Initially marketed as a singer/songwriter, Elton John soon revealed he could craft Beatlesque pop and pound out rockers with equal aplomb. He could dip into soul, disco, and country, as well as classic pop balladry and even progressive rock.

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Latest Activity: Mar 7, 2013

Share Tweet Facebook John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947, and was raised in Pinner, Middlesex in a council house of his maternal grandparents, with whom his newlywed parents (Sheila Eileen (Harris) and Stanley Dwight) were living until they moved to a nearby semi-detached house when he was six. He was educated at Pinner Wood Junior School, Reddiford School and Pinner County Grammar School until the age of 17, when he left just prior to his GCE A Level examinations to pursue a career in the music industry.

Pub pianist to staff songwriter (1962–1969)

After failing lead vocalist auditions for King Crimson and Gentle Giant, 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 it to Taupin, beginning a partnership that still continues[update]. 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 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, like Roger Cook and 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 tunes for James to peddle to singers. 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.

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.

Empty Sky to Blue Moves (1969–1976)

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 between live appearances, it featured "The Bitch Is Back" and John's versatility in orchestral songs with "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me".

In 1976, the live album Here and There in May, then the Blue Moves album in October, which contained the single "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word", were released. His biggest success in 1976 was the "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", a 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", John stated that he was bisexual.

Besides being the most commercially successful period, 1970 - 1976 is also held in the most regard critically. Within only a three year span, between 1972-75 John saw seven consecutive albums reach Number 1 in the charts, which had not been accomplished before. Of the six Elton John albums to make the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in Rolling Stone'in 2003, 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 Allmusic (Tumbleweed Connection, Honky Château, and Captain Fantastic) are all from this period too.

21 at 33 to Sleeping with the Past (1979–1989)

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. His 1981 follow-up, The Fox, was recorded in part during the same sessions and also included collaborations with Tom Robinson and Judie Tzuke. On 13 September 1980, John, with Olsson and Murray back in the Elton John Band, performed a free concert to an estimated 400,000 fans on The Great Lawn in Central Park in New York City. His 1982 hit "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)", came from his Jump Up! album, his second under a new US recording contract with Geffen Records.

In 1985, John was one of the many performers at Live Aid, playing "Bennie and the Jets" and "Rocket Man"; then "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". 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. In 1986, he played the piano on two tracks on the heavy metal band Saxon's album Rock the Nations.

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.[citation needed] Netting over $20 million, 2,000 items of John's memorabilia were auctioned off at Sotheby's in London.

In 1992 he released the US number 8 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. The following year, he released Duets, a collaboration with 15 artists including Tammy Wynette and 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.

Along with Tim Rice, John wrote the songs for the 1994 Disney animated film The Lion King, which became the 3rd highest-grossing animated feature of all time. Three of the five nominees for the Academy Award for Best Song that year were from The Lion King; "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" eventually won. In versions sung by John, both that and "Circle of Life" became big hits. "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 10 November 1999, the RIAA certified The Lion King "Diamond" for selling 15 million copies.

In 1995 John released Made in England (number 3, 1995), which featured the hit single "Believe" (number 15, 1995). Also, a compilation called Love Songs was released the following year.

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 selling 5 million copies in the United Kingdom, 11 million in the US, 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. He has not 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.

John and Tim Rice again teamed up in 1998 for the production of Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida. The musical was given its world premiere in the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. It went on to Chicago and eventually Broadway under the simplified name, Aida.

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, in addition to a 1998 adaptation of The Lion King for Broadway, John also composed music for a Disney production of 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 City that same year.

He has 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}, Timbaland, Snoop {Dogg}, Kanye {West}, Eminem and just see what happens."

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. On 21 June 2008, he performed his 200th show in Caesars Palace. A DVD/CD package of The Red Piano was released through Best Buy in November 2008. A two year global tour was sandwiched between commitments in Las Vegas, Nevada, some of the venues of which were new to John. The Red Piano Tour closed in Las Vegas in April 2009.

In a September 2008 interview with GQ magazine, Elton John said: "I’m going on the road again with Billy Joel again next year," referring to "Face to Face," a series of concerts featuring both musicians. The tour began in March and will continue for at least two more years.

John says his forthcoming collaboration with legendary singer, songwriter and sideman Leon Russell marks a new chapter in his recording career, saying: "I don't have to make pop records any more."

Studio albums

What are your Top 10 Elton John songs?1. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road2. Tiny Dancer3. Empty Garden4. The Bitch Is Back5. Levon6. Your Song7. Little Jeannie8. Rocket Man9. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest…Continue

Tags: rocket man, classic rock bottom, levon, little jeannie, top 10

Started by RJhog (Admin). Last reply by Jon Aug 13, 2010.

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Comment by RJhog (Admin) on March 7, 2013 at 10:46am Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com

Sure, Van Halen‘s legendary concert riders used to demand that all of the brown M&Ms be removed. But it’s not like they ever requested that the tasty sweets be given their own adjacent temperature-controlled hotel room. To get to that level of kooky eccentricity, you’ll need to read Elton John‘s tour demands.

In Brazil for a planned Saturday (March 9) concert before 60,000 at Mineirao stadium, John has reportedly asked for a separate accommodations at the five-star Ouro Minas hotel at Belo Horizonte … for his collection of fancy glasses.

A member of John’s production company says the second room is required for his shades, because “he needs a temperature of 16C (or 60.8 degrees Fahrenheit) to preserve the accessories.”

Still, for all of that outlandish excess, you’ll know you’ve really made it when you can afford adjoining suite space for your eyewear.

Comment by RJhog (Admin) on October 16, 2010 at 7:48am
Okay, the link is up at the bottom of the post...

Comment by Andy DiGelsomina on October 16, 2010 at 7:38am
Thanks, I'm there!

Comment by RJhog (Admin) on October 16, 2010 at 7:37am
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is a very good album. It was featured on Album Of The Week a while back, if you are interested you can click here. I'll get the music link up this weekend.

Comment by Andy DiGelsomina on October 16, 2010 at 5:40am
Elton John was the first Rock music I ever heard; Crocodile Rock when I was about 6. I still love the albums Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Captain Fantastic, I remember when they were first released. An excellent musican and songwriter!
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