Elvis Gospel Songs

Elvis Presley never stops fascinating people. Nearly 50 years have passed since his death, yet his songs and personality continue to touch people around the world.

He grew up in the American South, and his mother Gladys was an active member of a church in Tupelo, Mississippi, where the family lived until Elvis was a teenager. There he was shaped - there he learned hymns and what we call Southern Gospel, and learned to love them. During his career, Elvis won three Grammy Awards, the highest honour in the American music industry, and all three were for recordings from his gospel repertoire. His interpretation of "O, Great God" has become legendary.

Singer Mikael Järlestrand and pianist and arranger Ola Hedén have spent the last five years building a programme around these songs. They have toured throughout Sweden with local choirs and a full orchestra, and in spring they also perform two concerts in Norway. During the concert, the songs alternate with a slideshow and anecdotes about Elvis, his life, and his love of gospel music.

On 11 October, the programme "Elvis Gospel Songs" comes to Malmö Live - this time with many of the choirs that have previously backed Mikael, totalling around 150 choir singers.