'Elvis By The Presleys'

Elvis Presley was an icon who is still, 28 years after his death, loved by millions. While many admired him, few really knew him.

The woman who may have known him best was his ex-wife Priscilla Presley. She shares her memories in a new CBS special called "Elvis By The Presleys".

In the special, Priscilla and Lisa Marie speak with unguarded candor about their lives with the legendary Elvis Presley and offer an intimate look at their family and private life.

"I'm a very shy person. My daughter and I don't do a lot of interviews, but we felt there was a whole new generation of people who were discovering Elvis and his music," Priscilla Presley tells The Early Show in a pre-interview. "There are many books and stories that have been written about him, but there are still so many questions that needed to be answered, so we figured it was time to tell our story. We are sharing some very intimate and personal things, but I really wanted to show the definitive Elvis, warts and all."

Rare interviews with Elvis' first cousin, Patsy Presley Geranen, and Priscilla's parents, Ann and Paul Beaulieu, are also featured.

"My mom is 79, my dad is 80," Priscilla Presley notes. "I felt they had so much to add, and we didn't want them to pass on and feel we let the opportunity go. We knew from the very beginning that this was going to be difficult."

Vintage, never-before-seen performance footage will be interwoven with photographs from the Presley Estate archives and press coverage of Elvis over the years. Private home movies of the Presley family illustrate and illuminate his story with vivid detail, honest insight and great warmth.

Different aspects of Elvis' life, including his tours, his time in Hollywood and his home life, are depicted with the insight that only his family can bring. His career ups and downs, his kindness and generosity and his human frailties are all brought to light as well as a reflection on his place in entertainment history and his enduring legacy.

Stay tuned for Priscilla Presley's inteview Thursday morning.

You can see the special "Elvis By The Presleys" Friday night at 8:00 p.m./ET – 7:00 p.m./CT, on CBS. This week, a companion book and CD, with the same name will also be released.