Sony celebrated Elvis Presley ‘s ’68 Comeback Special with a seven-disc super deluxe edition box set,
The TV special was called Singer… presents Elvis (the Singer corporation being the sponsor) and was rescued from being a schmaltzy affair (with The King singing Christmas Carols) by producer Bob Finkel and director Steve Binder who combined to produce something that would appeal to a younger demographic and help to update Elvis Presley’s sound.
The memorable section of the show was the ‘sit down’ element, that had Elvis on stage dressed in black leather, guitar in hand, with guitarist Scotty Moore and drummer D.J. Fontana. This performance included raw takes of some of Presley’s best records, including ‘That’s All Right’ and ‘Heartbreak Hotel.’ Great versions of ‘Baby, What You Want Me to Do’ and ‘Lawdy, Miss Clawdy’ signalled Presley’s return to rock ‘n’ roll, after years in Hollywood making forgettable movies and dubious soundtracks.
The ’68 Comeback Special, as it became known, aired on 3 December 1968, and helped rejuvenate Presley’s recording career.
The box set features five CDs and two blu-rays and collects all of the existing audio and video from the show, including the original album, both ‘sit-down’ and ‘stand-up’ performances, rehearsals and sessions recorded with the Wrecking Crew in June 1968, including outtakes. The box set includes an 84-page book with the story told through interviews conducted for this year’s HBO documentary ‘The Searcher’.
Elvis Presley, “68 Comeback Special (50th Anniversary Edition)