Documentary Asks, Is Elvis the Founder of Christian Rock?

[Elvis.com]

"Bleed into One: The Story of Christian Rock" is a new documentary exploring the history and origins of the Christian music genre. Filmmaker Tim Hudson raises the question of whether Elvis, the King of Rock 'n' Roll, is also the founder of Christian rock music. * *In a video trai...

More... (http://www.elvis.com/news/detail.aspx?id=6075)

[debtdbruno]

Mmmmm, interesting. It had to start somewhere, and Elvis was doing the Gospel songs back in the 50's (earlier of course as an unknown)

[J.P]

yeah he sang gospels but IMO i don't think he was a founder of christian rock. that's very interesting thought tho...

[King Of The Whole World]

Interesting. I wont buy it, I'll wait until someone puts it on Youtube.

[Raised on Rock]

Well gospel was a main source for rock and roll, just as blues, r&b and country was. No we know Elvis, one of the main architects of rock, and the first rock super star was, above all things, influenced by gospel music and it was the first rock and roller who openly recorded gospel music.

Now, Elvis 50's and early 60's gospel recordings might be one of the first links between a rock artist going into gospel music, a rocker not denying or hiding his christian roots, yet, those gospel recordings where not at all christian rock, but straight southern gospel. Yet, Elvis doing gospel, that might have worked as an inspiration about how rock attitude and christianity might coexist to some people, so yes, he might have a little to do. But It was until '71 with the He Touched me album that Elvis did some christian rock numbers, but only as it was an already established and popular thing, so it was a cool thing to do for him I guess, being a rock artist doing another gospel album, do include some numbers in that vein, but he was not pioneering anything by then.

Hmmm... An inspiration to christian rock, certainly, a direct founder or pioneer, no, I don't think so.

Fair that he is mentioned, that is for sure. (y)

[KPM]

Before Elvis and his selling the rock & roll genre to the world-gospel, country, blues and pop were all segregated into their own audiences...they really did not intermingle.
Old time gospel-the kind Jerry Lee, Johnny, and Elvis heard was sung only in church or at revivals.
So when Elvis did his "Peace in the Valley" EP and then the "His Hand in Mine" LP-religious leaders and many church people hated it-they could not comprehend someone "Like Elvis" doing religious and spiritual music-BLASPHEMY. Rock was the devils music so how could this devil sing about God?
Elvis loved this music and he sang it the way he did every other type song-the way he felt it....and this again did not set well with the churchs.
Elvis never set out to directly pioneer anything-he sang the way he felt but it opened new doors, new paths.......new ways of thinking that did help break down barriers of all types in all walks of life.
Young people who had never heard gospel gave it a listen-and many liked it which broadened the audience for it and pushed it further mainstream-to the point it is today.
Amy Grant going pop-has a direct link to what Elvis did in 1957.....and Amy Grant going pop led to a wider audience once again on both sides gospel and pop.
I think Elvis does deserve some credit for expanding audiences of gospel, expanding what gospel and sacred music was allowed to be.

[Lonniebealestreet]

Interesting and appreciated but...

Elvis was a "Christian" "rocker" per se -- though it must be said that he found merit in multiple religions -- but Christian Rock as a term only applies to Elvis in terms of some of the songs he performed and presumably was into when recording the He Touched Me album. But being that he recorded (I think) 5 songs that the Imperials who backed him on that LP had already recorded, and that those were the more modern ones associated with the then burgeoning Christian rock movement, it really can't be said that Elvis was its founder.

So I guess it depends on how you decide to interpret this assertion. Elvis was the King of crossover and blending of styles and influences...and rock and roll along with spirituals/hymns/religious/gospel music would probably be the two main genres Elvis was best known for and brought together in many ways (think Comeback special, as one example) so if you want to look at it that way, sure.