From the magic of email comes this question "was Elvis Presley overrated as a singer"?
No he was underrated as a singer.
Elvis had a documented 4 1/2 octave range. JD Sumner is on record as having the lowest sustained baritone….ever. Elvis and he were friends dating back to Elvis when Elvis was a youth. JD Sumner, and each member of the Jordainers who sang for everyone from Aretha to Conway to Clara Ward on and on. Each person said Elvis would sing after concerts, some were twice a day and some were three times a day, in his hotel suite for hours on end. Between them and Joe Guerico and the sweet inspirations, they were with Elvis for (collectively) over a hundred years and each was amazed at Elvis range, vocal inflections, photographic memory, perfect timing, etc .
Elvis was tagged as a tenor but he was far more than that. Elvis toured from 1954–1956 and then 1969 until 1977 and he sounded as good or better live than his recordings. I have almost every known soundboard recordings and Elvis NEVER allowed his recordings/singing to be technology enhanced. He had perfect pitch and I can assure you that 99% of entertainers use auto tune and every high tech available to them to greatly enhance their voices. Keep in mind Elvis MOVED onstage while singing a feat no one could come close to.
If you listen to Elvis early recordings like I need you so, when my blue moon turns to gold again and then Elvis 1968 live performance singing If I can dream to the last concert he ever gave he sang Unchained Melody while playing the piano, as Elvis was self taught to play the piano/bass guitar/electric guitar/bongos (yeah I know) and 90% of acoustic guitar, you can see/hear (and pleSe listen to unchained melody audio instead of watching as he was in such bad health it is/was shocking) for yourself how great a singer he was.
lastly Elvis was the greatest Gospel, Christmas songs/albums, Rock, etc recording artist of all time. Fact not an opinion.
