John, Elton

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{{Infobox musical artist   
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{{Infobox musical artist  <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians —>
 
 
| Name                = Elton John   
 
| Name                = Elton John   
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| Background          = solo_singer
 
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| Birth_name          = Reginald Kenneth Dwight
 
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'''Sir Elton Hercules'''<ref> This middle name, after the horse named Hercules on the British sitcom ''[[Steptoe and Son]]'', is not usually used when referring to him, however [http://www.bartleby.com/65/jo/John-Elt.html The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.] uses the name in its entry. It is officially part of his name, as reflected in [http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/b/b8/Deed_poll_certificate_for_Elton_John.jpg this certificate] notifying the change of name of a company director (Elton John).</ref> '''John'''
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'''Sir Elton John,''' born '''Reginald Kenneth Dwight''' on March 25, 1947, is an [[England|English]] [[singer]], [[composer]], and [[pianist]]. John has been one of the dominant forces in [[rock and roll|rock]] and popular music, especially during the 1970s, when he produced hits like "Your Song," "Rocket Man," "Bennie and the Jets," and "Crocodile Rock."
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[[Order of the British Empire|CBE]]<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/for_christmas/_new_year/new_year_honours/43509.stm He was made a CBE in 1996 - In the 1998 New Year's Honours list he was made a Knight Bachelor]</ref> (born '''Reginald Kenneth Dwight''' on 25 March, 1947) is an [[England|English]] [[pop music|pop]]/[[rock music|rock]] [[singer]], [[composer]] and [[pianist]].
 
  
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In his four-decade career, John has been one of the dominant forces in rock and popular music, especially during the 1970s. He has sold more than 250 million albums {{Fact|date=January 2008}} and over one hundred million singles,<ref>[http://www.ukmix.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=30699 UKMIX - Forums - View topic - Elton John Sales<!-- Bot generated title —>]</ref> making him one of the most successful artists of all time. He has more than 50 [[Top Forty|Top 40]] hits including seven consecutive #1 U.S. albums, 59 Top 40 singles, 16 Top 10, 4 #2 hits, and nine #1 hits.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hot_100_%28U.S.%29_chart_achievements_and_trivia#Artists_with_the_most_Top_40_hits</ref> He has won five [[Grammy]] awards and one [[Academy Award]]. His success has had a profound impact on [[popular music]] and has contributed to the continued popularity of the piano in [[rock and roll]]. In 2004, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ranked him #49 on their list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.<ref>{{cite web| title = The Immortals: The First Fifty| work = Rolling Stone Issue 946| publisher = Rolling Stone| url =http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5939214/the_immortals_the_first_fifty}}</ref>
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John has sold more than 250 million albums and over 100 million singles, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. He has nine number-one hits, and seven consecutive number-one U.S. albums, as well as more than 50 singles that reached the [[Top Forty|Top 40]] on the Billboard pop chart. His work on the Disney animated feature ''The Lion King'' garnered an [[Academy Award]] for the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight."
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John is also noted for crafting melodies for the lyrics of songwriting partner [[Bernie Taupin]], his classical and [[Gospel music|gospel]]-influenced piano. An admitted [[bi-sexuality|bi-sexual]] and later [[homosexuality|homosexual]], he garnered additional fame for his [[camp (style)|flamboyant]] fashions and on-stage showmanship. He has won five [[Grammy]] awards and one [[Academy Award]]. In 2004, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ranked him number 49 on their list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. He was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 1994.
  
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Some of the characteristics of John's music are his ability to quickly craft melodies for the lyrics of songwriting partner [[Bernie Taupin]], his former rich [[tenor]] (now [[baritone]]) voice, his classical and [[Gospel music|gospel]]-influenced piano, the aggressive [[orchestra]]l arrangements of [[Paul Buckmaster]] among others and the [[camp (style)|flamboyant]] fashions and on-stage showmanship, especially evident during the 1970s.
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==Biography==
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===Childhood===
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Elton John was born in [[Pinner]], [[Middlesex]], in a council house of his maternal grandparents, with whom his newlywed parents, Sheila Eileen Harris and Stanley Dwight, were then living. Both of his parents were musically inclined, his father having been a [[trumpet]] player with a semi-professional big band that played military dances. The Dwights were avid record buyers, exposing the boy to all the popular singers and musicians of the day. John remembers being immediately "hooked" on [[rock and roll]] when his mother brought home records by [[Elvis Presley]] and [[Bill Haley & His Comets]] in 1956.
  
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John was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 1994. He has been heavily involved in the fight against [[AIDS]] since the late 1980s and was [[Knight Bachelor|knighted]] in 1998. He entered into a [[Civil partnerships in the United Kingdom|civil partnership]] with [[David Furnish]] on 21 December 2005 and continues to be a champion for the [[LGBT social movements]]. On April 9, 2008 Elton John held a benefit concert for the [[Hillary Clinton Presidential Campaign]], and raised $2.5 million.<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24046575/ Elton John raises $2.5 million for Clinton]</ref>
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John started playing the [[piano]] at the age of three and was soon before  being pressed into service as a performer at parties and family gatherings. He began taking piano lessons at seven. He also showed great musical aptitude at school and won a junior scholarship to the [[Royal Academy of Music]] when he was 11. For the next five years, John took the subway into central [[London]] to attend Saturday classes at the academy, in addition to his regular school duties at Pinner County Grammar School.
  
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== Biography ==
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===Early career===
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=== Childhood ===
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In 1964, Dwight and his friends formed a band called [[Bluesology]]. By day, he ran errands for a music publishing company; he divided his nights between solo gigs at a London hotel bar and working with Bluesology. By the mid-60s, Bluesology was backing, touring American soul-and-R&B musicians like [[The Isley Brothers]], [[Major Lance]], [[Doris Troy]], and [[LaBelle|Patti LaBelle and The Bluebelles]]. In 1966, the band became [[Long John Baldry]]'s supporting band and began touring cabarets in England.  
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John was born in [[Pinner]], [[Middlesex]] in a council house of his maternal grandparents, with whom his newlywed parents (Sheila Eileen (Harris) and Stanley Dwight) were living.<ref>[http://www.onthisveryspot.com/spot/Elton_John_Birthplace 55 Pinner Hill Road - On This Very Spot<!-- Bot generated title —>]</ref><ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/exclusions/familyhistory/fheltonjohn.xml</ref> He then moved to a nearby semi-detached house.<ref>[http://www.onthisveryspot.com/spot/111_Potter_Street 111 Potter Street - On This Very Spot<!-- Bot generated title —>]</ref> He was educated at Pinner County Grammar School until the age of 15 before pursuing a career in the music industry.<ref name="Norman">Elton John, Philip Norman, Fireside, 1991</ref><ref name="Rosenthal">His Song: The Musical Journey of Elton John, Elizabeth Rosenthal, Billboard Books, 2001</ref>
 
  
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When John began to seriously consider a career in music, his father tried to steer him toward a more conventional career such as banking.<ref name="Norman"/> He has stated that his wild stage costumes and performances were his way of letting go after such a restrictive childhood.  
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Around this time Dwight answered an advertisement in the ''[[NME|New Musical Express]]'' placed by [[Ray Williams (producer)|Ray Williams]], then the A&R manager for [[Liberty Records]]. At their first meeting, Williams gave Dwight a stack of lyrics written by [[Bernie Taupin]], who had answered the same ad. Dwight wrote music for the lyrics and then mailed them to Taupin, thus beginning their long partnership. In 1967, their song "Scarecrow" was recorded. When the two first met, six months later, Dwight was going by the name "Elton John," in homage to Bluesology saxophonist [[Elton Dean|''Elton'' Dean]] and [[Long John Baldry|Long ''John'' Baldry]].
  
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Both of John's parents were musically inclined, his father having been a trumpet player with a semi-professional big band that played military dances. The Dwights were avid record buyers, exposing the boy to all the popular singers and musicians of the day. John remembers being immediately hooked on rock and roll when his mother brought home records by [[Elvis Presley]] and [[Bill Haley & His Comets]] in 1956.<ref name="Norman"/><ref name="Rosenthal"/>
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The team of John and Taupin joined [[Dick James]]'s [[DJM Records]] as staff songwriters in 1968, and over the next two years wrote material for various artists. On the advice of music publisher Steve Brown, John and Taupin started writing more complex songs for John to record for DJM. The first was the single, "I've Been Loving You" (1968), produced by [[Caleb Quaye]], former Bluesology guitarist. In 1969, with Quaye, drummer Roger Pope, and bassist Tony Murray, John recorded another single, "[[Lady Samantha]]," and an album, ''[[Empty Sky (album)|Empty Sky]]''. Despite good reviews, none of these records sold well.
  
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== Musical interest ==
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===1970s===
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But the young Reginald Dwight was not merely interested in music—he was a piano prodigy. He started playing the piano at the age of 3, and at the age of 4, his mother was astonished to hear him picking out Winifred Atwell's "The Skater's Waltz" by ear.<ref name="Norman"/><ref name="Rosenthal"/>  It wasn’t long before the boy was being pressed into service as a performer at parties and family gatherings. He began taking piano lessons at the age of 7. He showed great musical aptitude at school, including the ability to compose melodies, and gained some notoriety by playing like Jerry Lee Lewis at school functions. At the age of 11, he won a junior scholarship to the [[Royal Academy of Music]]. One of his instructors reports that, when he entered the Academy, she played a four-page piece by Handel, which he promptly played back like a "gramophone record."<ref name="Rosenthal"/>
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John and Taupin now enlisted [[Gus Dudgeon]] to produce a follow-up with Paul Buckmaster as arranger. ''[[Elton John (album)|Elton John]]'' was released in the spring of 1970 on DJM Records/[[Pye Records]] in the UK and [[Uni Records]] in the U.S. It established John's formula for subsequent albums, featuring gospel-influenced rock songs and poignant ballads. The first single from the album, "[[Border Song]]," peaked at number 92. However, after the second single "[[Your Song]]" made the U.S. Top 10, the album quickly followed suit. John's first American concert took place at [[The Troubadour]] in [[Los Angeles]] in August, backed by ex-[[Spencer Davis Group]] drummer [[Nigel Olsson]] and bassist [[Dee Murray]]. Kicking over his piano bench [[Jerry Lee Lewis]]-style and performing handstands on the keyboards, John left the critics raving and drew praise from fellow artists such as [[Quincy Jones]] and [[Bob Dylan]].
  
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For the next five years, John took the tube into central London to attend Saturday classes at the Academy, in addition to his regular school duties at Pinner County Grammar School. John has since stated that he enjoyed playing Chopin and Bach and singing in the choir during Saturday classes, but that he was not otherwise a diligent classical student. "I kind of resented going to the Academy," he says. "I was one of those children who could just about get away without practising and still pass, scrape through the grades."  He even claims that he would sometimes skip classes and just ride around on the Tube. However, several instructors have testified that he was a "model student," and during the last few years he was taking lessons from a private tutor in addition to his classes at the Academy.<ref name="Rosenthal"/>  Therefore, whatever his internal attitude might have been, it seems clear that he was dedicated to learning his craft.
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''Elton John'' was followed quickly with the concept album ''[[Tumbleweed Connection]]'' in October 1970, which also reached the Top 10 on the Billboard album chart. The live album, ''11-17-70,'' showcased John's talent as a rock pianist. It featured extended versions of [[John/Taupin]]'s early compositions and spotlighted John's gospel and boogie-woogie piano influences.
  
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John's mother Sheila, though also strict with her son, was more vivacious than her husband, and something of a free spirit. With Stanley Dwight uninterested in his son and often physically absent, John was raised primarily by his mother and maternal grandmother. When his father was home, the Dwights would have terrible arguments that greatly distressed their son. John was 15 when they divorced. Sheila was soon remarried to a local painter named Fred Farebrother, who turned out to be a caring and supportive stepfather. John affectionately referred to him as "Derf," his first name in reverse.<ref name="Rosenthal"/>  They moved into flat #1A in an eight-unit apartment building called Frome Court not far from both previous homes. It is here that John would write the songs that would launch his career as a rock star. In fact, he would live here until he had four albums simultaneously in the American Top 40.<ref>[http://www.onthisveryspot.com/spot/EJ_Frome_Court Frome Court - On This Very Spot<!-- Bot generated title —>]</ref>
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John and Taupin then wrote the soundtrack to the obscure film, ''[[Friends (1971 film)|Friends]],'' and the album, ''[[Madman Across the Water]],'' the latter reaching the Top 10 and producing the hit "[[Levon]]," while the soundtrack album yielded the hit "Friends." In 1972, the band released ''[[Honky Chateau]]'', which became John's first American number-one album, spending five weeks at the top of the charts and spawning the hit singles, "[[Rocket Man|Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be A Long, Long Time)]]" and "[[Honky Cat]]."
  
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=== Early career (1962–1969) ===
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[[Image:Elton john illustation artlibre jnl.png|thumb|left|Elton John]]
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At the age of 15, with the help of mother Sheila and stepfather "Derf," Reginald Dwight became a weekend pianist at the nearby [[Northwood Hills]] pub, playing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. He played everything from [[Jim Reeves]] [[country music|country]] songs "[[He'll Have to Go]]" to [[Ireland|Irish]] tribute numbers "[[When Irish Eyes Are Smiling]]," old pub favourites such as, "[[Beer Barrel Polka|Roll Out The Barrel]]," hits of the day, "[[King of the Road (song)|King of the Road]]," and songs he had written himself. He received a modest, steady income and substantial tips. "During that whole period, I don't think I ever missed a gig," he said later. A stint with a short-lived group called the Corvettes rounded out his time.
 
  
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In 1964, Dwight and his friends formed a band called [[Bluesology]]. By day, he ran errands for a music publishing company; he divided his nights between solo gigs at a London hotel bar and working with Bluesology. By the mid-1960s, Bluesology was backing touring American soul and R&B musicians like [[The Isley Brothers]], [[Major Lance]], [[Doris Troy]] and [[LaBelle|Patti LaBelle and The Bluebelles]]. In 1966, the band became musician [[Long John Baldry]]'s supporting band and began touring cabarets in England.  
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The 1973 album ''[[Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player]]''  produced the hits "[[Crocodile Rock]]" and "[[Daniel (song)|Daniel]];" the former became John's first U.S. number-one hit. ''[[Goodbye Yellow Brick Road]],'' a double album followed later in 1973. It gained instant critical acclaim, topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. It also temporarily established John as a [[glam-rock]] star.
  
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After failing lead vocalist auditions for [[King Crimson]]<ref name="KC">{{Cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20050828134638/www.elephant-talk.com/faq/et-faq.txt|title=King Crimson FAQ|accessdate=2007-09-20|publisher=Elephant Talk (archived page from elephant-talk.com)}}</ref> and [[Gentle Giant]], Dwight answered an advertisement in the ''[[NME|New Musical Express]]'' placed by [[Ray Williams (producer)|Ray Williams]], then the A&R manager for [[Liberty Records]]. At their first meeting, Williams gave Dwight a stack of lyrics written by [[Bernie Taupin]], who had answered the same ad. Dwight wrote music for the lyrics, and then mailed it to Taupin, and thus began a partnership that continues to this day. In 1967, what would become the first Elton John/Bernie Taupin song, "Scarecrow," was recorded; when the two first met, six months later, Dwight was going by the name "Elton John," in homage to Bluesology saxophonist [[Elton Dean|''Elton'' Dean]] and [[Long John Baldry|Long ''John'' Baldry]].
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John then formed his own MCA-distributed label, [[Rocket Records]], and signed various acts to it—notably [[Neil Sedaka]] and [[Kiki Dee]]. Instead of releasing his own records on Rocket, he opted for an $8-million-deal offered by MCA. In 1974, a collaboration with [[John Lennon]] resulted in John covering [[The Beatles]] "[[Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds]]."
  
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[[Image:Elton John - Empty Sky.jpg|frame|left|''[[Empty Sky]]'', Elton John's 1969 debut album, went largely unnoticed.]]
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''[[Caribou (album)|Caribou]]'' was released in 1974, and although it reached number one, it was widely considered a lesser quality album. At the end of the year, the compilation album, ''[[Elton John's Greatest Hits]],'' was released and reached number one.
  
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The team of John and Taupin joined [[Dick James]]'s [[DJM Records]] as staff songwriters in 1968, and over the next two years wrote material for various artists, like [[Roger Cook (songwriter)|Roger Cook]] and [[Lulu (singer)|Lulu]]. 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 couldn't come up with anything quickly. For two years, they wrote [[easy listening|easy-listening]] tunes for James to peddle to singers.
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John made his movie debut as a character called the "Pinball Wizard" in the film version of [[The Who]]'s rock opera ''[[Tommy (rock opera)|Tommy]]''. In the 1975 autobiographical album, ''[[Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy]],'' John revealed his previously ambiguous personality. "[[Someone Saved My Life Tonight]]" was the hit single from this album and captured an early turning point in John's life. The rock-oriented ''[[Rock of the Westies]],'' like ''Captain Fantastic,'' entered the U.S. album chart at number one, a previously unattained feat.  
  
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Their early output included an entry for British song for the [[Eurovision Song Contest]] in 1969, called "Can't Go On (Living Without You)" It came sixth of six songs.<ref>[http://www.sandieshaw.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=773&sid=017e2a49eed0aa995e7346cf214a7a90 : : SandieShaw.com : :<!-- Bot generated title —>]</ref>
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Commercially, John owed much of his success during the mid-70s to his concert performances. He filled arenas and stadiums worldwide, and was arguably the hottest act in the rock world. John was an unlikely rock idol, as he was 5 feet, seven inches, chubby, and gradually losing his hair. He compensated for his unimpressive physical attributes with impassioned performances and over-the-top [[fashion sense]]. Especially known for his glasses, his flamboyant stage wardrobe now included [[ostrich]] feathers, $5,000 spectacles that spelled his name in lights, and dressing up like the [[Statue of Liberty]], [[Donald Duck]], or [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart]].
  
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During this period John also played on sessions for other artists including playing piano on [[The Hollies]]' "[[He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother]]" and singing backing vocals for [[The Scaffold]].<ref> In his 1981 book "Thank U Very Much - Mike McCartney's Family Album" Scaffold singer Mike McGear (McCartney) describes a meeting with John during which John advises him he used to sing background vocals for the group.</ref>
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In 1976, John released the live album ''[[Here and There]]'' in May, and the downbeat ''[[Blue Moves]]'' in October, which contained the memorable but gloomy hit "[[Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word]]." His biggest success in 1976 was the "[[Don't Go Breaking My Heart]]," a peppy duet with Kiki Dee that topped both the American and British charts. In an interview with ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' John revealed what many fans already suspected, namely that he was [[bisexual]].  
  
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On the advice of music publisher Steve Brown, John and Taupin started writing more complex songs for John to record for DJM. The first was the single "I've Been Loving You" (1968), produced by [[Caleb Quaye]], former Bluesology guitarist. In 1969, with Quaye, drummer Roger Pope, and bassist Tony Murray, John recorded another single, "[[Lady Samantha]]," and an album, ''[[Empty Sky (album)|Empty Sky]]''. Despite good reviews, none of the records sold well.
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After facing a lackluster year in 1976-77, John announced in November 1977 that he was retiring from performing, and Taupin began collaborating with other songwriters. John secluded himself in any of his three mansions. He issued ''[[A Single Man]]'' in 1978, employing a new lyricist, Gary Osborne; the album featured no Top-20 singles.
  
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=== 1970s ===
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In 1979, accompanied by [[Ray Cooper]], John became the first Western pop star to tour the [[Soviet Union]]. He then mounted a comeback tour of the U.S. in small halls. He returned to the singles chart with "Mama Can't Buy You Love," which reached number nine in 1979.
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John and Taupin now enlisted [[Gus Dudgeon]] to produce a follow-up with Paul Buckmaster as arranger. ''[[Elton John (album)|Elton John]]'' was released in the spring of 1970 on DJM Records/[[Pye Records]] in the UK and [[Uni Records]] in the USA, and established the formula for subsequent albums; gospel-chorded rockers and poignant ballads. The first single from the album, "[[Border Song]]," only made the [[Billboard Hot 100|US Top 100]] peaking at #92. After the second single "[[Your Song]]" made the U.S. Top Ten, the album followed suit. John's first American concert took place at [[The Troubadour]] in Los Angeles (his introduction was provided by [[Neil Diamond]]), in August, backed by ex-[[Spencer Davis Group]] drummer [[Nigel Olsson]] and bassist [[Dee Murray]]. Kicking over his piano bench Jerry Lee Lewis-style and performing handstands on the keyboards, John left the critics raving, and drew praise from fellow artists such as [[Quincy Jones]] and [[Bob Dylan]].
 
  
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In the spring of 1970, John was recruited to provide piano and backing vocals on "[[Back Home]]," the song recorded by the [[England national football team|England]] football squad which was about to depart to [[Mexico]] for the [[FIFA World Cup 1970|World Cup]] finals.
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===1980s===
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[[Image:Elton-John-Bernie-Taupin.jpg|thumb|250px|Elton John and Bernie Taupin]]
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In 1979, John and [[Taupin]] reunited. ''[[21 at 33]],'' released the following year, was a significant career boost, aided by his biggest hit in four years, "[[Little Jeannie]]" (number three, U.S.). His 1981 follow-up, ''[[The Fox (album)|The Fox]]'', was recorded in part during the same sessions. On September 13, 1980, John performed a free concert to an estimated 400,000 fans on The Great Lawn in [[Central Park]] in [[New York City]]. John mourned the loss of his friend [[John Lennon]] in his 1982 hit "[[Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)]]," from his ''[[Jump Up!]]'' album.
  
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''Elton John'' was followed quickly with the concept album ''[[Tumbleweed Connection]]'' in October 1970, which reached the Top Ten on the [[Billboard 200]]. A frenetic pace of releasing two albums a year was now established.
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John returned to the charts with the 1983 hit album ''[[Too Low For Zero]],'' which included "[[I'm Still Standing]]" and "[[I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues]]," the latter of which featured [[Stevie Wonder]] on [[harmonica]] and reached number four in the U.S. While he would never again match his 1970s success, John placed hits in the U.S. Top 10 throughout the 80s, including "Little Jeannie" (number three, 1980), "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" (number five, 1984), "[[Nikita (song)|Nikita]]" (number seven, 1986), an orchestral version of "Candle in the Wind" (number six, 1987), and "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That" (number two, 1988). His highest-charting single was a collaboration with [[Dionne Warwick]], [[Gladys Knight]], and Stevie Wonder, on "[[That's What Friends Are For]]" (number one, 1985). His albums continued to sell, but of the six released in the latter half of the 1980s, only ''[[Reg Strikes Back]]'' (number 16, 1988) placed in the Top 20 in the United States.
  
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The live album ''17-11-70'' (''11-17-70'' in the US) showcased John's talent as a rock pianist and father of [[piano rock]]. Taped at a live show aired from A&R Studios on [[WABC-FM]] in [[New York City]], and introduced by disc jockey [[Dave Herman]], it featured extended versions of [[John/Taupin]]'s early compositions that illustrate the gospel and boogie-woogie influences on John's piano playing. It also featured much interaction between John, bassist Dee Murray, and drummer Nigel Olsson. During the magnum opus 18:20 version of "[[Burn Down the Mission]]," the band interpolates [[Arthur Crudup|Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup]]'s "My Baby Left Me" and a full rendition of [[The Beatles]]' "[[Get Back]]" before a rampaging conclusion. Ironically, sales of the live album were reportedly heavily hit in the  U.S. when an east coast [[bootleg]]ger released the performance several weeks before the official album, including all 60 minutes of the aircast, not just the 40 minutes selected by Dick James Music.<ref>{{cite book|last=Heylin|first=Clinton|title=Bootleg: The Secret History of the Other Recording Industry|publisher=St. Martin's Griffin|date=1996|location=New York|pages=66|isbn=0-312-14289-7}}</ref>
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John married German recording engineer Renate Blauel on Valentine's Day, 1984, in Sydney, but they divorced four years later. John later renounced his bisexuality and came out as being gay instead.
  
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John and Taupin then wrote the soundtrack to the obscure film ''[[Friends (1971 film)|Friends]]'' and then the album ''[[Madman Across the Water]]'', the latter reaching the Top Ten and producing the hit "[[Levon]]," while the soundtrack album produced the hit "Friends."
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===1990s===
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In 1990, John checked into a Chicago hospital to combat his [[drug abuse]], [[alcoholism]], and [[bulimia]]. In recovery, he lost weight and underwent [[hair transplantation|hair replacement]], and subsequently took up residence in [[Atlanta, Georgia]]. In the same year, John would finally achieve his first UK number-one hit on his own, with "[[Sacrifice (song)|Sacrifice]]" from the previous year's album, ''[[Sleeping with the Past]];'' the song would remain at the top spot for six weeks.
  
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[[Image:Elton John - Madman Across the Water.jpg|frame|right|thumb|200px|Elton John's sixth album, ''Madman Across the Water'']]
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In 1991, "Basque" won the [[Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition]]. In 1992, he released the album ''[[The One (Elton John album)|The One]]'', reaching number eight in the U.S., his highest-charting release since 1976's ''Blue Moves''. John and Taupin signed a music publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music for an estimated $39 million over 12 years, giving them the largest cash advance in music-publishing history.
  
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In 1972, the final piece of what would become known as the '''Elton John Band''' fell into place, with the addition of [[Davey Johnstone]] (on guitar and backing vocals). Murray, Olsson, and Johnstone came together with John and Taupin's writing, John's flamboyant performance style, and [[record producer|producer]] Gus Dudgeon to create a hit-making chemistry for the next five Elton John albums. Known for their instrumental playing, the members of the band were also strong backing vocalists who worked out and recorded many of their vocal harmonies themselves, usually in John's absence.
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Along with [[Tim Rice]], John co-wrote the songs for the 1994 [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] animated film, ''[[The Lion King]]''. Three of the five songs nominated for the [[Academy Award for Best Song]] that year were John/Rice songs from movie's soundtrack, with "[[Can You Feel the Love Tonight]]" winning the [[Oscar]]. John's versions, "Can You Feel the Love" and "[[Circle of Life]]," became major hits, while other songs such as "[[Hakuna Matata (song)|Hakuna Matata]]" achieved popularity with fans of all ages. "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" would also win John the [[Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance]]. The soundtrack album of ''The Lion King'' remained at the top of Billboard's charts for nine weeks. By November 1999, the the album had sold 15 million copies and was certified as a [[RIAA]] [[diamond record]].
  
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The band released ''[[Honky Chateau]]'', which became John's first American number 1 album, spending five weeks at the top of the charts and spawning the hit singles "[[Rocket Man|Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be A Long, Long Time)]]" (which is often compared to [[David Bowie]]'s "[[Space Oddity]]") and "[[Honky Cat]]."
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In 1995, John released ''[[Made in England (album)|Made in England]]'' reaching number three, and featuring the hit single "Believe." A compilation called ''[[Love Songs (Elton John album)|Love Songs]]'' was released the following year.
  
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In May 1972, he legally changed his name by [[deed poll]] to Elton Hercules John.{{Fact|date=April 2008}}
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In 1997, John lost two close friends, designer [[Gianni Versace]], who was murdered, and [[Diana, Princess of Wales]], who died in a Paris car crash. In early September, Taupin altered the lyrics of "[[Candle in the Wind]]" for a special version mourning the death of Diana. A recorded version, "[[Candle in the Wind 1997]]," became the fastest- and biggest-selling single of all time, eventually going on to sell 5 million copies in the [[United Kingdom]], 11 million in the [[United States|U.S.]], and approximately 33 million worldwide, with the proceeds going to the [[Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund]]. It would later win John the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
  
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The 1973 pop album ''[[Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player]]'' came out at the start of 1973, and produced the hits "[[Crocodile Rock]]" and "[[Daniel (song)|Daniel]]"; the former became his first U.S. number one hit. (Ironically this, like his other famous 1970s solo hits, would be popular in his native land but never top the [[UK Singles Chart]]; this achievement would have to wait two decades.)  Both the album and "Crocodile Rock" were the first album and single, respectively on the consolidated [[MCA Records]] label in the USA, replacing MCA's other labels including Uni.
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===2000–present===
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[[Image:Elton-John.jpg|thumb|250px|John in concert in 2006]]
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In the 2000s, John began frequently collaborating with other artists. In 2000, he and Tim Rice teamed again to create songs for [[DreamWorks]]' animated film ''[[The Road To El Dorado]]''. In 2001, he declared that ''[[Songs from the West Coast]]'' would be his final studio album, and that he would now concentrate on only live performances. In 2001, John also duetted with [[Eminem]] on the rapper's "[[Stan (song)|Stan]]" at the [[Grammy Awards]] which appears on Eminem's compilation album ''[[Curtain Call: The Hits]]'' as its bonus track. His biggest hit in 2002 was "Are You Ready For Love," which reached number one in the UK and on Billboard's [[Hot Dance Music/Club Play]] chart.
  
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''[[Goodbye Yellow Brick Road]]'', a double album considered by many to be John's best album,{{Fact|date=March 2008}} followed later in 1973. It gained instant critical acclaim and topped the chart on both sides of the Atlantic. It also temporarily established John as a [[glam rock]] star. It contained the Number 1 hit "[[Bennie and the Jets]]," along with the popular and praised "[[Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (song)|Goodbye Yellow Brick Road]]," "[[Candle in the Wind]]," "[[Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting]]," "[[Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding]]" and "Grey Seal" (originally recorded and released in 1970 as the B-side to the UK-only single, "Rock and Roll Madonna"). There is also a [[VHS]] and [[DVD]] as part of the [[Classic Albums]] series, discussing the making, recording, and popularity of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" through concert and home video footage including interviews.
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In October 2003, John announced that he had signed an exclusive agreement to perform 75 shows over three years at [[Caesars Palace]] on the [[Las Vegas Strip]]. The show, entitled ''The Red Piano,'' was a multimedia concert featuring massive props and video montages created by [[David LaChapelle]]. The first of these shows took place on February 13, 2004. A two-year global tour was sandwiched between commitments in Las Vegas, some of the venues of which were new to John. The same year, John released a new album, ''[[Peachtree Road (album)|Peachtree Road]]''.  
  
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John then formed his own MCA-distributed label [[Rocket Records]] and signed acts to it—notably [[Neil Sedaka]] ("Bad Blood," on which he sang background vocals) and [[Kiki Dee]]—in which he took personal interest. Instead of releasing his own records on Rocket, he opted for $8 million offered by MCA. When the contract was signed in 1974, MCA reportedly took out a $25 million insurance policy on John's life.
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The ''[[Elton John's Christmas Party]]'' compilation album was initially released exclusively to Hear Music outlets at every Starbucks coffee shop on November 10, 2005. On September 19, 2006, John and Bernie Taupin released a sequel to ''Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy''. ''[[The Captain & The Kid]]'' featured ten new songs, including the first single "[[The Bridge (Elton John song)|The Bridge]]." John released a greatest-hits compilation CD, entitled ''Rocket Man—Number Ones'' on March 27, 2007.
  
