Elvis Presley box set focusing on 1971 Nashville sessions due in November; watch unboxing event today

RCA/Legacy Recordings

A new archival Elvis Presley box set focusing on May-June 1971 recording sessions that the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll did in Nashville will be released as a four-CD set and digitally on November 12.

Elvis: Back in Nashville features recordings Presley made with his session musicians that were intended for use in various releases. Some of the recordings, after being augmented by orchestral and vocal overdubs, wound up — with subsequent orchestral and vocal overdubs — on 1971’s Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas, the Grammy-winning 1972 gospel album He Touched Me, 1972’s Elvis Now and 1973’s Elvis.

A special unboxing event for the Elvis: Back in Nashville package takes place today in Memphis at the Guest House Theater at Graceland as part of Elvis Week 2021, and will stream live at YouTube.com/ElvisPresley and Facebook.com/ElvistheMusic starting at 5 p.m. ET.

Back in Nashville features a total of 82 tracks, and includes songs from a variety of genres. Disc One includes various country and folk covers, a selection of Ivory Joe Hunter tunes featuring just Elvis and piano accompaniment, and renditions of classic pop compositions, including “My Way.”

Disc Two focuses on contemporary and classic gospel and Christmas songs.

Disc Three features additional country and folk tunes, including an epic rendition of Bob Dylan‘s “Don’t Think Twice, (It’s Alright),” as well as covers of such rock songs as Chuck Berry‘s “Johnny B. Goode” and The Beatles‘ “Lady Madonna.”

Disc Four boasts outtake versions of various religious and holiday songs.

One of the tracks, a raw first-take version of the song “I’m Leavin’,” has been released as an advance digital single.

A two-LP vinyl version of Back in Nashville also will be available, while Graceland.com is offering an exclusive colored-vinyl edition.