Gates of Graceland: Secrets of the '68 Special
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Published 2019-02-18
In this episode of the Gates of Graceland, host Tom Brown chats with three of the great creative minds who helped Elvis put the special together: director Steve Binder, music director Billy Goldenberg and writer Allan Blye. These men share behind-the-scenes stories of working with Elvis, how the show came together and more.
Just this month, NBC aired "Elvis All-Star Tribute," a tribute to Elvis and the '68 Special. Hosted by Blake Shelton, the special featured artists such as Carrie Underwood, Yolanda Adams, John Fogerty, John Legend, Post Malone, Shawn Mendes, Pistol Annies, Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, Adam Lambert, Little Big Town, Dierks Bentley, Josh Groban, Alessia Cara, Kelsea Ballerini, Darius Rucker, Ed Sheeran and Mac Davis. Elvis' daughter Lisa Marie Presley and his granddaughter, Riley Keough, also made appearances in the special.
Want to learn more about Elvis and the '68 Special? Visit Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. There is a '68 Special section inside Elvis: The Entertainer Career Museum, the world's largest Elvis museum at Elvis Presley's Memphis at Graceland. Learn more at Graceland.com!
All Comments (21)
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Steve Binder seems as humble and appreciative as Tom Parker was arrogant and controlling. As so others have noted, this is peak Elvis and I’ve enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look at the majestic TV special. “If I can Dream” is one of my favorite songs. Truly a masterpiece in every respect.
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Elvis was not from this world. There will never be another person who takes the music industry by storm like Elvis did. It's kind of sad, in a way, that future generations will never know the excitement of someone like Elvis Presley bursting on the scene.
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Never will any of us here on earth will ever see another like Elvis❤️
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I hope every Elvis fans watches this.
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He looked so fabulous in ‘68 and Only 9 years later he passed away in terrible health
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Thank you Steve Binder and all who were on this video! You all brought so much to light that we didn’t know about the 68 Special! Elvis will live in us forever. Beautiful documentary!❤❤❤❤
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As soon as this began being advertised my Mom surprised us with a color TV about a week before the 68 special aired. She wasn't going to watch Elvis in black and white.
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I loved the 68, Special. Im 66, & Elvis was unique. He was like an Angel, send to earth, to explode, the music scene forever. And when it was all done, he was called back to Heaven.
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I wish Elvis was able to work with all these guys more. Could you imagine what difference Elvis career would have been? This was an amazing special and I will never tire of it. Elvis was breathtaking and you can tell he was happy. Pure happiness.
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The '68 Special is my absolute favorite Elvis performance of all. I don't think I've ever seen Elvis have so much fun.
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OMG Elvis is so beautiful when standing in a group of men he is just so outstanding!
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Sometimes I enjoy "the making of" as much as the show itself. This was one such experience. Thanks for posting.
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Steve and everyone involved in this 68 TV SPECIAL, Thank you for doing this for Elvis!! The special made him human and relatable opposed to his movie years where he was put on a pedestal and unreachable, well because of Tom Parker's ideas!!
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Still loving Elvis in 2022!!
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Elvis is THE most handsome, talented and charismatic artist EVER. He was a real man and a man's man.
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He was so big bigger than big he looked great his voice was magical Elvis was boss why he didn´t fire Parker we will never know but he would have been even bigger with these guys. He is still the greatest star that ever lived.
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The '68 Comeback Special was incredible and knowing a little about what Steve Binder had done in the past (T.A.M.I. show plus producing a couple of well known groups in the 1960's) he was the perfect Captain to right the ship and bring back the Elvis we all know. Elvis was glowing and back in his element of a live audience performing. Little strokes of genius doing the sit down portion with Scotty and D.J. and the majestic "If I Can Dream" to close the show gave our collective souls hope for a better future after losing Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy to assassin's bullets. Everyone who was involved was brilliant, but Elvis' star was the brightest. ELVIS was back! After that sessions cut at American went on to become some of his best work and showed the innermost soul of the greatest entertainer of all time.
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Elvis Presley will forever be remembered as the greatest singer of rock music and also the greatest cinema actor of all time. And he still is the superb live performer of the century. Two Thumbs Up for the King!
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The 68 comeback special was one of the greatest performances that i have ever seen on TV before in my life Elvis was a phenomenon icon, rest in peace Elvis.
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His basic instincts, his raw talent & his wonderful sense of humour… The One, The Only…🥰