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In 1974 a collaboration with [[John Lennon]] took place, resulting in Elton John covering The Beatles' "[[Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds]]" and Lennon's "One Day at a Time," and in return Elton John and band being featured on Lennon's "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night." In what would be Lennon's last live performance, the pair performed these two number 1 hits along with the Beatles classic "[[I Saw Her Standing There]]" at [[Madison Square Garden]]. Lennon made the rare stage appearance to keep the promise he made that he would appear on stage with Elton if "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night" became a number 1 single.
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==Legacy==
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While Elton John's legacy remains to be written, he has already left one of the music industry's great catalogs of work, spanning several genres from dance songs to poignant [[ballads]] and memorable movie soundtracks. Besides his singing and songwriting career, he is also noted for having pioneered the pop style known as "piano rock." Among his awards and recognitions are the following:
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===Grammy Awards===
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*1987—Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "That's What Friends Are For," performed by Dionne Warwick & Friends (award shared with Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder)
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*1991—Best Instrumental Composition for "Basque," performed by James Galway
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*1994—Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Can You Feel The Love Tonight"
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*1997—Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Candle In The Wind"
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*2000—Best Musical Show Album for ''Elton John & Tim Rice's Aida''
  
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[[Image:Elton John - Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Elton John's cryptic personality was revealed with the autobiographical album ''[[Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy]]''.]]
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===Other awards and honors===
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*1995—[[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]] for [[Can You Feel The Love Tonight]] from [[The Lion King]] (award shared with [[Sir Tim Rice]])
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''[[Caribou (album)|Caribou]]'' was released in 1974, and although it reached number 1, it was widely considered a lesser quality album. Reportedly recorded in a scant two weeks
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*2000—[[Tony Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Score]] for [[Aida (musical)|Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida]] (award shared with Sir Tim Rice)
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between live appearances,
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*John and [[Bernie Taupin]] were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992.
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it featured
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*John was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 1994.
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"[[The Bitch Is Back]]" and John's versatility in orchestral songs with "[[Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me]]." At the end of the year, the compilation album ''[[Elton John's Greatest Hits]]'' was released and reached number 1.{{Fact|date=April 2008}}
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*John was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire ([[CBE]]) in 1996.  
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*John was [[British Honors System#Knighthood|knighted]] by [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]] on February 24, 1998, granting him the title of "Sir."  
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[[Pete Townshend]] of [[The Who]] asked John to play a character called the "Pinball Wizard" in the film of the rock opera ''[[Tommy (rock opera)|Tommy]]'', and to perform the song of the same name. Drawing on [[power chord]]s, John's version was recorded and used for the movie release in 1975 and the single came out in 1976 (1975 in the U.S.). The song charted at number 7 in England. [[Bally]] subsequently released a "Captain Fantastic" pinball machine featuring an illustration of John in his movie guise.
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*He was the recipient of a [[Kennedy Center|Kennedy Center Honor]] in 2004.
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In the 1975 autobiographical album ''[[Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy]]'', John revealed his previously ambiguous personality, with Taupin's lyrics describing their early days as struggling songwriters and musicians in London. The lyrics and accompanying photo booklet are infused with a specific sense of place and time that is otherwise rare in John's music. "[[Someone Saved My Life Tonight]]" was the hit single from this album and captured an early turning point in John's life.
 
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The album's release signalled the end of the Elton John Band, as an unhappy and overworked John dismissed Olsson and Murray, two people who had contributed much of the band's signature sound and who had helped build his live following since the beginning. Johnstone and Ray Cooper were retained, Quaye and Roger Pope returned, and the new bassist was Kenny Passarelli; this rhythm section provided a heavier-sounding backbeat. James Newton-Howard joined to arrange in the studio and to play keyboards. John introduced the lineup before a crowd of 75,000 in London's [[Wembley Stadium]].
 
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Rock-oriented ''[[Rock of the Westies]]'' entered the U.S. albums chart at number 1 like ''Captain Fantastic'', a previously unattained feat. However, the material was almost universally regarded as not on a par with previous releases. The musical and vocal chemistry Olsson and Murray brought to John's previous releases was seen as lacking by some, both on the album and in the concerts that supported it.
 
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Commercially, John owed much of his success during the mid-1970s to his concert performances. He filled arenas and stadiums worldwide, and was arguably the hottest act in the rock world.
 
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John was an unlikely rock idol to begin with, as he was short of stature at 5'7" (1.70 m), chubby, and gradually losing his hair. But he made up for it with impassioned performances and over-the-top [[fashion sense]]. Also known for his glasses (he started wearing them as a youth to copy his idol [[Buddy Holly]]), his flamboyant stage wardrobe now included [[ostrich]] feathers, $5,000 spectacles that spelled his name in lights, and dressing up like the [[Statue of Liberty]], [[Donald Duck]], or [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart]] among others at his concerts made them a success and created interest for his music.
 
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To celebrate five years of unparalleled success since he first appeared at the venue, in 1975 John played a two-night, four-show stand at The Troubadour. With seating limited to under 500 per show, the chance to purchase tickets was determined by a postcard lottery, with each winner allowed two tickets. Everyone who attended the performances received a hardbound "yearbook" of the band's history. That year he also contributed some exemplary piano playing to [[Kevin Ayers]]' [[Sweet Deceiver]] album.
 
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In 1976, the live album ''[[Here and There]]'' in May, then the downbeat ''[[Blue Moves]]'' in October, which contained the memorable but even gloomier hit "[[Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word]]." His biggest success in 1976 was the "[[Don't Go Breaking My Heart]]," a peppy duet with Kiki Dee that topped both the American and British charts. Finally, in an interview with ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' that year entitled "Elton's Frank Talk," a stressed John stated that he was [[bisexual]].
 
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Besides being the most commercially successful period, 1970 - 1976 is also held in the most regard critically. Of the six Elton John albums to make ''Rolling Stone'''s 2003 [[The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]] list, all are from this period, with ''Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'' ranked highest at number 91; similarly, the three Elton John albums given five stars by [[All Music Guide]] are all from this period too (''Tumbleweed Connection'', ''Honky Château'', and ''Captain Fantastic'').
 
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During the same period, John made a self-effacing guest appearance on the popular ''[[Morecambe and Wise Show|Morecambe and Wise]]'' show on the [[BBC]]. The two comics spent the episode pointing him in the direction of everywhere except the stage in order to prevent him singing.
 
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=== Hiatus ===
 
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John's career took a hit after 1976. In November 1977 John announced he was retiring from performing; Taupin began collaborating with others. John secluded himself in any of his three mansions, appearing publicly only to attend the matches of [[Watford Football Club|Watford]], an English football team of whom he was a lifelong devotee, and that he later bought. Some speculated that John's retreat from stardom was prompted by adverse reactions to the ''Rolling Stone'' article.
 
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Now only producing one album a year, John issued ''[[A Single Man]]'' in 1978, employing a new lyricist, Gary Osborne; the album featured no Top 20 singles. In 1979, accompanied by [[Ray Cooper]], John became the first Western pop star to tour the [[Soviet Union]] (as well as one of the first in [[Israel]]), then mounted a two-man comeback tour of the U.S. in small halls. John returned to the singles chart with "Mama Can't Buy You Love" (number 9, 1979), a song from an EP recorded in 1977 with Philadelphia soul producer [[Thom Bell]]. A [[disco music|disco]]-influenced album, ''[[Victim of Love (album)|Victim of Love]]'', was poorly received.
 
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=== 1980s ===
 
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In 1979, John and [[Taupin]] reunited. ''[[21 at 33]]'', released the following year, was a significant career boost, aided by his biggest hit in four years, "[[Little Jeannie]]" (number 3 US), although the lyrics were written by [[Gary Osborne]]. (John also worked with lyricists [[Tom Robinson]] and [[Judie Tzuke]] during this period as well.)  His 1981 follow-up, ''[[The Fox (album)|The Fox]]'', was recorded in part during the same sessions and also included collaborations with both lyricists. On 13 September 1980, John performed a free concert to an estimated 400,000 fans on The Great Lawn in [[Central Park]] in New York City, with Olsson and Murray back in the Elton John Band, and within hearing distance of his friend John Lennon's [[The Dakota|apartment building]]. Three months later Lennon would be murdered in front of that same building. John mourned the loss in his 1982 hit "[[Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)]]," from his ''[[Jump Up!]]'' album, his second under a new U.S. recording contract with [[Geffen Records]]. He performed the tribute at a sold-out Madison Square Garden show in August 1982, joined on stage by [[Yoko Ono]] and [[Sean Ono Lennon]], Elton John's godchild.
 
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However, the 1980s were years of personal upheaval for John. In 1984 he surprised many by marrying sound engineer [[Renate Blauel]]. In 1986 he lost his voice while touring [[Australia]] and shortly thereafter underwent throat surgery. John continued recording prolifically, but years of cocaine and alcohol abuse, initiated in earnest around the time of ''Rock of the Westies''' 1975 release, were beginning to take their toll. In 1987 he won a libel case against [[The Sun]] who had written about his allegedly having underaged sex; afterwards he said, "You can call me a fat, balding, talentless old queen who can't sing—but you can't tell lies about me."
 
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With original band members Johnstone, Murray and Olsson together again, John was able to return to the charts with the 1983 hit album ''[[Too Low For Zero]]'', which included "[[I'm Still Standing]]" and "[[I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues]]," the latter of which featured [[Stevie Wonder]] on harmonica and reached number 4 in the U.S., giving John his biggest hit there since "Little Jeannie." Indeed while he would never again match his 1970s success, he placed hits in the U.S. Top Ten throughout the 1980s—"Little Jeannie" (number 3, 1980), "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" (number 5, 1984), "[[Nikita (song)|Nikita]]" boosted by a mini-movie pop video directed by Ken Russell  (number 7, 1986), an orchestral version of "Candle in the Wind" (number 6, 1987), and "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That" (number 2, 1988). His highest-charting single was a collaboration with [[Dionne Warwick]], [[Gladys Knight]], and Stevie Wonder on "[[That's What Friends Are For]]" (number 1, 1985); credited as Dionne and Friends, the song raised funds for AIDS research. His albums continued to sell, but of the six released in the latter half of the 1980s, only ''[[Reg Strikes Back]]'' (number 16, 1988) placed in the Top 20 in the United States.
 
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In 1984, Watford reached the [[FA Cup]] final at Wembley Stadium, fulfilling a lifelong ambition for John, who by now was owner and chairman of the club. During the traditional pre-match ritual of the crowd singing "[[Abide With Me]]," John burst into tears. Watford lost the game 2-0 to [[Everton F.C.|Everton]], who have played in blue shirts since 1901. After the game a large banner was unfurled among the Everton supporters, saying "SORRY ELTON - I GUESS THAT'S WHY THEY CALL US THE BLUES."
 
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In 1985, John was one of the many performers at [[Live Aid]], playing the Wembley Stadium leg of the marathon concert. He played "Bennie and the Jets" and "Rocket Man"; performed "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" with Kiki Dee for the first time in years; and introduced his friend [[George Michael]], still then of [[Wham!]], to sing "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me."
 
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This was an example of John's endearing support of young artists and embrace of all new music, which continues to this day. He enlisted Michael to sing backing vocals on his single "[[Wrap Her Up]]," and also recruited teen idol [[Nik Kershaw]] as an instrumentalist on "Nikita." John also recorded material with [[Millie Jackson]] in 1985.
 
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In 1988, he performed five sold-out shows at New York's Madison Square Garden, giving him 26 for his career, breaking the [[Grateful Dead]]'s house record. But that year also marked the end of an era. Netting over $20 million, 2,000 items of John's memorabilia were auctioned off at Sotheby's in London, as John bade symbolic farewell to his excessive theatrical persona. (Among the items withheld from the auction were the tens of thousands of records John had been carefully collecting and cataloguing throughout his life.) In later interviews, he deemed 1989 the worst period of his life, comparing his mental and physical deterioration to [[Elvis Presley]]'s last years.
 
