In 1968, Elvis Presley revived his musical career with a now-legendary intimate live concert TV special simply titled “Singer presents Elvis”. This concert is now better known as the ’68 Comeback Special. It went on to become one of the most iconic events in his career.
Coming back from where?
The musical landscape had changed with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones at the forefront of popular culture. At the time, Presley forayed into acting and had become better known for his acting career. However, he reclaimed his power as a singer and entertainer in the ’68 special.
Music and television producer, Mike Binder, first pitched the idea of doing a television special. When Presley asked Binder what he thought of his musical career, Binder didn’t sugarcoat things and responded, “I think it’s in the toilet.” Presley appreciated the remark, claiming that “finally somebody is talking straight.”
The setup
Mike Binder arranged for the concert to be an intimate sit-down, set on a small stage that resembled a boxing ring. Presley roped in some of his earliest bandmates, whom he had not played in years, including Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana. During the special, Elvis Presley performed short versions of some of his biggest hits, including Heartbreak Hotel, Hound Dog, All Shook Up, Love Me Tender, and Jailhouse Rock. While people already knew these hits, the comeback special elevated them to new heights.
Elvis Presley’s ’68 comeback special aired on December 3, at 9 pm. Back then there were no streaming services and people had to actively tune into the live broadcasts of what they wanted to see, and boy did they tune in to see the King. 42 percent of America’s total television audience tuned in to watch the show, making it one of the highest-rated shows that season. A soundtrack album was later released and went on to become gold-certified.