From the press-release:
An ideal set for longtime Elvis fans and newcomers, “The Best of the ’68 Comeback Special,” comprises the Elvis recordings and performances that inspired the upcoming tribute and showcases a new version of the legendary closing number, “If I Can Dream,” as heard in the new special — featuring Elvis’ original vocals alongside new performances by Carrie Underwood, Shawn Mendes, Post Malone, Darius Rucker and Blake Shelton. The album features 15 Elvis performances from the “stand-up” and “sit-down” shows filmed for the ’68 broadcast, plus three original studio recordings to represent songs that appear in the new special.
The original special, recorded over several sessions in June 1968, featured Elvis playing the songs that mattered most to him, in his first live performance since 1961. When it aired on December 3, 1968, the special was the week’s highest-viewed television program, re-establishing Elvis as a driving force in popular music. The special was recently revisited in 2018 in the 5CD/2 Blu-ray Disc box set ’68 Comeback Special: 50th Anniversary Edition.
NBC’s new two-hour program will pay tribute to Elvis Presley’s “’68 Comeback Special,” recreating the iconic night with musical performances, a showcase of rare footage and interviews with Pricilla Presley and Steve Binder, the director of the original special, plus a special appearance from Lisa Marie Presley.“Elvis All-Star Tribute” is being produced by Ken Ehrlich for AEG Ehrlich Ventures, LLC. Ehrlich is one of event television’s most prolific producers, from the annual Grammy Awards telecast, which he has produced since 1980, to numerous single artist and event specials including the Global Citizens Festival, which he produces for MSNBC.
Tracks:
Trouble / Guitar Man (Opening) / Heartbreak Hotel (1st Stand Up Show) / Hound Dog (2nd Stand Up show) / All Shook Up (2nd Stand Up show) / Can't Help Falling In Love (2nd Stand Up Show) / Jailhouse Rock (2nd Stand Up Show) / Don’t Be Cruel (1st Stand Up Show) / Blue Suede Shoes (2nd Sit Down Show) / Baby, What You Want Me To Do (1st Stand Up Show) / Are You Lonesome Tonight? (1st Sit Down Show) / One Night (2nd Sit Down Show) / Love Me Tender (1st Stand Up Show) / Trying To Get To You (2nd Sit Down Show) / Love Me (2nd Sit Down Show) / Memories.Bonus Tracks: A Little Less Conversation / Suspicious Minds / Burning Love / If I Can Dream - Elvis Presley, Carrie Underwood, Shawn Mendes, Post Malone, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton.
Tracks 1-15 Recorded June 1968 at Western Recorders Hollywood, CA and NBC Studios, Burbank, CA for the Elvis (NBC TV Special) / Track 16 recorded March 1968 at Western Recorders Hollywood, CA
Track 17 recorded January 1969 at American Sound, Memphis, TN / Track 18 recorded March 1972 at RCA Studios, Hollywood, CA /L
Track 19 recorded October 2018 at Universal Studios, Universal City, CA.
Details on the All Star TV Special
On the day Elvis Presley would have turned 84, NBC is marking the occasion by announcing performers for its “Elvis All-Star Tribute,” which will air on February 17 from 9-11 p.m. (ET/PT).
A healthy mix of young stars (Post Malone, Ed Sheeran, Alessia Cara, Shawn Mendes, Adam Lambert and Kelsea Ballerini) and established names (Blake Shelton, John Fogerty, Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez, Josh Groban, Darius Rucker, Pistol Annies, Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town and Mac Davis) recreated the look and feel of the famed Elvis “’68 Comeback Special.” Complete with its “boxing ring without ropes” set on a Universal City soundstage, the special, hosted by Shelton, was taped last October before an invited audience. Ken Ehrlich produced and Don Was served as musical director.
With Ehrlich on board as producer for his own AEG Ehrlich Ventures, the longtime Grammy guru leaned on his years of experience to match the right performer with the right song and come up with well-curated collaborations. Speaking to Variety, Ehrlich explains: “I was just listening to John Legend one day and thought, he’d be perfect for ‘A Little Less Conversation.’ … Keith Urban personally requested Post Malone for a duet on ‘Baby What You Want Me to Do,’ a section of the show which recalls the part when Elvis and his band were just casually playing together onstage. When I asked Post Malone about performing it, he said, ‘Oh, yeah, the Jimmy Reed song.’”
Other highlights from the two-night taping included Shawn Mendes’ take on “Hound Dog,” which prompted a laughing Mike Stoller — seated in the studio audience — to utter his famous refrain, “I always preferred Big Mama Thornton,” and Adam Lambert’s cover of “Blue Suede Shoes,” for which he paid homage to the Carl Perkins-penned original by sporting a pair. Says Lambert: “What was I supposed to wear? Red ones? Elvis defined pop culture in the ’50s with his voice, style and swagger. He was one of the first icons I ever listened to, so to take the stage during this anniversary tribute feels like a big honor.”
Aside from the in-the-round presentation, there are several other iconic set pieces, including Jennifer Lopez singing “Heartbreak Hotel” against the glimmering neon lights spelling out ELVIS, along with Yolanda Adams and Carrie Underwood’s gospel tribute and Josh Groban’s operatic “It’s Now or Never.”
A complete listing of the scheduled performances:
- “Trouble”/”Guitar Man” – Blake Shelton
- “Hound Dog” – Shawn Mendes
- “Baby, What You Want Me to Do” – Keith Urban & Post Malone
- “Burning Love” – Keith Urban
- “Jailhouse Rock” – John Fogerty
- “Can’t Help Falling in Love” – Ed Sheeran
- “Always on My Mind” – Kelsea Ballerini
- “Heartbreak Hotel” – Jennifer Lopez
- “One Night” – Darius Rucker
- “Suspicious Minds” – Blake Shelton
- “Love Me Tender” – Alessia Cara
- “Memories” – Mac Davis
- “A Little Less Conversation” – John Legend
- “Are You Lonesome Tonight” – Little Big Town
- “Blue Suede Shoes” – Adam Lambert
- “Love Me” – Pistol Annies
- Hits Medley (“That’s All Right,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Blue Suede Shoes”) – Mac Davis, Post Malone, Little Big Town, Darius Rucker & Blake Shelton
- Gospel Medley (“How Great Thou Art,” “He Touched Me,” “You’ll Never Walk Alone”) – Carrie Underwood & Yolanda Adams
- “Little Sister” – Dierks Bentley
- “It’s Now or Never” – Josh Groban
- “If I Can Dream” – Elvis Presley, Carrie Underwood, Shawn Mendes, Post Malone, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton