Gates of Graceland: Secrets of the '68 Special
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- čas přidán 17. 02. 2019
- Elvis Presley made history with his iconic television special, "Elvis," also known as the '68 Special. Fifty years after the show aired, music fans still rave about this incredible special.
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!
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.
You said it. It will never happen again. I feel so lucky to have been alive and here to be part of the Elvis generation.
Yes I am So Glad Also I NEVER LIKED PARKER NEVER HE ONLY THOUGHT OF HIS SELFISH SELF I AM 67 NOW I STARTED LIKING ELVIS AT 7 LISTEN TO THIS AS SOON AS I SAW PARKER I SAID I DONT LIKE HlIM HE WAS NOT HONEST WITH ELVIS
He wasn’t from this world, he said so, he was from Rigel, Blue Star of Orion. He said the gravity here was too heavy and he had to leave early.
💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝
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.
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.
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.
😊👏
Smart lady 😊
Steve Binder: The man who saved Elvis'career.
@Floyd The Barber * Yeah, but Parker took it down! So sad!
And bob
@@ihatechange Sadly, but it was only because Elvis was loyal. Parker could not travel out of the his due to his record, and Elvis was loyal and stayed with him...but he never played outside of the states because of Parker. Nevermind the guy's awful gambling issues
YES!!!
I hope every Elvis fans watches this.
Never will any of us here on earth will ever see another like Elvis❤️
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!❤❤❤❤
😂❤😅😊
He looked so fabulous in ‘68 and Only 9 years later he passed away in terrible health
A documentary about legendary men.
2023 . Welcome back Elvis!
Amazing. ❤️💥Australian fan
OMG Elvis is so beautiful when standing in a group of men he is just so outstanding!
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.
👍
Totally agree dump parker
There are no perfect men and definitely Parker and Elvis and many of us are not perfect however I feel like we must look and appreciate the dynamic of t h e i r personal interchange that Elvis and Colonel Parker had inherently as if it's some Cosmic or spiritual personal connection meant to be.
Also my mom loved him too! My mom and dad went to see him in 1956 - I had to stay with my Aunt. That was in Wichita Falls, Texas! My mom loved Elvis too❤
Still loving Elvis in 2022!!
Sometimes I enjoy "the making of" as much as the show itself. This was one such experience. Thanks for posting.
Additionally, a new movie about the making of the 68 Comeback Special, called "Reinventing Elvis" premiered across the US, August 2023 for one day/night only; then went into streaming on Paramount.
Colonel Parker was nothing but a roadblock to Elvis
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!!
As great as elvis's career was, you cant help but wonder what else he could have done without the colonels interference.
Mind boggling 💕
I think he would have been a great acteur
Here's off offered west side Story and was told no by that sick manager ..
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.
OH M Y GOSH SO SO ELIQUITELY SAID. ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. STEVE BINDER GENUIS..SORRY I PROBABLY SPELLED THOSE WORDS WRONG BUT HOPEFULLY YOU ALL UNDERSTAND
The '68 Special is my absolute favorite Elvis performance of all. I don't think I've ever seen Elvis have so much fun.
Elvis is THE most handsome, talented and charismatic artist EVER. He was a real man and a man's man.
Looks do not make the man.
Actually…he was a “Mama’s Boy”
@@m.walker7907 I don't think that is what was meant, here.
Steve Binder Should have been elvis's manager
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!
U are correcto mendo. As the fonz would say. Kiss is the best rock group of all time.presley best solo of all time
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.
"The Colonel and Me" movie said he did try to fire him but could not afford the payoff of a million dollars stated in his contract.
Thank you Tom Brown for showing us all behind the scenes of the Return of a Legend.
To me, The Peak of Elvis' career, the finest of his work, singing, everything.
Absolutely 100%
The 68 special was certainly a focal point of the Elvis movie. Thanks Steve Binder for saving Elvis.
Yes
My all time favourite show.He did it his way.❤
In the end he couldn't save him. Elvis was too polite to get rid of Van Kuijk. If he just had tried to get to a legal advisor and a different management
Yeah, it saved Elvis - but only for a few very short years.
