Part 2

The Gospel Side of Elvis
By Joe Moscheo

(Page 2 of 2)

The second verse that points the way on our exploration of Elvis' life is a lyric from one of his famous gospel recordings written by Doris Akers: "Lead me, guide me along the way / For if you lead me, I cannot stray." There was, and remains strong in my mind to this day, the overwhelming belief that Elvis was intensely aware of divine influence and guidance for his life. So many times, at critical and even mundane points in his life, he would wonder out loud, "Why has all this come my way?" The fame, the fans, the wealth-Elvis often found it rather confusing. And in his confusion, he turned in the direction his heritage dictated: he turned to God. When Elvis sang the words "He touched me / and made me whole," more was happening than the manipulation of a lyric and a melody by a talented performer. When Elvis performed the hymn "How Great Thou Art" in his famous Las Vegas show or on one of his concert tours, the power of his delivery was due to much more than the calculation and training of a seasoned performer. As I and so many others who were close to him can attest, Elvis really believed the truth of words like these.

Consider these facts: Of all the records by Elvis Presley, the only three Grammy Awards he ever won were for gospel music. He recorded more gospel and inspirational songs than any pop performer before or since. Could these details possibly be due to mere coincidence, or is there a deeper reason, one that tells us something about the deepest motivations and interests of the man beneath the legend?

I hope you enjoy this fresh look at Elvis Presley. I offer it with the sincere wish that the public could know just a bit of the man I came to know: a warm, sincere man who did his best, admittedly imperfectly, not to permit his overwhelming fame to come between himself and those he cared about. Elvis was one of the most unremittingly public figures who has ever existed. In many ways, the image he projected-and the image projected onto him by the millions who adored him-has overtaken the human side of this shy boy who was ashamed of the shabby clothing he had to wear to school, but who rose to become one of the most influential figures in the history of popular music and culture, not to mention one of the most fabulously wealthy performers in the world. Because of the sheer size of his legacy and legend, it is almost inevitable that some have chosen to focus on their perceptions of his weaknesses and flaws. Having spent the amount of time I did near the whirl of activity and glamour surrounding Elvis, I am all too aware of his human frailties-as I am of my own.

But that isn't the story I want to tell. Instead, I want to focus on one particular facet of his life, one I believe has not received enough attention when compared with other aspects. I believe this story is an important key to understanding one of the things that made Elvis great. I believe that, more than any other single influence, the spiritual and religious heritage embodied in the words and rhythms of Southern and African American gospel music captured Elvis' imagination and guided his musical conception. Gospel music was the first music Elvis ever heard, and he was never free from its influences. It was imprinted on him almost from birth, and throughout his life, it was the place he returned to again and again for musical, emotional, and spiritual refreshment. These were the songs that carried him through hard times. And in a very real way, as you'll see, these were the songs that carried him home.

I attend and perform at dozens of Elvis-related events each year, both in this country and internationally. At each show, we offer a question-and-answer session, and what I'm most frequently asked, especially by the Christian folks in the audience, is my opinion of whether Elvis was a true believer. "Do you think Elvis was a Christian?" they want to know. "Do you think Elvis is in heaven?" Before I go any further with this book, I want to try to lay my cards on the table with readers: I am not Elvis' judge. That job belongs to God alone. I have opinions about what I saw when I was a close associate and fellow performer, and I certainly have no wish to make any negative statements about him-or about anyone else, for that matter. As I stated earlier, much has been said and written about Elvis' faults and mistakes. And, to be honest, I'm too busy trying to tend to my own spiritual life to spend a lot of time pointing out the flaws in someone else's- especially someone I admired and considered to be a friend.

One way I've tried to explain all this to myself is in some words I heard attributed to a minister at a funeral for a church member whose life proved too much for him. Standing over the coffi n of a man who had tried-and failed-to kick the habit that eventually killed him, this preacher said, "I didn't lose the same battles he did. But then, I wasn't in the same war."

As I think about Elvis' life, that statement makes a lot of sense to me. Yes, Elvis made some good decisions, and he made a number of bad ones. He brought joy to the lives of millions of people, and for some he fell short. Toward the end of his life, many of us who cared about him were very concerned, believing we saw a great weight of sadness, depression, and despair pressing him down more and more. He lost some battles I didn't have to fight. But he was in a different war. Did he fight the good fight? That's for God to say.

Another question worth asking is this: How do we measure the impact of a human life? Elvis' impact on the world of music is almost immeasurable; it is still evident today. Do we assess Elvis by the way his life ended, or by his entire life? Only God can look at the totality of a human heart, but I can personally attest to the good things I saw Elvis do, the generous acts I witnessed, and the intentions and beliefs I heard him express. Does that mean I know any more about Elvis' eternal destiny than anyone else? No. But as you hear his story through my words, it's possible you may come to see, as I did, that there was more than one side to this man who was adored by millions but known by only a few. Let me introduce you to the Elvis Presley I was privileged to know. Let me try to reveal to you the gospel side of Elvis.

© 2007 by Joe Moscheo

About the Author

Joe Moscheo joined the Imperials, a gospel quartet that joined Elvis's show in Las Vegas as one of his back-up groups, in 1964. He spent four years with Elvis as a performer and friend. With the full support of Elvis Presley Enterprises, he produced the DVD He Touched Me: The Gospel Music of Elvis in 2001 and the recently released Elvis Lives: The 25th Anniversary Concert DVD. Joe Moscheo lives in Nashville, TN.