Late to the game, but who watched the Elvis All-Star Tribute for the 50th anniversary of the ’68 Comeback Special?
Many Elvis fans watched it and seemed to not like it. I guess an unpopular opinion here, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! Imagine being in the fourth grade and mocked because you’re an Elvis fan. Being an Elvis fan since the age of 5, it was difficult finding people close to my age who felt the same way. I gave the fourth grade as an example because this was the year I decided to no longer be an Elvis fan. A mysterious package appeared at my house addressed to me containing an Elvis magazine. This caused me to fully embrace my obsession and love Elvis more than before. Though it still did not make it easy, I was happy to have something I was passionate about.
Growing up I’ve heard: “You know he’s dead right”, ‘Elvis was fat,” “He died on the toilet.” For the first time in my lifetime, Elvis is relevant. Many documentaries were created that sparked interest, there was nothing really making him relevant to younger audiences to ensure his legacy would live on. That is until this ’68 Comeback Special Showcase. Some of the greatest talents took stage and sang Elvis songs in their own way. This created a buzz unlike any other. People who are fans of the artist on the stage tuned in to watch because they were a fan of that particular artist. They left with an appreciation for Elvis that may not have existed before. For the first time in a long time, Elvis is relevant. His legacy will live on because younger audiences are able to appreciate him.
You don’t have to be a fan of an artists’ rendition of an Elvis song, but you should appreciate that it is creating a new generation of Elvis fans. Elvis isn’t inclusive to one single group and should be shared with the world. He deserves to be celebrated and enjoyed by people of all ages.
The day after the special aired, Elvis’ “If I Can Dream” was the most viewed video on Apple iTunes. In 2019, just over 50 years after it first came out, Elvis was the number one most viewed video… Let that sink in.
The new wave of Elvis specials are creating a new generation of Elvis fans. His legacy is in very good hands – embrace it.
Until we meet again,
TCB and TCE
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