~Enjoyed hearing everything about our Elvis....cannot get enough....thank you all.
👍
You saved him and his career
There will never be anything like this again. A master at work.....The King.
We didn’t know what we had then.
My little daughters had a clue! They found that special on their little TV, and called me
into their room to watch. How they knew, I don't know, but they said some pretty profound things about Elvis--not even being fans. And THANKFUL I was!!!
Yes, we did. That's why it hurt so much to lose him.
I wish Steve Binder had become Elvis' mgr!!! Such a wonderful & brilliant guy he is!😇
Now that's an interesting thought ?
Scott Wheeler When it came to dating women ol Elvis never needed any time mgmt specialists !
I AGREE!!!
His basic instincts, his raw talent & his wonderful sense of humour…
The One, The Only…🥰
This was a beautiful, timeless tribute to a force that was released on humanity, and changed the world for ever, Elvis you are the best!
This was an amazing & informative piece. Elvis fans around the world are loving these stories. What an honor for all involved. Thank you so much for sharing!!
I was born in ‘68 and feel like I saw this show live. My parents were huge EP fans and now I am. Love this type of footage, makes me feel like I didn’t miss out completely on seeing the greatest entertainer of all time live. Btw, my Dad surprised my Mom with Vegas tix. She talked about that night as one of the best of her life. ❤️
He'd gotten back to where he wanted to be, raw and live with sex appeal and a killer hunger and an aching desire to sing to live audiences again, he nailed it as he always did, great to see him get his mojo back ELVIS, BEST EVER AND BEST FOREVER 🙏🙏🙏🙏👏👏👏👏👏❤️❤️
Elvis did well because of Elvis. He was generous, loyal, charismatic, genuine, and extremely talented. Parker did nothing, but drain him. Elvis was loyal to a fault with that one. His beginnings were humble and his personality stayed that way. He knew where he came from and never forgot it. When he did things for people, he did it from his heart and never for show or publicity. His legacy lives.
I agree with you 100%! I credit Parker with NOTHING! Hated him with a passion!
His humanity was his best feature besides his great looks and fantastic talent. Elvis loved people and especially those in need. He showered people who really needed it with love and care.
@@maryannstensrude407 well I don’t like parker but I think one thing Elvis did wouldn’t have happened if it not been for parker. That was the Aloha show via satellite. No one else would have thought of that. But other than that I didn’t like colonel parker.
Why
I was parker never deported he was here illegally and should not have ever be.here ill never understand why love you Elvis
Elvis in black leather performing in the round, man what a brilliant idea.
@PRE CBS FENDER * Yes, it turned out to be the very first "unplugged" performance ever!
It's amazing that Elvis was so talented that he was so handsome and that his personality was so sweet. It's amazing that were here 50 years later watching the sweetest sexiest most talented man that ever lived. RIP SWEET Elvis Presley you won't ever be forgotten 👑✨👑✨👑✨❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Hello, it's actually 44 later, since Elvis,s death, not 50 as you've quoted..
Please get your comments right at least..😤😮
@@patportelli1542 he did the 68 special in 1968. So however many yrs it’s been. It’s 2021, I’m watching. It’s been 53 yrs since it was filmed.
This, to date, is the best piece put together for, Gates of Graceland. Steve Binder was such a believer in what Elvis was capable of. In the grand scheme of things, history has spoken, and things are as they were intended, but to imagine where Steve and Elvis could have gone and the things they could have created after the 68 Special, is a mind bend. I cant help but wonder.
@M. Walters * My thoughts exactly!
Me too...
Thank you so much Steve and "your guys" OMG. the thought you.didnt did it. Is mind boggling. History!!!
@@gericaccavale9637 Well did he or didn't he ? Lol
@@chairlesnicol672 SORRY INCORRECT RESPONSE BINDER WAS ELVIS"S SAVIOR
They didn't have a clue they were filming some of the best History of all!
This was the launch of the NEW Elvis sound. He was the very best there was!!
Steve, you saved his life and his career, we all Elvis fans thank you and all the musicians who worked with you, from the buttom of mour hearts.
