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From the start, Elvis Presley's country roots were no secret. Like gospel, it remained a vital component of his music until his death in 1977. This double-disc set begins with his first country disc, a 1954 custom recording of "It Wouldn't Be the Same Without You" made at Sun studios months before Sam Phillips began recording him in earnest for the Sun label. By and large, he invoked such classics as Eddy Arnold's "It's a Sin," Hank Williams's "Your Cheatin' Heart," and his boyhood favorite "Old Shep." His rocking 1958 cover of Hank Snow's hit "A Fool Such As I" made the song an Elvis standard as well. Not that he drew from the past alone. He recorded more contemporary fare like Porter Wagoner's "Green, Green Grass of Home," a 1967 hit version of Jerry Reed's then-new tune "Guitar Man," Eddie Rabbitt's "Kentucky Rain," and even the Pointer Sisters' "Fairytale." While everything here's been released before, it's a well-conceived overview of Elvis's best country excursions. --Rich Kienzle