Katana VentraIP

Peace in the Valley

"There'll Be Peace in the Valley for Me" is a 1939 song written by Thomas A. Dorsey, originally for Mahalia Jackson.[1][3] It was copyrighted by Dorsey under this title on January 25, 1939, though it often appears informally as "Peace in the Valley".[1] [2]

For other uses, see Peace in the Valley (disambiguation).

"There'll Be Peace in the Valley for Me"

January 25, 1939[1][2]

1939

Gospel song

Thomas A. Dorsey

The song was a hit in 1951 for Red Foley and the Sunshine Boys, reaching number seven on the Country & Western Best Seller chart.[4] It was among the first gospel recordings to sell one million copies. Foley's version was a 2006 entry into the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry.[5]

Elvis Presley's performance[edit]

The song closed Elvis Presley's third and final appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on January 6, 1957. Introducing the segment, Sullivan noted Presley chose the selection because he felt "keenly" about the recent crisis involving refugees fleeing Hungary after an invasion by the Soviet Union, and that immediate aid was needed to support them. Elvis recorded a studio version of the song exactly a week later in West Hollywood. It was released by RCA Records as the title cut on an Extended Play Album (EPA) in time for the Easter holiday, and included on his Christmas album, issued by RCA in October.

In 1950, it was one of the first songs recorded by a young , during his tenure as lead singer of the Soul Stirrers.

Sam Cooke

After the success of Red Foley's interpretation, recorded the song for her 1954 gospel album Garden of Prayer.

Jo Stafford

on his 1961 Quincy Jones-produced gospel album The King of the Gospel Singers

Little Richard

on her 1961 album Sing Along with Connie Francis

Connie Francis

on his 1962 album Homecoming in Heaven

George Jones

on his 1969 At San Quentin live album (he recorded the studio version in 1962 and released it as a single)

Johnny Cash

Loretta Lynn

Dolly Parton

Ronnie Milsap

with the Jordanaires

Art Greenhaw

and the Light Crust Doughboys for the Grammy Award nominated album starring Ann-Margret titled God Is Love: The Gospel Sessions;[6]

Tom Brumley

Eventually, the song became a country-pop favorite and was recorded by:

"Peace in the Valley" was sung by Eddie Clendening, portraying Elvis Presley, in the Broadway musical , which opened in New York in April 2010,[7] and on the original Broadway cast album.[8]

Million Dollar Quartet

"Peace in the Valley" at allmusic

"Peace in the Valley" at CBN