He didn't save his life or career he died a short few years later with a downward career
Plus never speak for anyone but yourself
Very well said xx
I had no idea there were so many challenges in making this Elvis television special. Mostly because it seemed to flow so naturally when we were watching it. Truly a piece of art !!!
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.
This is my third time watching this and love it more each time! Especially Elvis not caring what the colonel wanted. I wish he'd kept that attitude!
Fantastic performance by Elvis. Thank you for this video. So nice to hear the true facts of how this all came about. 👍⚡
Simply awesome
Loved this! If only Elvis stuck with Steve!!
👍👍👍
The greatest performer that has or will ever live. No one will match this man .
I agree. Elvis had so much talent it oozed out of his body. Karizma out the kazoo! And looks that knocked most people out.
Elvis is God's gift to mankind. He made so many people happy. How can we forget such a wonderful man?
The BEST I kind wish
There's no doubt Elvis was one of the greats. I absolutely loved the guy. But nobody is the greatest performer who ever lived. That's all conjecture and based upon your taste. Everybody feels that their influences and heroes are the greatest. That's just human nature. Sinatra fans feel Sinatra was the greatest. Beatles fans feel the Beatles were the greatest, and on and on and on it goes.
You mention the Beatles, when they came to France for the 1st time, it was a complete flop, the French did not appreciate their noisy performance.
I remember the night this comeback special was aired, like it was yesterday! It was fabulous beyond words. Of Course Everything Elvis ever did was fabulous.. He will always be the King! Thank you all for this wonderful production.
I love it that the originals speak from memory, in their much older age, about the ‘68 Comeback Special. It means a lot more.
YES
Elvis was the greatest raw talent of our times. He had it all, despite the colonel.
One of the most incredible pieces of art of all time. Every age has a new medium of art and the 68 special is a classic for all time. I was born in 1968 and can't help but think how my mom, a huge Elvis fan, was watching this gem while she was carrying me.
"If I Can Dream" has always been my favorite Elvis song, and it still gives me goosebumps and chokes me up when I hear it. This was really great, thank you for sharing!
It's one of 2 songs of Elvis's that i won't ever sing along with I just listen in awe the other song is unchained melody
@Harley Alderson
"I'm Leavin"" and
"Soitaire" are hauntingly beautiful. His soul is audible. Love to Elvis forever.
Me too.
My favorite fore shore, deeply authentic ❤... ❤... unbelievable en uncritically kind of human... he was so much time before others this time ⏲ ... brilliant 👏 revolution .... give his life for changing in the history 🙌 brings us together ❤.... fighting for peace and harmony ... so fresh understanding .... no rassysm ..
Shapov 🎩 ‼️ ♥️⚓🍀 🧿 🌏 ☮ .. had a dream........truly RIGHT .... HE got it 👍
Elvis was in his Prime and he knew it he gave it his all as he ALWAYS did thats why 50 yrs later he is still THE KING.....
There will never be another Elvis!!!
Elvis knocked it out of the park. Such talent. That is my favorite song. To bad his mom didnt live to see her son become such a star
What song?
Cynthia Carter
When she died in 1958,
he was already the world's top record seller, and the most famous entertainer on the planet.
@@sasquatch6903 - If I Can Dream.
Thank you Gates of Graceland....I'm tearing up with the REAL TRUTH about everything....especially Elvis's personality as I knew him too and he was VERY intelligent, knew what he wanted and could REALLY pull it off!! There will NEVER BE ANOTHER ELVIS!!!
Elvis is simply a natural at learning.
All the big music executives Elvis had the best ear for music they ever saw.
Elvis knew he was going on a higher plane in two days but Debbie I just don't think he overdosed on 0urpose he just knew his time was up
Never watched this before what a beautiful story of how it all came together I just want to cry 😢 I miss him so much it’s a privilege to listen to these talented men talk about Elvis with such warmth in there voices you can just tell how much they loved him Love 💕 from Denise in Yorkshire England 💖👑👑🕺🏻🕺🏻👍👏👏XX
👋🏻😊🇺🇸
And respected his talent!!
If Elvis could see how much reverberating impact The Singer Special has had 50 plus years later and how it's still being talked about with writers and producers of the show sharing their story, the music the filming? I think he would be blown away...
Oui je pense aussi et dire qu'il avait peur qu'on l'oubli 😃
📀💿📀💿📀💿📀💿📀💿That’s what he was worried but never happened that📀💿📀💿📀💿📀💿📀💿📀💿
Ummmm, he HAS seen it and heard it as we don't stop being aware of what's going on here
Esp if he really thought he w/not be remembered because of not making the movies he wanted to, how wrong he was
@@pamscoonover3625 Extremely wrong..but he knows now 🥰
Elvis was one of the most beautiful, magnetic, and talented human beings on the planet. Unfortunately, he passed away exactly on my 1st birthday, and I will always have a little sadness because of that. May his legacy live on forever.
THANK YOU thank you and THANK YOU unbelievable and so BEAUTIFUL Ageless and so uniquely artistic this special and how this came together ELVIS beyond words and what a special man, artist and star. What a gift this man was to us and still is and his music and rawness of his gifts
Binder-Finkle & Goldenberg were guardian angels, they had faith in a man that didnt have faith in himself... A lost career was jump started in 68! .... Thank ya fellas
Thank you also from me
.......and me as well
Maybe if he didn’t start again he’d still be around?
Incredible that we have this commentary so many years later!! It’s 2022! Thank you Steve Bender and the others involved! WHAT HISTORY! 💫❤️✨
Elvis looked so handsome and gorgeous in his black leather outfit for the comeback special 68
Had Colonel Parker not been involved with Elvis by this time, then I believe he would have done a more tv specials and had greater creative control of his own life!!!
Thank you so much for this !!!! …. LONG LIVE ELVIS!!!!
What a piece of history, I love this! Fantastic!
There's an indescribable feeling when you're involved with making history, you know that what you're doing others will like but, you can never be sure until time passes and the feelings you had at the time were real. One of the historical moments of the 20th century that will always find a new audience.
AMEN and AMEN
Can you imagine what Elvis could've done if Parker didn't block Steve Binder from staying in touch with Elvis? It makes me sick that so many people wanted to work with Elvis and Elvis never knew!
Elvis never wrote a single song he sang.They came from black writers and
Rosetta Thorpe is the Queen of Rock n roll. Remember he ws accused of singing black artist songs
@@teejay112 Elvis made the songs BIG though. Most entertainers stay relatively unknown.
@@joinjen3854 You got that right!!
@@teejay112 u don't know shit, a lot of people wrote for elvis. How come blacks want credit for every damn thing😤😤
Jerry Reed said Elvis was the most beautiful man he ever saw. Made him wish he was a woman lol
Loved this ❤ 🎶
I remember watching when it came on TV, I was a kid and was so excited to see Elvis!
Elvis will always be the king of rock and roll. What an amazing man, Steve you and all the others involved gave elvis what he wanted. Thank you for this outstanding footage..
I can't thank you all enough for working with Elvis Presley thank you thank you thank you TCB to all
If I can Dream is my absolute favorite Elvis Song...PERIOD
If I can dream should have been a grammy
I was in Memphis during the 50th anniversary of the '68 Special and went to the live showing of Steve Binder and the others here, but it was so much better in person because it was much longer and more detailed. Plus afterward, I bought Steve's book on the '68 Special and met and talked w him as I got him to sign and comment in my copy. It was quite an experience meeting these very humble and honest guys that I've read about my entire life. We parted w me thanking each of them for their part in making the greatest of the greats music specials and assisting Elvis in perfecting his ICONIC Special!!
👍👍👍
HOW AWESOME!!!
I miss Elvis and I didn’t even know him. What a truly special individual. We are so privileged to be able to witness and enjoy his life’s work.
How historically valuable is this video. Brilliant.
It was great to see them playing around like that. It was so cool to see them playing. The girl in the blue is his friend Sandi.
One of the greatest moments in music history.
