ELTON JOHN

John Smith
 When he changed his name from
Reginald Dwight; the singer chose a stage
name that paid tribute to vocalist Long
John Baldry and saxophonist Elton Dean.
For a middle name, he picked Hercules.
 When he changed his name from
Reginald Dwight, he chose “Elton John” to A Change Is
pay tribute to vocalist Long John Baldry
and saxophonist Elton Dean. For a middle Needed.
name, he picked Hercules. He chose the
middle name “Hercules” not after the hero
of mythology, but after the horse named
Hercules on the British sitcom Steptoe and
Son (1962).
 Rocket Man also known as Elton John is a
singer and pianist /composer.
 He worked with lyricist Bernie Taupin and
have been writing partners since 1967.
 Elton John was born on March 25, 1947. Rocket Man…
 Parents:
 Stanley Dwight (Father) Died in 1991.
 Shelia Eileen Dwight (Mother) Died in 2017.
 1973-2000: 12 Ivor Novello Awards
 1973-2000: 11 Grammy nominations
 1986, 1991, 1994, 1997, and 2000: 5 Grammy wins
 1991: Best British Male Artist BRIT Award
 1992: Songwriters Hall of Fame (with Bernie Taupin)
 1992: Officer of Arts & Letters (France) Key Dates.(1).
 1993: induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
 1994: Polar Music Prize
 1995: Oscar for Best Music, Original Song, The Lion
King
 1995: MusiCares Person of the Year
 2000: Kennedy Center Honor
 2001: Grammy legends Award
 2002: Honorary Doctorate from the Royal Academy
of Music
 2004: Billboard Magazine Legend of Live Award
 2004: Fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters
and Composers
 2006: Songwriters Hall of Fame Johnny Mercer
Award (with Bernie Taupin)
Key Dates.(2).
 2013: BRITs Icon Award
 2013: Rockefeller Foundation Lifetime Achievement
Award
 2013: Harvard School of Public Health AIDS Initiative
Leadership Award
 2018: Farewell Tour (Ending with 300 Tours).
 Elton John was awarded Knighthood of the British
Empire in 1998 for his services to music and
fundraising for AIDS charities.
 In 1997, following the death of Princess Diana, Elton
performed a new version of “Candle in the Wind” at
her funeral. The solemn performance move many
already-distraught attendees to tears. The YouTube
video of Elton singing at the funeral has been
viewed more than 26 million times.
 Elton John’s Candle in the Wind tribute to the late
Princess Diana, which became the second best-
Did You Know...
selling single of all time, was originally written about
Marilyn Monroe.
 Elton was extremely close with the late rock singer
Freddie Mercury. When Freddie was dying of Aids in
the early 1990s, one of the final things he did was
buy Elton John a gift: a painting by one of Elton’s
favorite artists. Sir Elton wrote about his friendship
with Freddie in a moving, deeply personal letter.
 He decided that all profits from his singles would be donated to
AIDS charities and formed the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The
foundation has become one of the world’s largest non-profit AIDS
organizations, raising more than $300 million in support of worthy
projects in 55 countries around the world.
 In 1974, during one of Elton’s concerts at Madison Square Garden,
John Lennon joined him on stage to perform three songs. This was
part of a bet. Elton had bet Lennon that if the song “Whatever
Gets You Through the Night” went to #1, he would join Elton on
stage.
 Occurring six years prior to his assassination, this was Lennon’s last
on-stage performance. Elton’s song “Empty Garden” is a tribute to
John Lennon.
 Stevie Wonder played harmonica on his song “I Guess That’s Why
They Call It the Blues”.
Did You Know...
 Registered his civil partnership with long-term partner David Furnish
at Windsor Town Hall on December 21, 2005, the first day that civil
unions between homosexuals were legal in England and Wales. In
December 2014, they married following the legalization of
homosexual marriage earlier in the year. Their wedding was
attended by the likes of Lulu, Kate Bush, Gary Barlow, Ed Sheeran,
David Beckham, David Walliams and Elizabeth Hurley.
 In 1987, Elton underwent laser surgery to remove nodules on his
vocal chords in Australia. This followed a televised concert with the
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra where his voice sounded
noticeably rough. In 2004, he admitted this problem had been
caused by drug abuse, including marijuana.
The Early Days…

 During Elton John’s early years he would wear flashy costumes for example
one time he wore feathers, rhinestones, and glasses that spelt out his name
in lights.
 However nowadays, John’s stage attire leans toward elegant suits.
 While some artist just fade away Elton John is he to stay along with The
Beatles and Elvis.
 Elton is the third most successful artist in the history of the American charts,
behind only Elvis Presley and The Beatles. He has had 56 top 40 singles in the
United States, a total second only to Elvis Presley.
Special Appearances…

 Elton has toured several times with Billy Joel. There is, however, no rivalry between the pair,
with Elton stating that "He is Mr Piano Man, I am Miss Piano Man."
 Elton appeared at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium in April 1992,
performing The Show Must Go On with Roger Taylor, John Deacon and Brian May, and
Bohemian Rhapsody with the same three, together with Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses.
 Elton hosted a charity concert at Wembley Stadium on November 2, 2000 - the last music
event to be held there before it was knocked down and rebuilt.
 The stage set for the Million Dollar Piano show was designed by the late Mark Fisher and
Patrick Woodroffe. Fisher was also responsible for U2's enormous Popmart stage set - which
ran between 1997 and 1998 - Pink Floyd's The Walltour and the opening and closing
ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
 Elton performed a duet with Lady Gaga at the 2010 Grammys, singing a mash-up of
Gaga's Speechless and John's Your Song.
 Tennis legend Billie Jean King sang live backing vocals on Philadelphia Freedom - the song
written about her - at two sold-out concerts at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, in 1975.
We All Learn Eventually…

 The 80s sparked a particularly dark time in Elton John’s life. Substance abuse sent him
down a rabbit hole that he and many of his friends, struggled to get out of. “I was a
[substance] addict and self-absorbed,” John said. “You know, I was having people
die right, left and center around me, friends. And yet I didn’t stop the life that I had,
which is the terrible thing about addiction. It’s that – you know, it’s that bad of a
disease.”
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