March 3, 2023 - Good Morning! It’s Friday, March 3.
Yesterday I drove a group of senior adults on a trip to the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum in Shreveport - a beautiful and unique building from the 1930’s. Just a couple of miles away is another old building called the Municipal Auditorium. Doesn’t ring a bell? Well, I’ll bet you’ve heard of the famous radio show that broadcast from there - the Louisiana Hayride.
From 1948 to 1960 the Louisiana Hayride rivaled the Grand Old Opry as a venue for country music stars. And on March 3, 1955, this radio show was broadcast on TV. For one of the performers it was his first time on television. His name was Elvis Presley. He made his final Louisiana Hayride appearance in 1956, and when he finished, the announcer declared, “Elvis has left the building!” That was the first time that phrase had ever been said.
The next year Elvis appeared on another TV show, hosted by an announcer named Ed Sullivan. And, against the networks wishes, he sang a gospel song, “Peace in the Valley”. Elvis would go on to record 88 religious songs and three gospel albums. The only Grammy award he ever received was for one of those Christian records.
I’ve got that album in my collection and it features that song he sang on a Sunday night long ago. He sang it for his mother.
There will be peace in the valley for me someday
There will be peace in the valley for me, I pray
There’ll be no sadness, no sorrow, no trouble I see
There will be peace in the valley for me
Meet you back here on Monday,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