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=== 1990s ===
 
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John was deeply affected by the plight of [[Ryan White]], an Indiana teenager with AIDS. Along with [[Michael Jackson]], John befriended and supported the boy and his family until White's death in 1990. Himself a mess and confronted by his then-lover, John checked into a Chicago hospital in 1990 to combat his [[drug abuse]], [[alcoholism]], and [[bulimia]]. In recovery, he lost weight and underwent [[hair transplantation|hair replacement]], and subsequently took up residence in [[Atlanta, Georgia]]. Also in 1990, John would finally achieve his first UK number one hit on his own, with "[[Sacrifice (song)|Sacrifice]]" (coupled with "Healing Hands") from the previous year's album ''[[Sleeping with the Past]]''; it would stay at the top spot for six weeks.
 
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The 1991 film documentary ''[[Two Rooms]]'' described the unusual writing style that John and Bernie Taupin use, which involves Taupin writing the lyrics on his own, and John then putting them to music, with the two never in the same room during the process. That same year, the ''[[Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin]]'' [[tribute album]] came out, featuring contributions from many top British and American rock and pop performers. Also in 1991, John's "Basque" won the [[Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition]], and a guest concert appearance he had made on George Michael's reverent treatment of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" was released as a single and topped the charts in both the U.S. and UK. On November 24, 1991 [[Queen (band)|Queen]] singer [[Freddie Mercury]], a close friend of John's, died of AIDS. John was one of the few invited to attend the singer's private funeral services.
 
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In 1992 he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation, intending to direct 90 percent of the funds it raised to direct care, and 10 percent to AIDS prevention education. He also announced his intention to donate all future royalties from sales of his singles in the U.S. and UK to AIDS research. That year, he released the U.S. number 8 album ''[[The One (Elton John album)|The One]]'', his highest-charting release since 1976's ''Blue Moves'', and John and Taupin signed a music publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music for an estimated $39 million over 12 years, giving them the largest cash advance in music publishing history. John performed "[[Bohemian Rhapsody]]" and "[[The Show Must Go On]]" with [[Queen (band)|Queen]] at the [[Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert]], an AIDS charity event held at Wembley Stadium, London in honour of Queen's late front man [[Freddie Mercury]]. "Bohemian Rhapsody" featured a duet with [[Axl Rose]], a reconciliatory gesture given Rose's previous homophobic reputation.
 
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In September of the same year, he performed "[[November Rain]]" with Rose's band [[Guns N' Roses]] for the 1992 [[MTV Video Music Awards]] at the [[Pauley Pavilion]] in Los Angeles. The following year, he released ''[[Elton John's Duets]]'', a collaboration with 15 artists ranging from [[Tammy Wynette]] to [[RuPaul]]. This also included a new collaboration with Kiki Dee, entitled "True Love," which reached the Top 10 of the UK charts, and a duet with [[Eric Clapton]] on "Runaway Train," which also charted.
 
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Along with [[Tim Rice]], John wrote the songs for the 1994 [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] animated film ''[[The Lion King]]''. (Rice was reportedly stunned by the rapidity with which John was able to set his words to music.) ''The Lion King'' went on to become the highest-grossing traditionally-animated feature of all time, with the songs playing a key part. Three of the five songs nominated for the [[Academy Award for Best Song]] that year were John and Rice songs from ''[[The Lion King (soundtrack)|The Lion King]]'', with "[[Can You Feel the Love Tonight]]" winning. (John acknowledged his domestic partner, Canadian film-maker David Furnish, at the ceremonies.) In versions sung by John, both that and "[[Circle of Life]]" became big hits, while the other songs such as "[[Hakuna Matata (song)|Hakuna Matata]]" achieved popularity with all ages as well. "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" would also win John the [[Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance]]. After the release of the soundtrack, the album remained at the top of Billboard's charts for nine weeks. On November 10, 1999, the [[RIAA]] announced that the album ''The Lion King'' had sold 15 million copies and therefore was certified as a [[diamond record]] with room to spare.
 
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[[Image:ROCKET PRCD79352.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The cover of the Princess Diana tribute album/single, "[[Candle In The Wind 1997]]"]]
 
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John was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in his first year of eligibility in 1994. He and Bernie Taupin had previously been inducted into the [[Songwriters Hall of Fame]] in 1992. John was made a [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] in 1995.
 
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In 1995 John released ''[[Made in England (album)|Made in England]]'' (number #3, 1995), which featured the hit single "Believe" (number #15, 1995). Also, a compilation called ''[[Love Songs (Elton John album)|Love Songs]]'' was released the following year.
 
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The year 1997 found extreme highs and lows for John. Early in the year, vestiges of the flamboyant John resurfaced as he threw a 50th birthday party, costumed as [[Louis XIV]], for 500 friends (the costume cost more than $80,000). John also performed with the surviving members of [[Queen (band)|Queen]] in [[Paris]] at the opening night (17th January, 1997) of "Le Presbytere N'a Rien Perdu De Son Charme Ni Le Jardin Du Son Eclat," a work by French ballet legend [[Maurice Bejart]] which draws upon AIDS and the deaths of [[Freddie Mercury]] and the company's principal dancer [[Jorge Donn]]. This was only the second time the three surviving members of Queen had performed together live since Mercury had died. Unfortunately, later in 1997 John lost two close friends, designer [[Gianni Versace]] (who was murdered) and [[Diana, Princess of Wales]] (who died in a Paris car crash).  
 
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In early September, Taupin altered the lyrics of "[[Candle in the Wind]]" for a special version mourning the death of Diana, and John performed it at her funeral in [[Westminster Abbey]]. A recorded version, "[[Candle in the Wind 1997]]," then became the fastest- and biggest-selling single of all time, eventually going on to sell 5 million copies in the [[United Kingdom]], 11 million in the [[United States|U.S.]], and around 33 million worldwide, with the proceeds of approximately £55 million going to the [[Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund]]. It would later win John the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, an achievement he has yet to repeat. He hasn't performed the song since Princess Diana's funeral, as John stated it would only be played once to lend it significance and make it special.
 
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1998 saw the production of ''Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida'' where John again teamed with Tim Rice. The musical was given its world premiere in Atlanta, GA at the Alliance Theatre where John was able to drop in on rehearsals from time to time. Dropping the cumbersome title as well as many of the production elements that gave the Atlanta production so many headaches, ''Aida'' went on to Chicago and eventually Broadway.
 
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=== 2000–present ===
 
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In the 2000s, John began frequently collaborating with other artists. In 2000, John and Tim Rice teamed again to create songs for [[DreamWorks]]' animated film ''[[The Road To El Dorado]]''. In the [[musical theatre]] world, addition to a 1998 adaptation of ''The Lion King'' for [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]], John also composed music for a Disney production of ''[[Aida (musical)|Aida]]'' in 1999 with lyricist Tim Rice, for which they received the [[Tony Award for Best Original Score]] and the [[Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album]]. He also released a live compilation album called ''[[Elton John One Night Only - The Greatest Hits]]'' from the show he did at Madison Square Garden in New York that same year.
 
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In 2001 he declared that ''[[Songs from the West Coast]]'' would be his final studio album, and that he would now concentrate on just live performances. In 2004, however, he released a new album, ''[[Peachtree Road (album)|Peachtree Road]]''.
 
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Also in 2001, John accepted an offer to appear as a guest on the BBC topical quiz show ''[[Have I Got News For You]]''. However, he changed his mind just hours before recording was due to begin, and so the producers recruited Ray Johnson, a [[Taxicab|taxi]] driver from [[Colchester]], [[Essex]], who worked part-time as an Elton John [[lookalike]]. He said next to nothing during the programme, while captions praising Johnson and slagging off John were added to the final cut of the programme when it was broadcast 24 hours later. A special based on his career from his start until that year was also done and called "The Elton John Story" which is shown on the [[VH-1 Classic]] channel. However, it has never been released on VHS or DVD.
 
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John continued his successful collaborations with other artists during the 2000s. 'Your Song' was re-recorded several times during the first part of the decade with [[Alessandro Safina]], British cellist [[Julian Lloyd Webber]], and others.
 
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Moreover, in 2001, John duetted with [[Eminem]] on the rapper's "[[Stan (song)|Stan]]" at the [[Grammy Awards]] which appears on Eminem's compilation album ''[[Curtain Call: The Hits]]'' as its bonus track. He also performed the song "Friends" for the soundtrack to ''[[The Country Bears]]'' written by Taupin along with starring as himself working in a garden.
 
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Also in 2002, British boy band [[Blue (boy band)|Blue]] released a version of "[[Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word]]," which included John. It went to number 1 in the UK as well as many other European countries. John achieved yet another number 1 single in the UK in 2005, being featured on [[2Pac]]'s posthumous song "[[Ghetto Gospel]]" from the rapper's album, ''[[Loyal to the Game]]''. The song sampled "[[Indian Sunset]]" from John's 1971 album, ''Madman Across the Water''. "Indian Sunset" was later released on the single "Electricity," which John wrote for the 2005 [[West End Theatre|West End]] production of ''[[Billy Elliot the Musical]]''. The single benefited from some clever marketing. Over 75% of the sales were downloads, thanks to an Elton John competition where fans could send a text message including an answer to the question and then receive a download of the track. "Electricity" remains one of his biggest solo hits of the 2000s.
 
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However, his biggest hit was "Are You Ready For Love." Although it was pretty much ignored when it was first recorded during the late 1970s Thom Bell sessions, it became something of a [[Balearic Islands|Balearic]] fixture and eventually got a re-release on [[Southern Fried Records]] in 2003. "Are You Ready For Love" proceeded to go straight to number 1 in the UK and on Billboard's [[Hot Dance Music/Club Play]] chart.
 
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John was one of the performers at the [[Live 8 concert, London|Live 8 concert at Hyde Park in London]] on 2 July 2005. He performed as third act of the day and had also been promoting the concerts together with [[Bob Geldof]] [[Bono]] etc. At the concert in London, he played "[[The Bitch is Back]]," "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" and lastly, [[T. Rex (band)|T. Rex]]'s "[[Children of the Revolution]]" with [[The Libertines]] and [[Babyshambles]]' frontman, [[Pete Doherty]].
 
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Returning again to musical theatre, John composed music for a West End Theatre production of ''Billy Elliot the Musical'' in 2005 with playwright [[Lee Hall (playwright)|Lee Hall]]. John's only theatrical project with Bernie Taupin so far is ''[[Lestat: The Musical]]'', based on the [[Anne Rice]] vampire novels. However it was slammed by the critics and closed in May 2006 after 39 performances.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5013218.stm BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Sir Elton vampire musical closes<!-- Bot generated title —>]</ref> As for other movies, in 2002, his 1970s track "[[Tiny Dancer]]" was prominently featured in the film ''[[Almost Famous]]'', and then his "The Heart of Every Girl" was the end title song from 2003's ''[[Mona Lisa Smile]]''.
 
