Elton John

Elton John
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Name	Elton John
Caption	Elton John performing in 2022
Birth name	Reginald Kenneth Dwight
Birth date	25 March 1947
Birth place	Pinner, Middlesex, England
Occupation	Singer, songwriter, pianist, composer
Years active	1962–present
Spouse	Renate Blauel, 1984, 1988 David Furnish, 2014
Awards	Full list

Elton John is an English singer, pianist and composer. His collaboration with lyricist Bernie Taupin is one of the most successful in popular music history, spanning over five decades. Renowned for his flamboyant stage presence and powerful voice, he has sold over 300 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists. His career achievements include numerous awards, including five Grammy Awards, two Academy Awards, two Tony Awards, and a Kennedy Center Honor.

Early life and career beginnings

Born in Pinner, he showed prodigious talent on the piano from a young age, winning a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. In 1967, he answered an advertisement in the NME placed by Liberty Records, leading to his fateful partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin. Their early work involved writing songs for other artists, including Lulu, while John served as a session musician for acts like The Hollies. His debut album, Empty Sky (1969), recorded at Dick James's DJM Records studio, garnered little attention but established his collaborative formula with Taupin.

Rise to fame and commercial peak

His breakthrough came with the 1970 album Elton John, featuring the hit "Your Song", which propelled him to international stardom. A prolific period followed, with landmark albums like Honky Château (1972), Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973), and Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975) dominating the charts. His concerts at venues such as the Troubadour in Los Angeles and Dodger Stadium became legendary for their theatricality. During the 1970s, he founded his own label, Rocket Record Company, and had a record-breaking seven consecutive number-one albums in the United States.

Musical style and influences

His music is a foundational blend of piano rock, glam rock, and soft rock, often incorporating elements of gospel, country, and Tin Pan Alley pop. His piano playing is heavily influenced by rock and roll pioneers like Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis, as well as classical training. The lyrical narratives of Bernie Taupin drew from American culture, influencing the cinematic scope of albums like Tumbleweed Connection. His performance style and costumes were a major influence on the glam rock movement, alongside contemporaries like David Bowie and Queen.

Personal life and philanthropy

He publicly came out as bisexual in a 1976 interview with Rolling Stone magazine and later identified as gay. He married sound engineer Renate Blauel in 1984, divorcing in 1988, and later entered a civil partnership with filmmaker David Furnish in 2005, converting it to marriage in 2014. He has two sons. A prominent philanthropist, he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992, which has raised hundreds of millions for HIV/AIDS prevention and care programs globally. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998 for services to music and charitable services and was appointed a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour in 2020.

Legacy and impact

With a career spanning over 50 years, he is considered one of the most influential figures in popular music. His 1997 tribute single "Candle in the Wind 1997", rewritten for Diana, Princess of Wales, became the best-selling physical single of all time. His longevity is evidenced by successful collaborations with artists across generations, from George Michael to Dua Lipa. The biographical film Rocketman (2019) chronicled his early life and career. His final tour, the "Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour", which began in 2018, became one of the highest-grossing concert tours in history, cementing his status as a global entertainment icon.

Category:English singer-songwriters Category:English pianists Category:Living people