version Five - 3 March 1974 - Houston Astrodome.
Included due to it's uniqueness with it being performed live without the presence of an orchestra!

15:46 Version Six - 20 March 1974, Tour Closing Show - Mid-south Coliseum,
Elvis' 20 March 1974 show in Memphis' Mid-south Coliseum became 1974's Grammy winner in "The Best Inspirational Song" category. It is almost identical in arrangement to versions three, four and five but contains both a superior vocal and unlike the version from previous years contains a reprise of the chorus.

19:32 Version Seven - 13 December 1975, Midnight Show - Las Vegas
It was in 1975 before this version was introduced but even this version would evolve. It contained a more powerful chorus although the versions from June were slightly understated. When Elvis performed "How Great Thou Art" during his next tour in July the "power" chorus had finally arrived with the renditions during his end of tour shows in Asheville a particular highlight. To highlight this version and showcase Elvis' wonderful top A in the chorus we have a rendition taken from his Las Vegas Midnight Show of 13 December 1975 since it is soundboard, contains a reprise and a full orchestra including string section. As a side note how many performers at that time would dare to sing gospel in Sin City??

24:12 Version Eight - 4 December 1976, Dinner Show - Las Vegas

27:05 Version Nine - 19 June 1977 - Omaha - Final Live Rendition
The ninth and final version is Elvis' own final live performance of "How Great Thou Art" in Omaha on 19 June 1977, and during one of two shows filmed by the cameras of CBS for the TV special 'Elvis In Concert'. This version was used both in the special and on the accompanying album and is one which many fans consider their favourite largely due to the astonishing vocal during the chorus.
As with all of these videos, to get the most out of the re-edited audio, I highly recommend you use ear /headphones and turn the volume up as much as you dare!

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