From Elvis in Memphis | ||||
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Studio album by Elvis Presley | ||||
Released | June 17, 1969 | |||
Recorded | January–February 1969 | |||
Studio |
American Sound Studio (Memphis, Tennessee) |
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Genre | Soul, country, rhythm and blues, pop | |||
Length | 36:42 | |||
Label | RCA Records | |||
Producer | Chips Moman, Felton Jarvis | |||
Elvis Presley chronology | ||||
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Singles from From Elvis in Memphis | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
Billboard | (favorable) |
High Fidelity | (favorable) |
MusicHound | |
PopMatters | |
Rolling Stone | (favorable) |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
Rough Guides | |
Sputnik Music |
From Elvis in Memphis is the fifteenth studio album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley, released on RCA Records. It was recorded at American Sound Studio in Memphis in January and February 1969 under the direction of producer Chips Moman and backed by its house band, informally known as "The Memphis Boys". Following the success of Presley's 1968 Christmas television special and its soundtrack, the album marked Presley's return to non-soundtrack albums after the completion of his film contract with Paramount Pictures.
Presley's entourage convinced him to leave the RCA studios and record this album at American Sound, a new Memphis studio at the peak of a hit-producing streak. The reason for going to Moman's studio was for the soul sound of the house band, 'the Memphis Boys'. The predominance of country songs among those recorded in these sessions gives them the feel of the "country soul" style. This impression is emphasized by the frequent use of the dobro in the arrangements. In any case, the Memphis Boys have a solidly southern soul sound.
From Elvis in Memphis was released in June 1969 to favorable reviews. The album peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200, number two on the country charts and number one in the United Kingdom, and its single "In the Ghetto" reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1970. In later years, it garnered further favorable reviews, while it was ranked number 190 on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.