Gospel music was a significant part of not only who Elvis was as a man, but as an artist as well. This book looks at his roots and the role of gospel in his foundational years, as well as the comfort, solace, and strength it offered him in the years of his meteoric rise in popularity. THE GOSPEL SIDE OF ELVIS is a rarely explored aspect of this American icon and one that reveals so much about who Elvis really was.From the All-night sings he attended in his youth to the gospel quartets he incorporated into his shows, Elvis insisted on having constant access to this music he loved. He found it to be a source of comfort when the demands of his career were too much. He used it as a way to stay in shape vocally or to pass the time while on movie sets. He gathered friends, family, and admirers in his suite after shows to unwind during which Gospel was the music of choice. It was enrichment; it was comfort; it was home for him. THE GOSPEL SIDE OF ELVIS explores why gospel music was so important to Elvis as told through the stories of those who knew him best and who sang right along with him.