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Also in 2005, John recorded a duet with Australian country music artist [[Catherine Britt]], titled "Where We Both Say Goodbye." The duet peaked at #38 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' [[Hot Country Songs]] charts. Then he did another one with the late, closeted [[gay]] [[R&B]] singer, [[Luther Vandross]] on "Anyone who had a heart" from his tribute album, ''[[So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross]]''.
 
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''[[Elton John's Christmas Party]]'' compilation album with two of his own Christmas songs and the rest being various artists he chose to be on there was initially released exclusively to Hear Music outlets at every Starbucks coffee shop on November 10, 2005. It sought to give away two dollars from each and every sale to the charity Elton John AIDS Foundation. The following year, on October 10, 2006, the album was re-released to the general market eleven months after its original and first release. But six songs of the original twenty-one were omitted from the new release. Therefore, it was left with only fifteen. Then another [[Elton John]] [[tribute album]] came out, this time from various artists at Studio 99 titled ''The Timeless Classics Of Elton John Performed By Studio 99'', was released on CD on February 7, 2006.
 
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−
On September 19, 2006, John and Bernie Taupin released a sequel to ''Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy,'' reflecting again on the phenomenal success, the sadnesses, the creativity and the optimism within their 40 year songwriting partnership; ''[[The Captain & The Kid]]'' features ten new songs, including the first single "[[The Bridge (Elton John song)|The Bridge]]," and for the first time ever, photographs of both John and Taupin are featured on the album front cover.
 
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−
Among his many honours, John was named a [[Disney Legend]] for his numerous outstanding contributions to Disney's films and theatrical works<ref>[http://legends.disney.go.com/legends/detail?key=Elton+John Disney Legends - Elton John<!-- Bot generated title —>]</ref> on October 9, 2006, by The Walt Disney Company. It is the company's highest honour. Another measure of fame came back in July 2005 when [[Madame Tussauds]] made a statue of John to his measurements; it took more than 1,000 hours to complete.
 
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−
In May 2006, [[Pet Shop Boys]] released their album ''[[Fundamental (Pet Shop Boys album)|Fundamental]]'', the limited edition included "In Private," a new version of the [[Dusty Springfield]] single they had written in 1989. The song, this time, had been recorded as a duet with John and was later released as bonus track on Pet Shop Boys' top 20 hit "[[Minimal (song)|Minimal]]." His string of UK #1 duets continued later that year when the [[Scissor Sisters]]' released "[[I Don't Feel Like Dancin']]," which John co-wrote. Recorded in Las Vegas, it featured John on piano and was included on their album ''[[Ta-Dah]]''. "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'" became the fourth best selling single in the UK in 2006 and it stayed in the UK top 40 for 27 weeks. John also co-wrote "Intermission" from the same album.
 
−
 
 
−
On November 12 2006, in the Observer's Music Monthly "When Elton Met Jake" <ref>[http://observer.guardian.co.uk/omm/story/0,,1942193,00.html  Guardian.co.uk: "When Elton Met Jake November 12 2006"]</ref> John spoke in an interview with openly gay Scissor Sisters band member, [[Jake Shears]] as they talked about being gay music stars and other matters. Prior to that, he has also criticized the [[Roman Catholic Church]]'s position on condoms whom he had blamed for the death of some of his friends who suffered from [[HIV/AIDS]].
 
−
 
 
−
In 2007, John was featured in Timbaland's album ''[[Timbaland Presents Shock Value]]'', in the song "2 Man Show." John is also rumoured to be featured on a possible new Eminem album, which he has long awaited.<ref>[http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/eltons%20eminem%20collaboration%20cancelled%20after%20proof%20shooting_1008267 Elton John - Elton'S Eminem Collaboration Cancelled After Proof Shooting<!-- Bot generated title —>]</ref>
 
−
 
 
−
March 2007 saw John celebrating his 60th birthday in more ways than one. He engaged in a joint party with artist [[Sam Taylor-Wood]] in the [[East End]]<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=442194&in_page_id=1773&ico=Homepage&icl=TabModule&icc=picbox&ct=5 Flash of pearlies from Hugh at Elton's star-studded party | the Daily Mail<!-- Bot generated title —>]</ref> and performed at Madison Square Garden for the 60th time (which is a record) to mark his 60th birthday.<ref>http://www.nme.com/news/elton-john/27292 NME article on 60th birthday concert at Madison Square Gardens</ref> He performed songs including ''Your Song'', ''Rocket Man'', ''Candle In the Wind'' and ''I'm Still Standing''.
 
−
 
 
−
To celebrate his record-setting achievement at Madison Square Gardens, a banner marking "Most Performances by a Single Artist" at the Garden will be raised to the rafters and placed within Madison Square Garden's Music Hall of Fame. Moreover, he released a greatest-hits compilation CD, entitled ''Rocket Man - Number Ones'' on March 27 2007. ''Rocket Man - Number Ones'' was released in 17 different versions worldwide, including a CD/DVD combo. Finally, on March 26, John's back catalogue - almost 500 songs from 32 albums - became available for legal download. "I knew that the entire catalog - not just the hits - needed care and attention to be released in this way," he said in a statement. "Now that it's happening, I'm pleased for the fans' sake."<ref>[http://newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/3/21/115754.shtml Elton John to Put Entire Music Catalog Online]. March 21, 2007.</ref>
 
−
John performed at Madison Square Garden in a three-hour long and thirty-three song concert that is also streamed live via *[http://msnpresents.msn.com/EltonJohn/artist.aspx?mkt=en-gb/ MSN Music] that day called ''Empty Garden''. It also inspired a television special called ''Happy Birthday Elton!'' to occur which aired on [[ITV1]] and [[My Network TV]]. The concert was started with the audience singing "Happy Birthday." He opened with a classic song from his second album, "Sixty Years On," doubly paying homage to his 60th birthday. The show also featured behind-the-scenes footage from the superstar's private party, where [[Kate Thornton]] met and greeted famous guests. The show also saw famous friends of John giving their opinion of him.<ref>http://www.itv.com/listings/Programme.aspx?itvgenre=2&channeldate=29/03/2007&channelid=HTW&scheduleid=29086531&prognum=961813&episode=961813&isfilm=No&types=subtitles</ref> On October 2, 2007, there was a a DVD release of it titled ''[[Elton 60 - Live at Madison Square Garden]]'' and a box set with the live CD on October 9, 2007.
 
−
 
 
−
On July 1, 2007, John performed at the [[Concert For Diana]]. He started the concert with ''Your Song'' and finished the concert with three songs; ''[[Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)]]'', ''Tiny Dancer'', and ''Are You Ready For Love''. He then commenced a European Tour and played at [[Live at the Marquee (festival)]] in [[Cork (city)|Cork]] on July 9th 2007 to a rapturous reception.
 
−
 
 
−
In interviews, John has listed a number of other projects of his in various stages, including an adaptation of ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]''. <ref>http://www.stipkocontent.com/contentengine/publish/buzzine/interviews/article_1604.shtml </ref> He also told ''Rolling Stone'' magazine that he plans for his next record to be in the [[R&B]]/[[hip-hop]] genre. "I want to work with [[Pharrell Williams|Pharrell {Williams}]], [[Timbaland]], [[Snoop Dogg|Snoop {Dogg}]], [[Kanye West|Kanye {West}]], Eminem and just see what happens. It may be a [[disaster]], it could be fantastic, but you don't know until you try."<ref name=6abc>[http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=entertainment&id=4498224 6ABC.com article: "Elton John Wants to Make Hip-hop Album"]</ref> John claims to be a big fan of [[Blackstreet]]'s 1996 hit, ''[[No Diggity]]''. He is currently working on the upcoming album.
 
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−
He played on 8 September 2007 in [[Vevey]], a small village situated on [[Lake Geneva]], [[Switzerland]]. Of this he said "The market square in Vevey is one of the most beautiful and magic places in Europe. Since visiting the area by chance in Summer 2003, I have always wanted to sing there. My friend [[Shania Twain]] who lives there, convinced me to set up that gig." (Note: Shania Twain actually lives in the nearby town of [[Corseaux]]).
 
−
 
 
−
Other memorable concert projects in the decade have so far included Face-to-Face tours with fellow pianist [[Billy Joel]] which have been a fan favourite throughout the world since the mid-1990s. In October 2003, John announced that he had signed an exclusive agreement to perform 75 shows over three years at [[Caesars Palace]] on the [[Las Vegas Strip]]. The show, entitled ''The Red Piano'', was a multimedia concert featuring massive props and video montages created by [[David LaChapelle]]. Effectively, he and [[Celine Dion]] share performances at Caesar's Palace throughout the year - while one performs, one rests. The first of these shows took place on 13 February 2004.<ref>http://www.eltonjohn.com/home_index.asp?page=now/projects/redpiano.asp</ref> A two year global tour sandwiched between commitments in Las Vegas, some of the venues of which are new to John.
 
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== Musical style and voice ==
 
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In the 1970s, John's sound immediately set him apart from most others by being piano-based in a rock 'n' roll world dominated by guitars. Another early characteristic was a set of dynamic [[string instrument|string]] [[arrangement]]s by Paul Buckmaster. Coupled with Taupin's often cryptic but emotionally resonant lyrics, the results were unique in the history of music. Songs in this style included "Sixty Years On," "Burn Down the Mission," "[[Take Me to the Pilot]]," "Levon," "[[Madman Across the Water (song)|Madman Across the Water]]," and the best-known of these, "Tiny Dancer."
 
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−
"Your Song," one of his earliest popular hits, incorporates some other features found in many of his songs:
 
−
* It is [[strophic]] in form, with the verse repeated before the chorus begins;
 
−
* The piano accompaniment is prominent, though the song also features an orchestra;
 
−
* It uses a slowly building [[crescendo]] that brings the song to a ''[[tutti]]'' climax. Other songs that follow this pattern include "[[Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me]]" and "Rocket Man."
 
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−
John also has a distinctive vocal style. In particular, his phrasing is often a bit metronomic and sometimes has a curiously off-kilter, "rushed" quality especially at the end of lines (example: the phrase "like a puppy child" in the song "Amoreena"). He also, at least in his classic period in the 1970s, would sometimes sweep up from his normal tenor into a [[The Four Seasons (group)|Four Seasons]]-like [[falsetto]].
 
