Binder And Howe Re-Unite For Anniversary Comeback Special

Steve Binder and Bones Howe re-unite for the first time in 40 years at The Paley Center for Media’s 40th anniversary salute to Elvis Presley’s ’68 Special on Friday, March 14th. Both Lisa Marie (not yet been confirmed) and Priscilla Presley should be present for the celebration which will include a screening of the now called “Comeback” special followed by a Q&A discussion with the three of them.

Binder, who directed and produced the Special will go down in television history if for nothing else for his contribution to what TV Guide called “the second greatest musical moment in television history next to the Beatles debut on Ed Sullivan.”

Howe served as the music director on “Elvis,” but his working relationship with The King goes back to 1957 when he worked at Radio Recorders mixing records.

In his first television special originally broadcasted as Singer Presents Elvis, Elvis Presley, who had spent most of the decade as a film actor, returned to his concert roots exhibiting the charismatic and emotionally charged performing style that secured his reputation as the “King of Rock & Roll.”

Taped in June 1968 and aired on December 3 of that year, the program attracted 42 percent of the television viewing audience and became the season’s top-rated special. It stands as one of the great moments in rock history and a stunningly brilliant milestone in Elvis Presley’s career.

Noted rock critic Greil Marcus stated, “This legendary special offered not only an unplugged session years before the term became the vogue, but yielded the finest music of Elvis’ career.”

PaleyFest08 will be held from March 14 to 27, 2008 at the historic Cinerama Dome at the ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood.