In 1976, Elvis Presley was in an unusual position – he was still the King of Rock & Roll and could sell out arenas all across the nation, but Top 40 radio played him only as an oldies act, and his new material popped up on the Easy Listening and Adult Contemporary charts when it charted at all. Tired of working in the studio where scheduling pressures stifled his creative spirit, Presley converted his den at his mansion Graceland into a recording studio with the help of RCA's mobile unit. Working with members of his top-notch road band, Presley recorded the sort of material he wanted to try – songs that reflected his own maturity and that of his audience – and the home-recorded sessions would become the basis for two albums, 1976's From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee and 1977's Moody Blue.

Pure…Country is a decent four-CD set highlighting 68 classic singles. Along with the original versions of radio favorites by Johnny Cash, George Jones, Willie Nelson, Ray Price, and Lynn Anderson are less than obvious inclusions by the Browns, Sylvia, and Little Jimmy Dickens.

This generous four-disc set collects almost 70 original recordings of '50s hits, including songs by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash…