In 2020, John helped pay for Woodrow's medical fees when she requested, despite having lost contact with her 50 years previously. Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights and opponent of gay marriage, responded: "To call Jesus a homosexual is to label him a sexual deviant. [177] The song would see John win the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the second time. Presenting John with France's highest civilian award, the Legion d'honneur, in 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron called him a "melodic genius" and praised his work on behalf of the LGBT community. Billboard Magazine. [55] In 1974, MCA released Elton John's Greatest Hits, a UK and US number one that is certified Diamond by the RIAA for US sales of 17 million copies. With Stanley Dwight uninterested in his son and often absent, John was raised primarily by his mother and maternal grandmother. [45][46], Backed by former Spencer Davis Group drummer Nigel Olsson and bassist Dee Murray, John's first American concert took place at the Troubadour in Los Angeles on 25 August 1970, and was a success. [45][68] In October 1983, John caused controversy when he broke the United Nations' cultural boycott on apartheid-era South Africa by performing at Sun City. And that is one. It contained the US number 1 "Bennie and the Jets", along with the hits "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", "Candle in the Wind", "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" and "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding". Collaborating with lyricist Bernie Taupin since 1967 on more than 30 albums, John has sold over 300 million records, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. [68] His albums continued to sell, but of those released in the latter half of the 1980s, only Reg Strikes Back (number 16, 1988) placed in the top 20 in the US. But we had children and that changed our lives. [245] He said in his Instagram post, "In May 2018, I visited [Armenia] and was overwhelmed with the kindness and humanity shown to me by the Armenian people. His most commercially successful period, 1970–1976, included Honky Château (1972), Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player (1973), Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973) and his first Greatest Hits compilation — the latter two listed among the best-selling albums worldwide. [45] The 1975 autobiographical album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy debuted at number one in the US, the first album ever to do so, and stayed there for seven weeks. from 1976 to 1987 and from 1997 to 2002. [227] Every year since 2004, John has opened a shop called "Elton's Closet", in which he sells his secondhand clothes. [125] As of December 2015, Billy Elliot has been seen by over 5.25 million people in London and nearly 11 million people worldwide (on Broadway, in Sydney, Melbourne, Chicago, Toronto, Seoul, the Netherlands and São Paulo, Brazil etc. John appointed Graham Taylor as manager and invested large sums of money as the club rose three divisions into the English First Division. [24][25] After performing at parties and family gatherings, at age 7 he began formal piano lessons. Goldrosen, John (1979). I never thought I’d play on an Alice in Chains record. "Up The Revolution" was John's track, alongside contributions from George Harrison, the Bee Gees and Eric Clapton. [3][4][5] He has more than fifty Top 40 hits in the UK Singles Chart and US Billboard Hot 100, including seven number ones in the UK and nine in the US, as well as seven consecutive number-one albums in the US. This continues to be one of his passions. In 1970, his first hit single, "Your Song", from his second album, Elton John, became his first top ten in both the UK and the US. So I wrote [Elton] an e-mail and explained what his music meant to us, and that this song was for Layne. Elton John tickets for the upcoming 'Farewell Yellow Brick Road' concert tour are on sale at StubHub. [218] On 24 September 2015, the Associated Press reported that Putin called John and invited him to meet in the future to discuss LGBT rights in Russia. His mother then married a local painter, Fred Farebrother, a caring and supportive stepfather whom John affectionately called "Derf" ("Fred" backwards). My priorities are now my children and my husband and my family. Opening to strong reviews, the show won four Laurence Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical. Elton John has written with Bernie Taupin since 1967, when he answered an advertisement for talent placed in the popular UK music publication, New Musical Express, by Liberty records A&R man Ray Williams. [105] Early in 1997, John held a 50th birthday party, costumed as Louis XIV of France, with 500 friends. [3], (Both sides of 7" singles appear on the same album except where indicated). It's one of those highlights you can't expect in life, and you're lucky to get them once in a while. In 2013, John received the first Brits Icon award in recognition of his "lasting impact" on UK culture, which was presented to him by his close friend Rod Stewart. [116] In addition to The Lion King, John composed music for a Disney's musical production Aida in 1999 with lyricist Tim Rice, for which they received the Tony Award for Best Original Score at the 54th Tony Awards,[117] and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards. John released a live compilation album, Elton John One Night Only – The Greatest Hits, featuring songs from the show he did at Madison Square Garden in New York City that same year. The lyrics and accompanying photo booklet are infused with a specific sense of place and time that is otherwise rare in his music. Olsson left the band in 1984 but rejoined in 2000. [85], John had other hits during the 1980s, including "Nikita", whose music video was directed by Ken Russell. And actually, we were reminded by Layne's stepfather that Elton was his first concert, so it was all really appropriate. [239] Ten years later, John repurchased the club from Petchey and once again became chairman. 38 on the Hot Country Songs chart. [197], In 1970, right after his first US shows in Los Angeles, he lost his virginity to and started his first gay relationship with John Reid, the Tamla Motown label manager for the UK, who later became John's manager. [139] The first concert Staley attended was one of John's, and his mother said he was blown away by it. [242], John announced his intention to vote Remain during the UK's 2016 EU referendum on Instagram, sharing an image with the words "build bridges not walls", along with the caption "I'm voting to remain. [231], A longtime tennis enthusiast, he wrote the song "Philadelphia Freedom" in tribute to his friend Billie Jean King's World Team Tennis team, the Philadelphia Freedoms. 3A in an eight-unit apartment building called Frome Court, not far from both previous homes. John cited spending time with his children as the reason for his retirement: "Ten years ago if you asked me if I would stop touring I would have said no. He showed musical aptitude at school, including the ability to compose melodies and gained some notoriety by playing like Jerry Lee Lewis at school functions. [121] At the 2001 Grammy Awards, John performed "Stan" with Eminem. Sir Elton Hercules John CH CBE (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947)[2] is an English singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer. Buy and sell your Elton John concert tickets today. Later in 1997, two close friends died: designer Gianni Versace was murdered on 15 July, and Diana, Princess of Wales died in a Paris car crash on 31 August. "The International Who's Who in Popular Music 2002". 27 September 1980. p. 36. Instead of releasing his own records on Rocket, he signed an $8 million contract with MCA. John ended the relationship two weeks before their intended wedding, after being advised by Taupin. Elton John was released in April 1970 on DJM Records/Pye Records in the UK and Uni Records in the US, and established the formula for subsequent albums: gospel-chorded rockers and poignant ballads. [57] Caribou was released in 1974, becoming John's third number one in the UK and topping the charts in the US, Canada and Australia. [109], On 15 September 1997, John appeared at the Music for Montserrat charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall, performing "Your Song", "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" and "Live Like Horses" solo before finishing with "Hey Jude" alongside Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Mark Knopfler and Sting. [132], In March 2007, John performed at Madison Square Garden for a record-breaking 60th time for his 60th birthday; the concert was broadcast live and a DVD recording was released as Elton 60—Live at Madison Square Garden;[133] a greatest-hits compilation CD, Rocket Man—Number Ones, was released in 17 different versions worldwide, including a CD/DVD combo; and his back catalogue—almost 500 songs from 32 albums—became available for legal paid download. Between January 1996 and September 1997, he spent more than £9.6m on property and £293,000 on flowers. [13], John has been involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s. Jeff Woolf, Scott Jennings and James L. Halperin (2004). [98] After the release of The Lion King soundtrack, the album remained at the top of Billboard 200 for nine weeks. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is included in the VH1 Classic Albums series, in which the making, recording, and popularity of the album are discussed, with concert and home video footage, including interviews. In 2005 and 2010, John held a concert at Watford's home stadium, Vicarage Road, and donated proceeds to the club. [127] John featured on rapper Tupac Shakur's posthumous single "Ghetto Gospel", which topped the UK charts in July 2005. p. 260. [186] On 29 May, his duet with Lady Gaga, "Sine from Above", from her album Chromatica, was released. [76], John's 1981 album The Fox was recorded during the same sessions as 21 at 33 and included collaborations with Tom Robinson and Judie Tzuke. Quick Fox. [42] Taupin would write a batch of lyrics in under an hour and give it to John, who would write music for them in half an hour, disposing of the lyrics if he could not come up with anything quickly. [181], As part of his farewell tour, in June 2019, John was presented with France's highest civilian award, the Legion d'honneur, by President Emmanuel Macron during a ceremony at the Élysée Palace in Paris. In 1993, he began hosting his annual Academy Award Party, which has become one of the highest-profile Oscar parties in the Hollywood film industry and has raised over US$200 million. He met his longtime musical partner Taupin in 1967, after they both answered an advert for songwriters. [221] A decade later, John was estimated to have a fortune of £320 million in the 2019 Sunday Times Rich List, making him one of the 10 wealthiest people in the British music industry. The 2019 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and Academy Award for Best Original Song both went to John for "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again", shared with Bernie Taupin. In 1969, John provided piano for Roger Hodgson on his first released single, "Mr. Boyd" by Argosy, a quartet that was completed by Caleb Quaye and Nigel Olsson. In 1972, Davey Johnstone joined the Elton John Band on guitar and backing vocals. [135][136] John opened the concert with "Your Song" and closed it with "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting", "Tiny Dancer", and "Are You Ready For Love". [157][260], Since 1970, John's band, of which he is the pianist and lead singer, has been known as the Elton John Band. p. 431-439. [34] He legally changed his name to Elton Hercules John on 7 January 1972. [84] Netting over $20 million, 2,000 items of John's memorabilia were auctioned off at Sotheby's in London. Fireside, 2001, Mike Clifford, Pete Frame (1992). [89][90] He also released "Runaway Train", a duet he recorded with his longtime friend Eric Clapton, with whom he played on Clapton's World Tour. [36][37], In 1962, John and some friends formed a band called Bluesology. In 1969, with Quaye, drummer Roger Pope, and bassist Tony Murray, John recorded another single, "Lady Samantha", and an album, Empty Sky. Jerry Lee is a very intricate piano player and very skillful, but Little Richard is more of a pounder. [224] In June 2001, John sold 20 of his cars at Christie's, saying he never had the chance to drive them because he was out of the country so often. [103] John performed "Believe" at the 1995 Brit Awards and won the Outstanding Contribution to Music prize. I still write the song when he's not there and then I go and play it to him. "[246], John has said that he took risks with unprotected sex during the 1980s and considers himself lucky to have avoided contracting HIV. [248], John became more closely associated with AIDS charities following the deaths of his friends Ryan White in 1990 and Freddie Mercury in 1991, raising large amounts of money and using his public profile to raise awareness of the disease. [244], In October 2020, John called attention to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. [239] He has remained friends with a number of high-profile players in football, including Pelé and David Beckham. In a 2002 CNN interview with Larry King, King asked if John knew of Diana, Princess of Wales's eating disorder. [243] In 2019, he said the Brexit vote and the way it had been handled had made him ashamed. Lennon made the rare stage appearance with John and his band to keep the promise he had made that he would appear on stage with him if "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night" became a US number one single. "[170] Consisting of more than 300 concerts worldwide, the tour is expected to end in New Zealand in January 2023. An auction followed, emceed by Stephen Fry. His property in Nice is on Mont Boron. [264], English rock singer-songwriter, composer and pianist, "For myself as well as for many others no-one has been there more for inspiration than Elton John. James Newton Howard joined to arrange in the studio and to play keyboards. Psychology Press. Greenwood Press, The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll. In contrast, 'husband' does". [138] John played the piano in the song "Black Gives Way to Blue", a tribute to the band's late lead singer, Layne Staley, which was the title track and closing song of the album Black Gives Way to Blue, released in September 2009. In 1979, John and Taupin reunited, though they did not collaborate on a full album until 1983's Too Low For Zero. [241], John's paternal cousin Roy Dwight was a professional footballer, who scored for Nottingham Forest in the 1959 FA Cup Final before breaking his leg later in the same match. [194], In the late 1960s, John was engaged to be married to his first lover, secretary Linda Woodrow, who is mentioned in the song "Someone Saved My Life Tonight". ), High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin'), Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be), American Music Award for Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist, American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Song, Best-selling singles by year in the United Kingdom, I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elton_John&oldid=1019347658, Best Original Song Academy Award-winning songwriters, Commanders of the Order of the British Empire, Juno Award for International Album of the Year winners, North American Soccer League (1968–1984) executives, Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments, Articles with dead external links from March 2017, Pages containing London Gazette template with parameter supp set to y, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected biographies of living people, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2012, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Pages using Sister project links with default search, Articles with Encyclopædia Britannica links, Internet Broadway Database person ID same as Wikidata, Wikipedia articles with BIBSYS identifiers, Wikipedia articles with CINII identifiers, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with PLWABN identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SELIBR identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with Trove identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with multiple identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Best Instrumental or Popular Orchestral Work, Outstanding Contribution to British Music, International Achievement in Musical Theater, Elton John – lead vocals, piano (1969–present), John Mahon – percussion, vocals (1997–present), Roger Pope – drums, percussion (1969–1971, 1975–1976, died 2013). [113] In November 1997, John performed in the BBC's Children in Need charity single "Perfect Day", which reached number one in the UK. It too was produced by Burnett. [202], In 1993, John began a relationship with David Furnish, a former advertising executive and now filmmaker originally from Toronto. p. 88. [153] At the 2012 Pride of Britain Awards on 30 October, along with Michael Caine, Richard Branson, Simon Cowell and Stephen Fry, John recited Rudyard Kipling's poem "If—" in tribute to the 2012 British Olympic and Paralympics athletes. [6][7] His tribute single "Candle in the Wind 1997", rewritten in dedication to Diana, Princess of Wales, sold over 33 million copies worldwide and is the best-selling single in the history of the UK and US singles charts. [201], John had come out as bisexual in a 1976 interview with Rolling Stone,[195][196] and in 1992 he told Rolling Stone in another interview that he was "quite comfortable about being gay". "[28], John started playing his grandmother's piano as a young boy,[29] and within a year his mother heard him picking out Waldteufel's "The Skater's Waltz" by ear.