Priscilla Presley has vowed never to “compromise” Elvis’ voice.
The 70-year-old actress, who was married to the star from 1967 to 1973, insists she would never take advantage of the late singer’s legacy so doesn’t think she should be criticized for backing a new album which features his vocals with backing from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. “I hope people embrace it. I know there will probably be critics but I would never ever compromise his voice. Because, it was what it was and it was great.
“Don (Reedman) brought this idea to me in 2013 when I was here playing the mean queen in panto. It was music to my ears. I went, ‘We have to do it.'”
Defending her choice to create If I Can Dream, she insisted the Jailhouse Rock hitmaker would have loved the collection. “Elvis loved bigness. This is the kind of thing he would have absolutely supported and would have done in a minute.”
The record also features a duet between Elvis and Michael Buble, who Priscilla praised for doing justice to the track. She gushed to The Sun newspaper: “The professionalism Michael showed on this is unbelievable. He is a perfectionist. I don’t know how many times he rehearsed with Elvis but you feel they are in the same room.
“I can just see Elvis … he had such a great sense of humor … going, ‘OK, you think that’s good? Listen to this!’ and Michael replying, ‘Well, mmm, let me show you what I got!’ It’s really good and we are very proud of it.”
If I Can Dream will be released on October 30.
