Pittsburgh-based artist Stephani Ezatoff brings new depth to the traditional Gospel hymn “Run On,” delivering a carefully constructed tribute to Elvis Presley’s celebrated 1967 interpretation of the song.

Released on March 27, 2025, Ezatoff’s version of “Run On” combines the spiritual weight of traditional African American Gospel with a haunting, cinematic arrangement designed to highlight the song’s message of divine love, judgment, and the power of God.

The release also continues a period of recognition for Ezatoff. She was named a semi-finalist in the Best Female Vocalist category at the Unsigned Only Music Awards in 2024 for her rendition of “God Will Open The Windows Of Heaven.” She subsequently earned another semi-finalist position at the awards, this time in the Best Christian Song category for “Run On.”

Her connection to Gospel music is built around more than vocal performance. Ezatoff approaches each project with a strong emphasis on meaning and symbolism, working to ensure that the artistic choices surrounding a song contribute to its message.

The song itself has a long and uncertain history. A traditional African American Gospel song and folk hymn, “Run On” was passed down through generations before the Golden Gate Quartet recorded it in 1946. Its original author remains uncertain, adding another layer to a song that has survived primarily through its message and repeated reinterpretation.

Over the decades, “Run On” has been recorded by numerous artists, including Johnny Cash and Odetta. For Ezatoff, however, the most important reference point was Elvis Presley’s 1967 version.

Rather than attempting to simply reproduce Presley’s recording, Ezatoff wanted to create an updated interpretation that acknowledged the influence of his version while bringing her own artistic identity to the song.

Minick, the son of legendary Gospel musician Johnny Minick of the Happy Goodman Family, created an arrangement that emphasizes the darker and more mysterious elements of the hymn. The song’s warning about divine judgment is given considerable musical weight, particularly in the lyric about being able to “run and hide, slip and slide” while attempting to escape God’s judgment.

The production team also included veteran session musicians Gary Lunn and Dave Cleveland, with Steve Allen handling recording and sound engineering. The project was produced by Brian Speer of the legendary Speer Family, bringing together a team with deep connections to Nashville’s Gospel and recording traditions.

The recording itself took place at Sound Shop Studio on Nashville’s Music Row, a location with its own connection to music history. The studio was situated just steps from RCA’s Studio B, where Elvis Presley recorded his own version of “Run On.”

There was also an unexpected historical significance to the recording. Sound Shop Studio closed permanently only days after Ezatoff’s session, making “Run On” one of the final recordings captured inside a studio that had hosted major artists including Dolly Parton and Brenda Lee.

Musically, one of the most distinctive choices was made by producer Brian Speer, who suggested that Ezatoff perform all of the vocal parts herself. That included the lead, background vocals, and harmony parts.

The decision creates an unusual vocal texture. Instead of multiple singers answering one another, the traditional call-and-response structure is recreated through a single voice.

As the song develops, more layers of Ezatoff’s voice are introduced. The harmonies gradually build around the lead, increasing the intensity as the track progresses.

Speer described the result as being “like a movie soundtrack,” an appropriate description for an arrangement that grows progressively larger as the song approaches its conclusion.

That progression is also tied directly to the subject matter. “Run On” has often been described as a sermon in song, with its direct language focusing on God’s omnipotence and divine judgment. Ezatoff wanted her performance to preserve that quality rather than treating the hymn simply as an opportunity for vocal display.

The call-and-response structure was therefore retained as an important part of the traditional character of the song, while the layered vocal arrangement gives it a contemporary and cinematic dimension.

Ezatoff’s interpretation also pays close attention to Presley’s recording, with what she describes as numerous musical and creative “Easter eggs” throughout the track as nods to his version.

The result is a recording caught between several different musical histories: an anonymous traditional Gospel hymn passed down through generations, the Golden Gate Quartet’s early recording, Elvis Presley’s influential 1967 interpretation, and Ezatoff’s contemporary reworking more than five decades later.

That approach reflects the wider direction of her career. The Pittsburgh-based American singer has been featured in international publications and has continued to build recognition through Gospel and Christian music. Her 2024 Unsigned Only semi-finalist recognition was followed by further recognition for her music in 2025, when her cover of Babbie Mason’s classic hymn “God Will Open the Windows of Heaven” received Best Song and Best Music Video honors from the Christian Online Film Festival.

The result is not simply an updated cover of a Gospel standard. It is an interpretation built around history, symbolism, vocal experimentation, and respect for the theological weight of the material.

By combining Aaron Minick’s haunting arrangement, Ezatoff’s layered vocal performance, and the musical legacy surrounding Elvis Presley’s version, “Run On” gives a traditional hymn a new setting while keeping its central message intact.

Stream below: open.spotify.com/track/12BpgU0ZTnef1V