LOVED THE 68 SPECIAL, THE MAGIC WORD BEING "SPECIAL". ELVIS MEANS SPECIAL. SO ANYTIME YOU HEAR THE NAME ELVIS YOU KNOW ITS GONNA BE SPECIAL.
Where did you watch the 68 special?
What a fantastic video!!!! The '68 Special was one of the most memorable shows in TV history!!!!
Yes!
Elvis Presley was brilliant in the 68 Special as in the Aloha From Hawaii Special but he was also fantastic in his many classic movies like Flaming Star, Jailhouse Rock, Loving You, Viva Las Vegas, Blue.Hawaii, Follow That Dream, Kid Galahad, Tickle Me, Roustabout, King Creole, Change Of Habit and his movies are Special and terrific! Two Thumbs Up!
The 68 special is one I will never ever forget watching! It was amazing
Why do these documentary makers feel the need to over-produce these shows with never-ending music in the background? It's too much...
Amazingly he had half the career he could’ve had
One of the best informative interviews concerning Elvis that I’ve ever seen!
@Winnie Skees * I agree! It shows us what a musical genius Elvis was, and what a selfish bastard Parker was. I understand Steve Binder tried to call Elvis at his home some time later,, but apparently no one told Elvis because Steve never heard from him. Another time he tried to see Elvis backstage in Las Vegas but he was told Elvis was sleeping. You KNOW Elvis would have wanted to see him, but either he was never told or Parker blocked it. What a sad waste of talent! So glad we have all these wonderful memories. Elvis always thought he wouldn't be remembered. If he only knew. (Or maybe he does.) 🙏
GREAT SHOW ! FRIDAY 7/29/22 JULY 29, 2022
Parker sabotaged this by taking the tickets, and it backfired on him. this was a success.
The 68 Comeback Special reinvented Elvis and proved that Elvis could still do it and still do it better than anyone else. Steve Binder was the perfect fit for Elvis. He knew that Elvis had the talent to make a great special and when Elvis was told he wasn't going to haft to do anything he didn't want to I think it helped Elvis relax. This is the pure, raw talent of Elvis and it's great The 68 Comeback Special and will still stand up against any music..
68 Comeback Special = MASTERPIECE
Such an awesome interview with Steve Binder!
Thank you for doing this. I learned things about the production and about Elvis that I never knew. There was never, nor ever will be, anyone in the world like our Elvis. He wasn't a star, he was a galaxy.....
Amen❣
Ditto ditto ditto Sue. It's opened a whole new world to me!!!
Spoken beautifully
@@susieheffernan4042; me mmmmmmmmmm kk mk my mind my milk kinda kind kinda just kinda kkkkmmmmkkkmm know my keys keep kkkkmmmkkkkkmmmkkmkkk kkkkmkkkkkkkmmmkkmkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk mm know kkkkmmmmkkkmm kkkkmmmkkkkkmmmkkmkkk keep kkkkmkkkkkkkmmmkkmkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk kkkkkkkkkkkkkmkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
@@barbarakozlowski2642 ikkkkkkkkkkkkmkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
Must be incredible to have access to the people who sang with, played alongside Elvis and can still recall all the wonderful memories of Elvis.
This is so INTERESTING. thank you. Amazing how many great artistic moments are thrown together by people who are thrown curveballs and just roll with it and go by their gut. This is by far my favorite Elvis documentary.
in my oponion, 68 comeback is the greatest show that Elvis ever did
Elvis had a great talent and you could tell he felt the music & he showed in his expressions & his eyes.
What a great and genuine man Steve Binder is!
TY Steve for the honesty Elvis craved…. You saw him as the man…. Not “the image.” Oh that you could have created the management team he yearned for.
Indeed! So well said!
Exactly - one of a very few people Mr Binder. Amazing and Elvis's response says it all - bless him. 💕
This is Mrs. Ace X. This sounds so much like the heart of ELVIS. Such a man. So special. Thank you to Mr. Brown and to all involed. Especially to our Elvis, who we all love so very much. A very special Godsend. If I can dream. If he could dream. We all need to dream possitively. To create a brighter future for humanity. Amen.