Today, Legacy Recordings released a treasure trove of Elvis recordings from 50 years ago: the massive Live 1969 box chronicling his first stand at Las Vegas’ International Hotel over 11 discs; a vinyl presentation of the August 26 midnight show; and, on August 23, a digital-only collection of American Sound session takes.  That latter title, American Sound 1969, was met with a flurry of interest from fans thrilled to have the material but wishing it would be released on CD.  (This is a familiar cry with the recent surge in digital-exclusive titles.)  But this particular story has a happy ending.  On September 13, Elvis specialist label Follow That Dream will release American Sound 1969 as a 5-CD box set.

While his live performances in 1969 remain the stuff of legend, Elvis was also electric in the studio. In January, Presley and his band began sessions at American Sound Studio in Memphis with producer (and studio owner) Chips Moman, which resulted in his acclaimed From Elvis In Memphis album and its immortal single “In the Ghetto.” He also laid down such beloved songs as “Suspicious Minds,” “Kentucky Rain,” “Rubberneckin’,” and “Don’t Cry Daddy” – and memorable covers of “Any Day Now,” “Hey Jude,” “Only the Strong Survive,” and “Gentle on My Mind” – at the famed studio. 

American Sound 1969 rounds up 90 tracks from his sessions there in January and February of that year. Much of this material has been previously released on other FTD collections – Memphis Sessions (2001), Made in Memphis (2006), Back in Memphis (2012), an expanded From Elvis in Memphis (2013), and From Elvis at American Sound Studio (2013) – and elsewhere (RCA’s Suspicious Minds: The Memphis 1969 Anthology), but there are a handful of new-to-CD tracks on this box.

Part of FTD’s new Sessions series of releases, American Sound 1969 will include a 28-page booklet with rare photos and memorabilia images.  Pre-orders are open now at the link below directly from FTD at ShopElvis.com.  You’ll also find the complete track listing below.  Orders are due to ship September 13!  You can listen to the tracks now on all digital service providers.

Elvis Presley, American Sound 1969 (RCA/Legacy/Follow That Dream EPCD322, 2019) (ShopElvis)

CD 1:

1. Long Black Limousine (Takes 1, 2, 3 & 5) (*)
2. Long Black Limousine (Take 6)
3. Long Black Limousine (Takes 7, 8, & 9)
4. Long Black Limousine (Take 9)
5. This Is the Story (Takes 1 & 2)
   – Tracks 1-5 recorded January 13, 1969.
6. Wearin’ That Loved On Look (Takes 1, 2, 3 & 5) (*)
7. Wearin’ That Loved On Look (Take 10)
8. Wearin’ That Loved On Look (Takes 11, 12, 13 & 14)
9. Wearin’ That Loved On Look (Take 15)
10. You’ll Think of Me (Takes 1-6)
11. You’ll Think of Me (Take 7)
12. You’ll Think of Me (Take 8)
13. You’ll Think of Me (Takes 11 & 14)  (*)
14. You’ll Think of Me (Take 16)
15. You’ll Think of Me (Takes 19, 20 & 22) (*)
16. You’ll Think of Me (Take 23)
    – Tracks 6-16 recorded January 14, 1969.

CD 2:

1. I’m Movin’ On (Takes 1-2)
2. I’m Movin’ On (Take 2)
3. A Little Bit of Green (Rehearsal)
4. A Little Bit of Green (Take 1)
5. A Little Bit of Green (Takes 2-3)
6. Gentle on My Mind (with track replacement overdubs and master vocal)
7. Don’t Cry Daddy (Take 3)
8. Don’t Cry Daddy (Take 12)
   – Tracks 1-8 recorded January 15, 1969.
9. Inherit The Wind (Take 1, rehearsal, take 4)
10. Mama Liked the Roses (master track with alternate vocal overdub)
11. Mama Liked the Roses (master track with master vocal overdub)
12. My Little Friend (master track with master vocal overdub)
    – Tracks 9-12 recorded January 16, 1969; tracks 10-12 include vocal overdubs from January 21, 1969.
13. In the Ghetto (Take 1)
14. In the Ghetto (Takes 2-3)
15. In the Ghetto (Take 4)
16. In the Ghetto (Takes 5-10) (*)
17. In the Ghetto (Take 11)
18. In the Ghetto (Take 13)
19. In the Ghetto (Take 19)
20. In the Ghetto (Take 20)
21. In the Ghetto (Take 22)
    – Tracks 13-21 recorded January 21, 1969.

