(There'll Be) Peace In The Valley (for me) The Flying Clouds of Detroit were a distinguished gospel group active during the 1940s and 1950s, renowned for their exceptional a cappella harmonies within the jubilee tradition. Their rendition of "Peace in the Valley," written by Thomas A. Dorsey, stands as a significant contribution to gospel music.​ Recorded in May 1946 and released in 1947, their version of "Peace in the Valley" is considered one of the earliest and most definitive interpretations of the song. The arrangement showcases their tight vocal harmonies and features a notable bass solo by William "Windy" Turner, exemplifying the group's musical prowess. This recording played a pivotal role in popularizing the song, which has since been covered by numerous artists across various genres. ​ The Flying Clouds of Detroit's influence extended beyond this single track, as they were instrumental in shaping the gospel music scene in Detroit prior to the emergence of later icons like the Winans and Aretha Franklin. Their legacy is preserved in compilations such as the 2002 release "Flying Clouds of Detroit 1942–1950," which includes "Peace in the Valley" among other notable recordings.

(There'll be) Peace In The Valley (for me) Elvis Presley’s version of "Peace in the Valley" is a really important moment in both his career and in American music history. Here’s the core of it: Recording Date: Elvis recorded "Peace in the Valley" on January 13, 1957. Release: It was released a few months later on the "Peace in the Valley" EP (Extended Play record) in April 1957. Context: Elvis performed it live for the first time on The Ed Sullivan Show on January 6, 1957 — it was a big deal. It wasn’t part of the usual rock ’n’ roll shows; instead, he sang it as a serious, heartfelt gospel song, showing a very different side of himself to the American public. (He even asked Ed Sullivan if he could sing a gospel number because of all the suffering happening at the time, especially in relation to recent tragic events.) Background: The song was originally written by Thomas A. Dorsey in 1937 for Mahalia Jackson. Elvis grew up with gospel music. It was as natural to him as breathing — he said many times that gospel was his first love. His 1957 EP contained four gospel tracks: "Peace in the Valley," "It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)," "I Believe," and "Take My Hand, Precious Lord." Style: Elvis’s version is very reverent and tender. It’s not showy — it’s full of deep, sincere emotion. His backing vocal group, The Jordanaires, added beautiful harmonies that gave it that rich, classic gospel feel. He sings it almost like a prayer — you can hear his Southern gospel roots all through the performance. Legacy: This was Elvis’s first serious gospel recording released for the general public. It paved the way for later full gospel albums like "His Hand in Mine" (1960) and "How Great Thou Art" (1967). Elvis would go on to win Grammy Awards — but notably, all three of his Grammy wins were for gospel recordings, not rock ’n’ roll.