''My Farewell to Elvis'' is the twenty-seventh studio album by American country music singer Merle Haggard, released in 1977 and his second release for MCA Records. It reached Number 6 on the Country album chart. The single "From Graceland to the Promised Land" reached number 4 on the Billboard Country Singles chart. The album is a tribute to the music of Elvis Presley, who died on August 16, 1977. He is backed by Roy Nichols, Ronnie Reno, and Mark Yeary of

The Strangers Strangers are people who are unknown to another person or group. Strangers or The Strangers may also refer to: History * Elizabethan Strangers or Strangers, a name applied to French and Belgian immigrants to Norwich, East Anglia, England, during ...

Background

Haggard, who had previously recorded tribute albums to Jimmie Rodgers and Bob Wills, had already started recording an LP of Elvis songs when Presley died at home at Graceland in Memphis in August 1977. Haggard quickly wrote "From Graceland to the Promised Land" and the album was out by October. Haggard had always made his admiration for "the King" known in interviews and, in his 1981 autobiography ''Sing Me Back Home'', recalls meeting Presley at the

International Hotel International Hotel may refer to: * International Hotel (Alanya, Turkey), a historical hotel building * International Hotel (San Francisco), a residential hotel, historic building and community center in San Francisco, California * International ...

in Las Vegas through guitarist James Burton, who had played on albums by both singers. "I came away disappointed and, for a while, my Elvis image was tarnished," Haggard wrote."There was no big deal about the evening in general. I talked to Elvis only a little while. He seemed nervous and not too aware of his surroundings but nothing out of the ordinary happened. He introduced me to Priscilla, who didn't seem to know who I was. 'He's a country singer,' Elvis told her in a voice I thought sounded a little irritated... I guess that's why it bothers me so much to have fans put me up like some kind of idol. That's wrong. We're all human. None of us can walk on water, even Elvis." The album features Presley's old backing vocal group The Jordanaires and drummer Buddy Harman. Ironically, James Burton did not take part in the project. Haggard chose to record only hits, including Presley's first record " That's All Right" and his Christmas classic " Blue Christmas." The album was a success, but it has a polarizing reputation among Haggard fans and critics.

Critical reception

Al Campbell of AllMusic praises the album, insisting, "''My Farewell to Elvis'' may not be on par with ''

Same Train, A Different Time ''Same Train, A Different Time'' (subtitled ''Merle Haggard Sings the Great Songs of Jimmie Rodgers'') is the ninth studio album by United States, American country music artist Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers (American band), The Strangers, r ...

'' or ''Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World'', but it's a decent, if overlooked, session in the Haggard discography." In his 2013 book ''The Running Kind'', on the other hand, Haggard biographer David Cantwell dismisses the album as " a missed opportunity" and "a disappointing effort to say the least, not because it was particularly bad, but just because its arrangements were so generic in a faux-Fifties sort of way..."

Track listing

# "

From Graceland to the Promised Land "From Graceland to the Promised Land" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard. It was released in October 1977 as the only single from the album ''My Farewell to Elvis''. The song reached number 4 on the '' ...

" (Merle Haggard) – 2:28 # " In the Ghetto" (

Mac Davis Morris Mac Davis (January 21, 1942 – September 29, 2020) was an American country music singer, songwriter, and actor. A native of Lubbock, Texas, he enjoyed success as a crossover artist, and during his early career he wrote for Elvis Presley, ...

) – 2:55 # " Don't Be Cruel" ( Otis Blackwell, Elvis Presley) – 1:59 # " Jailhouse Rock" (

Jerry Leiber Lyricist Jerome Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011) and composer Michael Stoller (born March 13, 1933) were American songwriting and record producing partners. They found success as the writers of such Crossover music, crossover hit songs ...

Mike Stoller Lyricist Jerome Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011) and composer Michael Stoller (born March 13, 1933) were American songwriting and record producing partners. They found success as the writers of such crossover hit songs as " Hound Dog" ( ...

) – 2:50 # " Love Me Tender" (Vera Matson, Presley) – 2:42 # " That's All Right" (

Arthur Crudup Arthur William "Big Boy" Crudup (August 24, 1905 – March 28, 1974) was an American Delta blues singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known, outside blues circles, for his songs "That's All Right" (1946), "My Baby Left Me" and "So Gla ...

) – 2:29 # " Heartbreak Hotel" (

Mae Boren Axton Mae Boren Axton (September 14, 1914 – April 9, 1997) was known in the music industry as the "Queen Mother of Nashville." She co-wrote the Elvis Presley hit single " Heartbreak Hotel" with Tommy Durden. She worked with Mel Tillis, Reba McEntir ...

, Tommy Durden, Presley) – 2:18 # " Blue Christmas" (Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson) – 2:23 # " Blue Suede Shoes" (

Carl Perkins Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998)#nytimesobit, Pareles. was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rockabilly great and pioneer of rock and roll, he began his recording career at the Sun Studio, in Memphis, Tennes ...

) – 2:01 # " Are You Lonesome Tonight?" ( Roy Turk, Lou Handman) – 2:48 # "Merle's Farewell to Elvis" (Haggard) – :17

Personnel

* Merle Haggard– vocals, guitar * Roy Nichols - guitar *Ronnie Reno – guitar *Dave Kirby - guitar *

Red Lane Red Lane, born Hollis Rudolph DeLaughter with surname pronounced ''Dee-LAW-ter'' (February 9, 1939 – July 1, 2015), was an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist who was a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1993) ...

- guitar *Mark Yeary - piano * Johnny Gimble - fiddle *

Buddy Emmons Buddy Gene Emmons (January 27, 1937 – July 21, 2015) was an American musician who is widely regarded as the world's foremost pedal steel guitarist of his day. He was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1981. Affectionately known by ...

- steel guitar, dobro *Bunky Keels - piano * Bob Moore - bass * Buddy Harman - drums *Sheldon Kurland Strings - strings * The Jordanaires - backing vocals

Chart positions

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:My Farewell To Elvis 1977 albums Merle Haggard albums MCA Records albums Elvis Presley tribute albums