Part 3:

1. Rubberneckin’ (Takes 1-2)
   – Track 1 recorded January 20, 1969.
2. Hey Jude (Take 1)
3. Hey Jude (Takes 3, 5, 6 & 7)
   – Tracks 2-3 recorded January 22, 1969.
4. From a Jack to King (Takes 1-3)
5. From a Jack to King (Takes 4-5)
   – Tracks 4-5 recorded January 21, 1969.
6. Without Love (There is Nothing) [Take 1]
7. Without Love (There is Nothing) [Take 2-4]
8. Without Love (There is Nothing) [Take 5]
9. I’ll Hold You in My Heart (‘Til I Can Hold You in My Arms) [Take 1]
10. I’ll Be There (Takes 1-3)
11. I’ll Be There (Takes 4-6)
12. Suspicious Minds (Takes 1-5)
13. Suspicious Minds (Take 6)
14. Suspicious Minds (Take 7)
15. Suspicious Minds (Take 8)
    – Tracks 6-15 recorded January 23, 1969.

Part 4:

1. Stranger in My Own Home Town (Jam)
2. Medley: It’s My Way/This Time/I Can’t Stop Loving You (Jam)
3. True Love Travels on a Gravel Road (Take 2)
4. True Love Travels on a Gravel Road (Take 4)
5. True Love Travels on a Gravel Road (Take 5)
6. True Love Travels on a Gravel Road (Takes 6-7)
7. True Love Travels on a Gravel Road (Take 11)
   – Tracks 1-7 recorded February 17, 1969.
8. And the Grass Won’t Pay No Mind (Takes 1, 3 & 5)
9. And the Grass Won’t Pay No Mind (Take 6 – master track with live vocal)
10. And the Grass Won’t Pay No Mind (Take 6 – master track with overdubbed vocal)
11. Power of My Love (Take 1)
12. Power of My Love (Takes 2-3)
13. Power of My Love (Take 6)
14. Power of My Love (Take 7)
15. After Loving You (Take 2)
16. After Loving You (Take 3)
17. After Loving You (Take 4)
    – Tracks 8-17 recorded February 18, 1969.
18. Do You Know Who I Am? (Takes 1 & 3)
19. Do You Know Who I Am? (Take 4)
20. Do You Know Who I Am? (Take 5)
21. Do You Know Who I Am? (Take 7)
    – Tracks 18-21 recorded February 19, 1969.

Part 5:

1. Kentucky Rain (Takes 1-3)
2. Kentucky Rain (Takes 5-7)
3. Kentucky Rain (Take 8)
4. Kentucky Rain (Take 9)
5. Kentucky Rain (Take 10)
   – Tracks 1-5 recorded February 19, 1969.
6. Only the Strong Survive (Take 1)
7. Only the Strong Survive (Takes 8, 11 & 12)
8. Only the Strong Survive (Takes 17, 21 & 22)
9. Only the Strong Survive (Take 29)
10. It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin’ (Takes 1 & 2)
    – Tracks 6-10 recorded February 20, 1969.
11. Any Day Now (Takes 1 & 2)
12. Any Day Now (Takes 3 & 4)
13. Any Day Now (Takes 5 & 6)
14. If I’m a Fool (For Loving You) [Takes 1, 2 & 3]
15. If I’m a Fool (For Loving You) [Takes 6, 7, 8 & 9]
16. The Fair’s Moving On (track master with vocal overdub)
17. Who Am I? (track master with vocal overdub)
    – Tracks 11-17 recorded February 22, 1969

(*) denotes previously unreleased track

Visit ElvisPresleyShop for a full discography of the above tracks.