Elvis Is Back!

Elvis Is Back!
Studio album by
Elvis Presley
ReleasedApril 8, 1960 (1960-04-08)
RecordedMarch 20–April 4, 1960
StudioRCA Victor Studio B (Nashville)
Genre
Length31:54
LabelRCA Victor
ProducerSteve Sholes, Chet Atkins
Elvis Presley chronology
Elvis' Gold Records Volume 2
(1959) 		Elvis Is Back!
(1960) 		G.I. Blues
(1960)
Singles from Elvis Is Back!
  1. "Such a Night"
    Released: July 14, 1964
  2. "The Girl of My Best Friend"
    Released: August 20, 1976

Elvis Is Back! is the fourth studio album by American singer Elvis Presley, released on April 8, 1960 by RCA Victor. It was Presley's first album of new material since 1958's King Creole soundtrack, as well as his first to be recorded and released in stereophonic sound. The album marked Presley's return to music after his discharge from the U.S. Army.

During Presley's two-year military service in Germany, RCA Victor and Paramount Pictures progressively released material he had completed prior to enlistment. During his last months in the Army, Presley began preparing material and working on improving his performance for his first session in Nashville, scheduled to take place upon his return. Upon returning to the United States in March 1960, the singer reunited with guitarist Scotty Moore and drummer D.J. Fontana from his original band, the Blue Moon Boys, for two blocks of sessions in late March and early April. The material on the album has some influences from the rock and roll of Presley's early work, but it also offers a mix of sophisticated pop, blues, R&B and the "Nashville sound" production values associated with Chet Atkins, who co-produced the recording sessions with Steve Sholes.

With public anticipation high, RCA rushed Elvis Is Back! and the standalone single "Stuck on You" into release mere days after Presley finished recording. The LP topped the UK Albums Chart and reached number two in Billboard's Top LP's. Initially, the release received mixed reviews, but over subsequent years its critical reception became progressively more positive, with critics generally praising its stylistic variety, production quality and mature sound. Elvis is Back! was certified Gold on July 15, 1999, by the Recording Industry Association of America.[4]

  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference McCormick/Tele was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Kirchberg 1999, p. 42.
  3. ^ Poore 1998, p. 116.
  4. ^ RIAA 2014.