Today (Elvis Presley album)

Today is the twenty-second studio album by American singer Elvis Presley, released on May 7, 1975 by RCA Records. The album featured the country and pop music sound typical of Elvis during the 1970s, as well as a new rock and roll song, "T-R-O-U-B-L-E", which was released as its first single and went Top 40 in the US. "Bringing It Back" was its second single in the US. The album also features covers of songs by Perry Como, Tom Jones, The Pointer Sisters, Billy Swan, Faye Adams, The Statler Brothers and Charlie Rich.

Content
The Today sessions were held in RCA's Studio C, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, March 10–12, 1975, and marked the last time Presley would record in a studio. He last recorded at Studio C, Hollywood in 1972 where he recorded the gold records "Burning Love" and "Separate Ways". At this time, Elvis was 40 years old. He was accompanied by his then-current girlfriend, Sheila Ryan. In the 2005 Follow That Dream reissue of the album, Presley can be heard saying "step up here Sheila, let me sing to ya baby" on Take 1 of Don McLean's "And I Love You So". He continued to make "And I Love You So" and "Fairytale" a part of his live concerts until his death. On stage, he often referred to "Fairytale" as the story of his life.

"Green, Green Grass of Home" was released as a single in the UK, where it went Top 30, and also received US airplay. Presley was a big fan of Tom Jones' version of the song; while travelling, he would repeatedly have his friends call the local radio stations to request it.

Reissues
In 2005 Today was reissued on the Follow That Dream label in a special edition that contained the original album tracks along with a selection of alternate takes.

Disc 1

 * Original album track listing + Undubbed Session Mixes

Disc 2

 * All tracks previously unissued

Personnel
Sourced from Keith Flynn and Ernst Jorgensen's examination of original session tapes, session logs, and RCA and union/AFM paperwork.

• Elvis Presley – lead vocals; harmony vocals on "T-R-O-U-B-L-E"

• Voice (Donnie Sumner, Sherrill Nielsen, Tim Baty, Thomas Hensley) — backing vocals

• James Burton – lead guitar

• John Wilkinson — rhythm guitar

• Charlie Hodge — acoustic rhythm guitar

• Duke Bardwell — bass guitar on "T-R-O-U-B-L-E"

• Glen D. Hardin — piano

• Tony Brown – piano on "Bringing It Back"

• Ronnie Tutt — drums

• David Briggs – clavinet

• Overdubbed

• Millie Kirkham – backing vocals

• Mary Holladay – backing vocals

• Ginger Holladay – backing vocals

• Lea Berinati – backing vocals

• Chip Young – guitar on "And I Love You So", "Shake A Hand", and "Fairytale"; additional lead guitar on "I Can Help"

• Johnny Christopher – guitar except "T-R-O-U-B-L-E", "Shake A Hand", and "I Can Help"

• Norbert Putnam – bass guitar except "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" and "Shake A Hand"

• Mike Leech – bass guitar on "Shake A Hand"

• Buddy Spicher – fiddle on "Fairytale"

• Weldon Myrick – steel guitar on "Fairytale"

• Farrell Morris – bells and percussion on "And I Love You So", "Shake A Hand", and "I Can Help"

• Charles Rose – saxophone on "And I Love You So", "Shake A Hand", and "I Can Help"

• Ronald Eades – baritone saxophone on "And I Love You So", "Shake A Hand", and "I Can Help"

• Harvey Thompson – trombone on "And I Love You So", "Shake A Hand", and "I Can Help"

• Harrison Calloway – trumpet on "And I Love You So", "Shake A Hand", and "I Can Help"

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• Technical

• Felton Jarvis – producer

• Al Pachucki, Mike Shockley, Rick Ruggieri - engineer