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In January 1987, John underwent throat surgery to remove potentially cancerous nodules from his vocal cords while on tour, a necessity he originally claimed was due to an infection, but later claimed was the result of excessive drug abuse.<ref>[http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/celebrity/11352004.htm Elton John: 'Cannabis behind Throat Op'<!-- Bot generated title —>]</ref>
 
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The problems with his voice can clearly be heard in his raspy singing on the ''[[Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra|Live In Australia]]'' album (released 1987). He made a full recovery from the surgery, but he continued to use [[illegal drugs]] until 1990. The surgery in 1987 also had an after-effect on John's voice, and he found that he could no longer sing in falsetto as well as he previously could, and that he now sang in a lower range. During an interview with [[James Lipton]], John had claimed to embrace this new tone, feeling it gave a more "masculine" quality that contrasted with his earlier work. Lipton commented on the "swooping falsetto" on "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" to which John replied, "...which I don't have anymore."
 
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=== Popularity ===
 
−
{{Unreferencedsection|date=August 2007}}
 
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John continues to inspire musicians today, particularly [[Rufus Wainwright]], [[Ben Folds]], Adrian Evans, and [[Ryan Adams]]. [[Thom Yorke]] ([[Radiohead]]), [[Billie-Joe Armstrong]] ([[Green Day]]) and [[Axl Rose]] ([[Guns N' Roses]]) are also said to be fans. ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' music composer [[Nobuo Uematsu]] was also greatly influenced by him throughout his life, claiming, "No one writes a melody like him."
 
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John is known to be fond of [[Björk]], [[The Killers (band)|The Killers]], [[Black Rebel Motorcycle Club]], [[Radiohead]], [[The Hives]], [[Starsailor (band)|Starsailor]], [[Travis]] and [[Ray LaMontagne]].
 
−
 
 
−
==Awards==
 
−
{{main|List of Elton John awards}}
 
−
 
 
−
== Discography ==
 
−
{{see|Elton John discography}}
 
−
 
 
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== Musical theatre ==
 
−
* ''[[The Lion King (musical)|The Lion King]]'' (1997)
 
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* ''[[Aida (musical)|Aida]]'' (1998)
 
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* ''[[Billy Elliot the Musical|Billy Elliot]]'' (2005)
 
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* ''[[Lestat (musical)|Lestat]]'' (2005)
 
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== Filmography ==
 
−
* ''[[The Country Bears]]'', U.S. (2002) Himself
 
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* ''[[Spice World (film)|Spice World]]'', UK (1997) Himself
 
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* ''[[Tommy (film)|Tommy]]'', UK (1975) Pinball Wizard
 
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* ''[[Born to Boogie]]'', U.S. (1972) Himself
 
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==Pseudonyms==
 
−
Over the years, John has used various pseudonyms on recordings on which he has appeared. Not counting his work in which he was credited as Reg Dwight or Elton John, these pseudonyms include <ref> Norman, Philip: ''Sir Elton'', pp. 516-553 </ref>:
 
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*As '''Rockaday Johnny''': Played piano on [[Jackson Browne]]'s song "Redneck Friend," from his 1974 album ''[[For Everyman]]''.
 
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*As '''Ann Orson''': Co-composed the songs "Hard Luck Story" (a 1974 single by Kiki Dee) and "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (a 1976 single by John and Kiki Dee). Co-composer of these songs was 'Carte Blanche', a pseudonym for Bernie Taupin. (Orson Carte being a pun on "horse and cart").
 
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*As '''Reggae Dwight''': Co-composed (with '''Toots Taupin''') the song "Jamaica Jerk-Off" on the 1973 album ''[[Goodbye Yellow Brick Road]]''; the name both punningly refers to his given name and the style of music the song is played in. "'''Toots'''" is a reference to [[Toots Hibbert]] of pioneering reggae group [[Toots and the Maytals]].
 
−
*As '''Redget Buntovan''': Played piano on the rock group Blue's 1977 LP ''Another Night Time Flight'', which was produced by John and [[Clive Franks]]. (A [[spoonerism]] for "Budget Rent-O-Van" and a reference to his real name Reg.)
 
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*As '''Tripe''': Co-composer of "The Man Who Loved To Dance," a 1977 B-side by Kiki Dee. Co-composer 'Onions' was really Bernie Taupin.
 
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*As '''Dinah Card''': Co-composer of "Cartier Commercial," a 1980 B-side by John. Co-composer was 'Carte Blanche', a pseudonym for Bernie Taupin. (Dinah Card being a pun on "Diner's Card".)
 
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*As '''Lord Choc Ice''': Sole composer and credited performer of "Choc Ice Goes Mental" and "Earn While You Learn," both issued as B-sides of Elton John singles in 1983.
 
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*As '''Nancy Treadlight''': Piano on "Come Down In Time" by [[Sting]], from the Elton John/Bernie Taupin tribute album ''Two Rooms''.
 
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==Elton John Band==
 
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{{main|Elton John Band}}
 
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==See also==
 
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*[[John/Taupin]]
 
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*[[List of best selling music artists]]
 
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*[[List of number-one hits (United States)]]
 
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*[[List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)]]
 
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*[[List of number-one dance hits (United States)]]
 
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*[[List of artists by total number of USA number one singles]]
 
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*[[List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart]]
 
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
−
{{reflist|2}}
+
* Buckley, David. ''Elton: The Biography''. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2007. ISBN 9781556527135.
 +
* Norman, Philip. ''Elton''. London: Hutchinson, 1991. ISBN 9780091748388.
 +
* Rosenthal, Elizabeth J. ''His Song: The Musical Journey of Elton John''. New York: Billboard Books, 2001. ISBN 9780823088935.
 +
* Tatham, Dick, and Tony Jasper. ''Elton John''. London: Octopus Books: Phoebus, 1976. ISBN 9780706405484.
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
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{{wikiquote}}
+
All links retrieved February 13, 2024.
 +
 
 
*{{MusicBrainz artist|id=b83bc61f-8451-4a5d-8b8e-7e9ed295e822|name=Elton John}}
 
*{{MusicBrainz artist|id=b83bc61f-8451-4a5d-8b8e-7e9ed295e822|name=Elton John}}
 
* [http://www.eltonjohn.com Elton John's official website]
 
* [http://www.eltonjohn.com Elton John's official website]
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* [http://ejaf.org/welcome.html Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF)]
 
 
* {{imdb name|id=0005056|name=Elton John}}
 
* {{imdb name|id=0005056|name=Elton John}}
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* [http://www.myspace.com/eltonjohn Official Elton John MySpace]
 
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* [http://legends.disney.go.com/legends/detail?key=Elton%20John Disney Legends profile]
 
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* [http://www.whizzo.ca/elton/ Cornflakes & Classics—A Musical History of Elton John]
 
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* [http://www.thelive8concert.com/elton.htm Elton John at Live 8]
 
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* [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0201/25/lkl.00.html Larry King Live: Transcript of Elton John Interview] on 25 January 2002
 
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* [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0803/15/lkl.01.html Larry King Live: Transcript of Elton John Encore Interview] on 15 March 2008
 
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* [http://www.onthisveryspot.com/search.php?ss=Elton_John Spots related to Elton John's childhood and career]
 
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* [http://www.eltonography.com/index.html Eltonography] The online illustrated Elton John discography
 
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* [http://www.javno.com/en/lifestyle/clanak.php?id=93426 Elton John's Photo Acceptable After All - Javno News]
 
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* [http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h67IbnwZPh6ltxqb2CCKa5UCk93gD8SH2RMG0 Photo Owned By Elton John Isn't Indecent - AP]
 
  
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{{Elton John}}
 
  
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{{Persondata
 
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|NAME              = John, Elton
 
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|ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
 
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|SHORT DESCRIPTION = English musician
 
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|DATE OF BIRTH    = March 25, 1941
 
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|PLACE OF BIRTH    = Pinner, Middlesex, London, England
 
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|DATE OF DEATH    =
 
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|PLACE OF DEATH    =
 
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}}
 
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{{DEFAULTSORT:John, Elton}}
 
  
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[[category:art, music, literature, sports and leisure]]
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[[category:music]]
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[[category:musicians]]
 
[[Category:biography]]
 
[[Category:biography]]
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[[Category:Living people]]
 
{{Credit|210645308}}
 
{{Credit|210645308}}

Latest revision as of 17:42, 13 February 2024

Elton John
Elton-John1.jpg
Background information
Birth name Reginald Kenneth Dwight
Born March 25 1947 (1947-03-25) (age 77)
Origin Pinner, Middlesex, London, England
Genre(s) Rock
Pop
Piano rock
Glam rock
Occupation(s) Musician, singer-songwriter, producer
Instrument(s) Vocals, piano, keyboards
Years active 1964—present
Label(s) Uni, MCA, Geffen, Rocket/Island, Universal, Interscope, Mercury, UMG
Associated acts Billy Joel
Website EltonJohn.com

Sir Elton John, born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on March 25, 1947, is an English singer, composer, and pianist. John has been one of the dominant forces in rock and popular music, especially during the 1970s, when he produced hits like "Your Song," "Rocket Man," "Bennie and the Jets," and "Crocodile Rock."

John has sold more than 250 million albums and over 100 million singles, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. He has nine number-one hits, and seven consecutive number-one U.S. albums, as well as more than 50 singles that reached the Top 40 on the Billboard pop chart. His work on the Disney animated feature The Lion King garnered an Academy Award for the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight."

John is also noted for crafting melodies for the lyrics of songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, his classical and gospel-influenced piano. An admitted bi-sexual and later homosexual, he garnered additional fame for his flamboyant fashions and on-stage showmanship. He has won five Grammy awards and one Academy Award. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him number 49 on their list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

Biography

Childhood

Elton John was born in Pinner, Middlesex, in a council house of his maternal grandparents, with whom his newlywed parents, Sheila Eileen Harris and Stanley Dwight, were then living. Both of his parents were musically inclined, his father having been a trumpet player with a semi-professional big band that played military dances. The Dwights were avid record buyers, exposing the boy to all the popular singers and musicians of the day. John remembers being immediately "hooked" on rock and roll when his mother brought home records by Elvis Presley and Bill Haley & His Comets in 1956.

John started playing the piano at the age of three and was soon before being pressed into service as a performer at parties and family gatherings. He began taking piano lessons at seven. He also showed great musical aptitude at school and won a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music when he was 11. For the next five years, John took the subway into central London to attend Saturday classes at the academy, in addition to his regular school duties at Pinner County Grammar School.

Early career

In 1964, Dwight and his friends formed a band called Bluesology. By day, he ran errands for a music publishing company; he divided his nights between solo gigs at a London hotel bar and working with Bluesology. By the mid-60s, Bluesology was backing, touring American soul-and-R&B musicians like The Isley Brothers, Major Lance, Doris Troy, and Patti LaBelle and The Bluebelles. In 1966, the band became Long John Baldry's supporting band and began touring cabarets in England.

