1952 Gordon MacRae - (There'll Be) Peace In The Valley (For Me)

1952 Gordon MacRae - (There'll Be) Peace In The Valley (For Me) Another cover of what is now a gospel classic, MacRae's rendition of the tune is unusual although not in poor taste. Accompanying MacRae is a chorus and an orchestra conducted by Van Alexander. "Peace In The Valley" was written by Thomas A. Dorsey in 1939, for performance by Mahalia Jackson. The song is formally copyrighted as "There'll Be Peace In The Valley For Me," but is frequently referred to primarily as "Peace In The Valley," as is the case here. A year prior to this recording, Red Foley had a hit with his cover of the song, and other recordings were done by other notable artists later on in the 1950s and early 1960s, including Jo Stafford (1954), Little Richard (1961), Connie Francis (1961), and Johnny Cash (1962). Elvis Presley also performed the song live on the Ed Sullivan show on January 6th, 1957, exactly 68 years prior to the posting of this video. Numerous more contemporary artists have also covered the song. MacRae's cover was recorded in Hollywood, California, in February, 1952. This record was released sometime that same year. Transferred from 78-rpm Capitol 2114. The flip side "Mansion Over The Hilltop" can also be heard on my channel here: https://youtu.be/rDphwZIDMnc

Added 6 May 2026