If I Can Dream: Elvis Presley with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
2015 release. An exciting revisit of Elvis’ work, If I Can Dream focuses on the iconic artist’s unmistakable voice, emphasizing the pure power of The King of Rock and Roll. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London with acclaimed producers Don Reedman and Nick Patrick, the 14-track album features Elvis’ most dramatic original performances augmented with lush new arrangements by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. « This would be a dream come true for Elvis, » Priscilla Presley says of the project. « He would have loved to play with such a prestigious symphony orchestra. The music… The force that you feel with his voice and the orchestra is exactly what he would have done. » Don Reedman also commented, « Abbey Road Studios and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra are as good as it gets and Elvis deserves as good as it gets. » The album features a scintillating duet with best-selling jazz-pop singer Michael Bublé on « Fever. » The album also includes additional contributions by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Duane Eddy adding his signature sound to « An American Trilogy » and « Bridge Over Troubled Water, » and Italian operatic pop trio Il Volo lending their outstanding vocals to « It’s Now or Never. » As arranger Nick Patrick said, « This is the record he would have loved to make. » If I Can Dream also highlights Elvis Presley’s diverse musical tastes and appreciation for great vocalists spanning a variety of genres from standards to opera.
Best of The ’68 Comeback Special
Elvis Presley’s The Best Of The ’68 Comeback Special is a new companion album to “Elvis All-Star Tribute,” NBC’s upcoming star-studded special celebrating “The King of Rock ‘N’ Roll’s” unforgettable 1968 television special. 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. Elvis Presley, Carrie Underwood, Shawn Mendes, Post Malone, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton SONG DEATAILS: Tracks 1-15 Recorded June 1968 at Western Recorders Hollywood, CA and NBC Studios, Burbank, CA for the Elvis (NBC TV Special) Track – A Little Less Conversation recorded March 1968 at Western Recorders Hollywood, CA Track – Suspicious Minds recorded January 1969 at American Sound, Memphis, TN Track – Burning Love recorded March 1972 at RCA Studios, Hollywood, CA Track – If I Can Dream recorded October 2018 at Universal Studios, Universal City, CA
