New Year's Day.

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Felton Jarvis met Elvis at Graceland to plan a recording session which was due to take place in Nashville later in the month. After being prompted by Marty Lacker who was now general manager of Pepper Records and George Klein who both had connections with American Sound Studio's, along with Chips Moman (Co-Founder of Stax Records). It was considered that maybe Elvis should record there. American Studio's (also known as "American North") was founded in 1964 by Moman and Don Crews and was located at a rundown part of Memphis at 827 Thomas Street. Not only had it boasted of achieving 64 chart records in 18 months, but Red West wrote and recorded there and it was only a few miles from Graceland. Felton Jarvis thought the change of studio might give Elvis a new fresh sound. So the decision was made to record there. 

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34th BIRTHDAY!

Graceland, 3764 Highway 51 South, Memphis, Tennessee.

Elvis celebrated his 34th birthday at Graceland.

Elvis and two members of his entourage flew to Dallas, Texas, for a few days.

Elvis was in Dallas, Texas.

The boys returned to Memphis and stayed there until January 24.

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(2:00 am - 5:00 am) (5:30am - 8:30 am) Recording continued and later in the session they cut "Gentle On My Mind" and finally "I'm Movin' On". As Elvis' cold worsened, and as a result, his voice not at its best, the latter two vocals had to be redone at a later stage. They recorded until 8:30 a.m.

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Songs recorded: "Gentle On My Mind", "I'm Movin' On" (audio)

(2:00 am - 5:00 am) Recording continued from with more backing tracks for "Inherit The Wind" and "Mama Liked The Roses".

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Songs recorded: "Inherit the Wind" (track), "Mama Liked the Roses" (track) (audio)

RECORDING SESSION: - (RCA)

American Sound Studio, 821 Thomas Street, North Memphis, Tennessee. (7:00 pm - 10:00 pm)

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Producer(s): Chips Moman/Felton Jarvis.

Engineer: Al Pachucki/Ray Shockley.

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Musicians: Guitar: Reggie Young - Bass Guitar: Tommy Cogbill - Bass Guitar: Mike Leech - Drums: Gene Chrisman - Piano: Bobby Wood - Organ: Bobby Emmons.

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The band recorded backing track for "My Little Friend"

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Songs recorded: "My Little Friend" (track)

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Alex Shoofey, the vice-president of the International Hotel in Las Vegas wrote to Colonel Parker and confirmed their agreement to book Elvis at a start date of September 11, 1969. (photo)

Sometime in January, fan Arlene Cogan called Elvis while he was at home in Memphis. (audio)

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(1:00 am - 4:00 am) Recording continued and Elvis was still determined to record "In The Ghetto" by Mac Davis. It took most of the early morning part of the session and 23 takes just to achieve an undubbed unrepaired master.

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Songs recorded:  "In the Ghetto" (unrepaired undubbed master)

RECORDING SESSION: - (RCA)

American Sound Studio, 821 Thomas Street, North Memphis, Tennessee. (8:00 pm - 11:00 pm)

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Producer(s): Chips Moman/Felton Jarvis.

Engineer: Al Pachucki/Ray Shockley.

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Musicians: Vocals/Guitar: Elvis Presley - Guitar: Reggie Young - Bass Guitar: Tommy Cogbill - Bass Guitar: Mike Leech - Drums: Gene Chrisman - Piano: Bobby Wood - Organ: Bobby Emmons - Steel Guitar: John Hughey.

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Back at American, Elvis recorded "From A Jack To A King", laid down some vocal overdubs on "My Little Friend", "Inherit the Wind" and "Mama Liked the Roses"

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Songs recorded: "From a Jack to a King" (unrepaired undubbed master), "My Little Friend" (vocal overdub - unedited undubbed master), "Inherit the Wind" (vocal overdub), "Mama Liked the Roses" (vocal overdub - undubbed master) (audio)

(1:00 am - 4:00 am) Recording continued and Elvis laid down some vocal overdubs on "My Little Friend", "Inherit the Wind", "Mama Liked the Roses", "Don't Cry Daddy" and "Poor Man's Gold" which was eventually abandoned. He also did some vocal repairs on "I'm Movin' On" and "Long Black Limousine". He also tackled his first Beatles cover with "Hey Jude".

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Songs recorded: "I'm Movin' On" (vocal replacement), "Long Black Limousine" (vocal repair - undubbed master), "Don't Cry Daddy" (vocal overdub - undubbed master), "Poor Man's Gold" (vocal overdub - abandoned), "Hey Jude" (undubbed master) (audio)

OVERDUB RECORDING SESSION: - (RCA)

American Sound Studio, 821 Thomas Street, North Memphis, Tennessee. (12:00 am - 3:00 am) (4:00am - 7:00 am)

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Producer(s): Chips Moman/Felton Jarvis.

Arranger(s): Mike Leech/Glen Spreen.

Engineer: Al Pachucki/Ray Shockley.

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Musicians: Guitar: Reggie Young - Piano: Bobby Wood - Trumpet: R.F. Taylor - Trumpet: Wayne Jackson - Saxophone: Jackie Thomas - Saxophone: Ed Logan - Trombone: Ed Hale.

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In the early hours of the morning, while the session was still going on, brass overdubs were done on two songs. "Wearin' That Loved On Look" now had backup vocals but needed Reggie Young to add his guitar skills and Elvis' vocal still needed replacing. Bobby Wood overdubbed his piano on "Long Black Limousine"

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Songs recorded: "Wearin' That Loved On Look" (guitar & brass overdub), "Long Black Limousine" (piano & brass overdub)

RECORDING SESSION: - (RCA)

American Sound Studio, 821 Thomas Street, North Memphis, Tennessee. (8:00 pm - 12:00 am)

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Elvis scheduled to begin recording at 8:00 pm, arrived at the studio early, especially to meet one of his earliest rhythm and

blues heroes, Roy Hamilton. (video) Hamilton had been working on an album for Chips Moman's American Group Production Label, and was there with George Klein and his wife. Elvis was overwhelmed by Hamilton so much, so that he offered him a song which he had been planning to record, "Angelica". After spending several hours with Hamilton, Elvis returned to his own recording sessions at 12.30 am.

RECORDING SESSION: - (RCA)

American Sound Studio, 821 Thomas Street, North Memphis, Tennessee. (12:30 am - 3:30 am) (4:00 am - 7:00 am)

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Producer(s): Chips Moman/Felton Jarvis.

Engineer: Al Pachucki/Ray Shockley.

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Musicians: Vocals/Piano: Elvis Presley - Guitar: Reggie Young - Bass Guitar: Tommy Cogbill - Bass Guitar: Mike Leech - Drums: Gene Chrisman - Piano: Bobby Wood - Organ: Bobby Emmons.

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After Roy Hamilton left, Elvis began working on "Without Love", "I'll Hold You In My Heart" and "I'll Be There". He finished his first set of American Sessions with "Suspicious Minds", a song Moman had in mind for Elvis all along, and he was convinced it was going to be a hit. Moman was quoted in the Memphis Commercial Appeal later that same day saying Elvis is "one of the hardest working artists I have ever been associated with". 

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Songs recorded: "Without Love (there is nothing)" (undubbed master), "I'll Hold You in My Heart ('till I can hold you in my arms)", "I'll Be There" (undubbed master), "Suspicious Minds" (undubbed master) (audio)

OVERDUB RECORDING SESSION: - (RCA)

American Sound Studio, 821 Thomas Street, North Memphis, Tennessee. 

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Producer(s): Chips Moman/Felton Jarvis.

Engineer: Al Pachucki.

Technician: Ray Shockley.

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Musicians: Vocals: Elvis Presley.

Backup Vocals: Mary 'Jeannie' Greene - Mary Holladay - Ginger Holladay - Donna Thatcher.

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Elvis did some harmony vocals on "Suspicious Minds", "Mama Liked the Roses" and "Don't Cry Daddy". He also did some vocal replacements to repair "Wearin' That Loved On Look", "You'll Think of Me" and "This is the Story"

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Songs overdubbed and repaired: "Suspicious Minds" (female backup vocals overdub), "Suspicious Minds" (overdubbed harmony vocal), "Mama Like the Roses" (overdubbed harmony vocal), "Don't Cry Daddy" (overdubbed harmony vocal),"Wearin' That Loved On Look" (vocal replacement), "You'll Think of Me" (vocal replacement), "This is the Story" (vocal replacement) (audio)

VACATION

Later, Elvis, Priscilla and Lisa-Marie flew to Aspen, Colorado, with several of the entourage for a ski and snow vacation.

VACATION

Aspen, Colorado.