"There'll Be Peace in the Valley for Me" is a 1939 song written by Thomas A. Dorsey, originally for Mahalia Jackson.^[1][3] It was copyrighted by Dorsey under this title on January 25, 1939, though it often appears informally as "Peace in the Valley".^{[1] [2]}

The song was a hit in 1951 for Red Foley and the Sunshine Boys, reaching number seven on the Country & Western Best Seller chart.^[4] It was among the first gospel recordings to sell one million copies. Foley's version was a 2006 entry into the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry.^[5]

Elvis Presley's performance

The song closed Elvis Presley's third and final appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on January 6, 1957. Introducing the segment, Sullivan noted Presley chose the selection because he felt "keenly" about the recent crisis involving refugees fleeing Hungary after an invasion by the Soviet Union, and that immediate aid was needed to support them. Elvis recorded a studio version of the song exactly a week later in West Hollywood. It was released by RCA Records as the title cut on an Extended Play Album (EPA) in time for the Easter holiday, and included on his Christmas album, issued by RCA in October.

Other recordings

Eventually, the song became a country-pop favorite and was recorded by:

• In 1950, it was one of the first songs recorded by a young Sam Cooke, during his tenure as lead singer of the Soul Stirrers.
• After the success of Red Foley's interpretation, Jo Stafford recorded the song for her 1954 gospel album Garden of Prayer.
• Little Richard on his 1961 Quincy Jones-produced gospel album The King of the Gospel Singers
• Connie Francis on her 1961 album Sing Along with Connie Francis
• George Jones on his 1962 album Homecoming in Heaven
• Johnny Cash on his 1969 At San Quentin live album (he recorded the studio version in 1962 and released it as a single)
• Loretta Lynn
• Dolly Parton
• Ronnie Milsap
• Art Greenhaw with the Jordanaires
• Tom Brumley, and the Light Crust Doughboys for the Grammy Award nominated album starring Ann-Margret titled God Is Love: The Gospel Sessions;^[6]

Popular culture

• "Peace in the Valley" was sung by Eddie Clendening, portraying Elvis Presley, in the Broadway musical Million Dollar Quartet, which opened in New York in April 2010,^[7] and on the original Broadway cast album.^[8]