Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper once sang that Elvis was everywhere—to hilarious effect. In the case of the most recent Collective Soul record, the two-CD Here to Eternity, the spirit of Presley was literally omnipresent.
Recorded on-site at Presley’s California estate in Palm Springs, the album project was a dream come true for Collective Soul founding member Ed Roland, who was a devout fan of the “King” while growing up in Atlanta. Collective Soul plays at Rohnert Park’s Graton Resort & Casino, Saturday, Jan. 31.
“The year before Elvis passed, he spent his last Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthday and did his last three gospel records there,” Roland explained in a recent interview. “RCA (Records) had set it up—soundproofing the Big Room, and Elvis was able to record live. That’s how we record…