Around this time Dwight answered an advertisement in the New Musical Express placed by Ray Williams, then the A&R manager for Liberty Records. At their first meeting, Williams gave Dwight a stack of lyrics written by Bernie Taupin, who had answered the same ad. Dwight wrote music for the lyrics and then mailed them to Taupin, thus beginning their long partnership. In 1967, their song "Scarecrow" was recorded. When the two first met, six months later, Dwight was going by the name "Elton John," in homage to Bluesology saxophonist Elton Dean and Long John Baldry.

The team of John and Taupin joined Dick James's DJM Records as staff songwriters in 1968, and over the next two years wrote material for various artists. On the advice of music publisher Steve Brown, John and Taupin started writing more complex songs for John to record for DJM. The first was the single, "I've Been Loving You" (1968), produced by Caleb Quaye, former Bluesology guitarist. In 1969, with Quaye, drummer Roger Pope, and bassist Tony Murray, John recorded another single, "Lady Samantha," and an album, Empty Sky. Despite good reviews, none of these records sold well.

1970s

John and Taupin now enlisted Gus Dudgeon to produce a follow-up with Paul Buckmaster as arranger. Elton John was released in the spring of 1970 on DJM Records/Pye Records in the UK and Uni Records in the U.S. It established John's formula for subsequent albums, featuring gospel-influenced rock songs and poignant ballads. The first single from the album, "Border Song," peaked at number 92. However, after the second single "Your Song" made the U.S. Top 10, the album quickly followed suit. John's first American concert took place at The Troubadour in Los Angeles in August, backed by ex-Spencer Davis Group drummer Nigel Olsson and bassist Dee Murray. Kicking over his piano bench Jerry Lee Lewis-style and performing handstands on the keyboards, John left the critics raving and drew praise from fellow artists such as Quincy Jones and Bob Dylan.

Elton John was followed quickly with the concept album Tumbleweed Connection in October 1970, which also reached the Top 10 on the Billboard album chart. The live album, 11-17-70, showcased John's talent as a rock pianist. It featured extended versions of John/Taupin's early compositions and spotlighted John's gospel and boogie-woogie piano influences.

John and Taupin then wrote the soundtrack to the obscure film, Friends, and the album, Madman Across the Water, the latter reaching the Top 10 and producing the hit "Levon," while the soundtrack album yielded the hit "Friends." In 1972, the band released Honky Chateau, which became John's first American number-one album, spending five weeks at the top of the charts and spawning the hit singles, "Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be A Long, Long Time)" and "Honky Cat."

Elton John

The 1973 album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player produced the hits "Crocodile Rock" and "Daniel;" the former became John's first U.S. number-one hit. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, a double album followed later in 1973. It gained instant critical acclaim, topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. It also temporarily established John as a glam-rock star.

John then formed his own MCA-distributed label, Rocket Records, and signed various acts to it—notably Neil Sedaka and Kiki Dee. Instead of releasing his own records on Rocket, he opted for an $8-million-deal offered by MCA. In 1974, a collaboration with John Lennon resulted in John covering The Beatles "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."

Caribou was released in 1974, and although it reached number one, it was widely considered a lesser quality album. At the end of the year, the compilation album, Elton John's Greatest Hits, was released and reached number one.

John made his movie debut as a character called the "Pinball Wizard" in the film version of The Who's rock opera Tommy. In the 1975 autobiographical album, Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, John revealed his previously ambiguous personality. "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" was the hit single from this album and captured an early turning point in John's life. The rock-oriented Rock of the Westies, like Captain Fantastic, entered the U.S. album chart at number one, a previously unattained feat.

Commercially, John owed much of his success during the mid-70s to his concert performances. He filled arenas and stadiums worldwide, and was arguably the hottest act in the rock world. John was an unlikely rock idol, as he was 5 feet, seven inches, chubby, and gradually losing his hair. He compensated for his unimpressive physical attributes with impassioned performances and over-the-top fashion sense. Especially known for his glasses, his flamboyant stage wardrobe now included ostrich feathers, $5,000 spectacles that spelled his name in lights, and dressing up like the Statue of Liberty, Donald Duck, or Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

In 1976, John released the live album Here and There in May, and the downbeat Blue Moves in October, which contained the memorable but gloomy hit "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word." His biggest success in 1976 was the "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," a peppy duet with Kiki Dee that topped both the American and British charts. In an interview with Rolling Stone John revealed what many fans already suspected, namely that he was bisexual.

After facing a lackluster year in 1976-77, John announced in November 1977 that he was retiring from performing, and Taupin began collaborating with other songwriters. John secluded himself in any of his three mansions. He issued A Single Man in 1978, employing a new lyricist, Gary Osborne; the album featured no Top-20 singles.

In 1979, accompanied by Ray Cooper, John became the first Western pop star to tour the Soviet Union. He then mounted a comeback tour of the U.S. in small halls. He returned to the singles chart with "Mama Can't Buy You Love," which reached number nine in 1979.

1980s

Elton John and Bernie Taupin

In 1979, John and Taupin reunited. 21 at 33, released the following year, was a significant career boost, aided by his biggest hit in four years, "Little Jeannie" (number three, U.S.). His 1981 follow-up, The Fox, was recorded in part during the same sessions. On September 13, 1980, John performed a free concert to an estimated 400,000 fans on The Great Lawn in Central Park in New York City. John mourned the loss of his friend John Lennon in his 1982 hit "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)," from his Jump Up! album.

John returned to the charts with the 1983 hit album Too Low For Zero, which included "I'm Still Standing" and "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues," the latter of which featured Stevie Wonder on harmonica and reached number four in the U.S. While he would never again match his 1970s success, John placed hits in the U.S. Top 10 throughout the 80s, including "Little Jeannie" (number three, 1980), "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" (number five, 1984), "Nikita" (number seven, 1986), an orchestral version of "Candle in the Wind" (number six, 1987), and "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That" (number two, 1988). His highest-charting single was a collaboration with Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder, on "That's What Friends Are For" (number one, 1985). His albums continued to sell, but of the six released in the latter half of the 1980s, only Reg Strikes Back (number 16, 1988) placed in the Top 20 in the United States.

John married German recording engineer Renate Blauel on Valentine's Day, 1984, in Sydney, but they divorced four years later. John later renounced his bisexuality and came out as being gay instead.

1990s

In 1990, John checked into a Chicago hospital to combat his drug abuse, alcoholism, and bulimia. In recovery, he lost weight and underwent hair replacement, and subsequently took up residence in Atlanta, Georgia. In the same year, John would finally achieve his first UK number-one hit on his own, with "Sacrifice" from the previous year's album, Sleeping with the Past; the song would remain at the top spot for six weeks.

In 1991, "Basque" won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition. In 1992, he released the album The One, reaching number eight in the U.S., his highest-charting release since 1976's Blue Moves. John and Taupin signed a music publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music for an estimated $39 million over 12 years, giving them the largest cash advance in music-publishing history.

Along with Tim Rice, John co-wrote the songs for the 1994 Disney animated film, The Lion King. Three of the five songs nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song that year were John/Rice songs from movie's soundtrack, with "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" winning the Oscar. John's versions, "Can You Feel the Love" and "Circle of Life," became major hits, while other songs such as "Hakuna Matata" achieved popularity with fans of all ages. "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" would also win John the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. The soundtrack album of The Lion King remained at the top of Billboard's charts for nine weeks. By November 1999, the the album had sold 15 million copies and was certified as a RIAA diamond record.

In 1995, John released Made in England reaching number three, and featuring the hit single "Believe." A compilation called Love Songs was released the following year.

In 1997, John lost two close friends, designer Gianni Versace, who was murdered, and Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in a Paris car crash. In early September, Taupin altered the lyrics of "Candle in the Wind" for a special version mourning the death of Diana. A recorded version, "Candle in the Wind 1997," became the fastest- and biggest-selling single of all time, eventually going on to sell 5 million copies in the United Kingdom, 11 million in the U.S., and approximately 33 million worldwide, with the proceeds going to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. It would later win John the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

2000–present

John in concert in 2006

In the 2000s, John began frequently collaborating with other artists. In 2000, he and Tim Rice teamed again to create songs for DreamWorks' animated film The Road To El Dorado. In 2001, he declared that Songs from the West Coast would be his final studio album, and that he would now concentrate on only live performances. In 2001, John also duetted with Eminem on the rapper's "Stan" at the Grammy Awards which appears on Eminem's compilation album Curtain Call: The Hits as its bonus track. His biggest hit in 2002 was "Are You Ready For Love," which reached number one in the UK and on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.

In October 2003, John announced that he had signed an exclusive agreement to perform 75 shows over three years at Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip. The show, entitled The Red Piano, was a multimedia concert featuring massive props and video montages created by David LaChapelle. The first of these shows took place on February 13, 2004. A two-year global tour was sandwiched between commitments in Las Vegas, some of the venues of which were new to John. The same year, John released a new album, Peachtree Road.

The Elton John's Christmas Party compilation album was initially released exclusively to Hear Music outlets at every Starbucks coffee shop on November 10, 2005. On September 19, 2006, John and Bernie Taupin released a sequel to Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. The Captain & The Kid featured ten new songs, including the first single "The Bridge." John released a greatest-hits compilation CD, entitled Rocket Man—Number Ones on March 27, 2007.

Legacy

While Elton John's legacy remains to be written, he has already left one of the music industry's great catalogs of work, spanning several genres from dance songs to poignant ballads and memorable movie soundtracks. Besides his singing and songwriting career, he is also noted for having pioneered the pop style known as "piano rock." Among his awards and recognitions are the following:

Grammy Awards

  • 1987—Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "That's What Friends Are For," performed by Dionne Warwick & Friends (award shared with Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder)
  • 1991—Best Instrumental Composition for "Basque," performed by James Galway
  • 1994—Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Can You Feel The Love Tonight"
  • 1997—Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Candle In The Wind"
  • 2000—Best Musical Show Album for Elton John & Tim Rice's Aida

Other awards and honors

  • 1995—Best Original Song for Can You Feel The Love Tonight from The Lion King (award shared with Sir Tim Rice)
  • 2000—Best Original Score for Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida (award shared with Sir Tim Rice)
  • John and Bernie Taupin were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992.
  • John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
  • John was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1996.
  • John was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II on February 24, 1998, granting him the title of "Sir."
  • He was the recipient of a Kennedy Center Honor in 2004.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Buckley, David. Elton: The Biography. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2007. ISBN 9781556527135.
  • Norman, Philip. Elton. London: Hutchinson, 1991. ISBN 9780091748388.
  • Rosenthal, Elizabeth J. His Song: The Musical Journey of Elton John. New York: Billboard Books, 2001. ISBN 9780823088935.
  • Tatham, Dick, and Tony Jasper. Elton John. London: Octopus Books: Phoebus, 1976. ISBN 9780706405484.

External links

All links retrieved February 13, 2024.

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