Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE (born March 25, 1947), is a British pop singer, composer and musician, born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in Pinner, Middlesex. He was educated at the Royal Academy of Music, to which he won a scholarship at the age of 11.
Working in a band called Bluesology throughout the mid to late 1960s, Dwight changed his name by deed poll in homage to his fellow "Bluesologists" Elton Dean (saxophonist) and singer Long John Baldry. He scored his first international hits in 1971 with his eponymous second album, which included one of his best-loved songs, "Your Song". The lyrics, then and (for the most part) since, were written by chief collaborator Bernie Taupin.
He went on to become one of the most successful recording artists of the 1970s, with globally-successful singles including "Rocket Man", "Crocodile Rock", "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)", "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", and "Bennie And The Jets".
His biggest 1980s hits included, among others, "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues", "I'm Still Standing", and a 1987 live recording of "Candle In The Wind" which he recorded with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The song, which was a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, was originally recorded in 1974 on his Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album.
In 1992 he performed "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "The Show Must Go On" with Queen at the Freddie Mercury Tribute concert, an AIDS charity event held at Wembley Stadium, London.
In 1997, he updated the lyrics of "Candle In The Wind" for a special version mourning the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, and this became the fastest selling single of all time.
He has also done work both for and in films. In 1971, he wrote original songs for the movie Friends. In 1975, he appeared as the Pinball Wizard in the movie version of the rock opera Tommy. Then, in 1994, he (along with Tim Rice) wrote the songs for the Disney animated film The Lion King (John and Rice subsequently won a Best Original Song Oscar for "Can You Feel The Love Tonight"). Five years later, he wrote the score for The Muse, and a year later composed songs for another animated film, Dreamworks' The Road To El Dorado. In 2001, his 1970s hit, "Tiny Dancer" was featured on the Almost Famous soundtrack, and his most recent movie song was "The Heart Of Every Girl" (the end title song from 2003's Mona Lisa Smile).
In each of 30 consecutive years, from 1970 through 1999, John appeared with at least one single on the "Top 40" of Billboard magazine's pop record chart, the "Hot 100" - a feat unmatched by any other recording artist.
In 2003, he reached number one in the United Kingdom with a rerelease of the single "Are You Ready For Love" which had been only a minor hit when first released in 1979.
He continues to release new material to commercial success, and tours extensively, despite being fitted with a pacemaker. His face-to-face tours with fellow pianist Billy Joel have been a fan favourite throughout the world since the mid-1990s.
John has had a complicated personal history. Coming out first as bisexual in 1976, he married (1984) and quickly divorced (1988) Renate Blauel. He subsequently stated that he was gay and has lived with his partner David Furnish for a number of years. He has occasionally battled addictions to cocaine and financial difficulties caused by his profligate spending.
John has long been associated with AIDS charities after the death of his friend Ryan White, raising large amounts of money and using his public profile to raise awareness of the disease. For example, in 1985 he joined with Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder to record the single "That's What Friends Are For", with all profits being donated to the American Foundation for AIDS Research. The song won Grammy awards for "Song of the Year" and for "Best Pop Performance, by a Duo or Group".
In 2004, John expanded his musical theatre repertoire by composing songs for the musical adaptation of Billy Elliot.
Discography
- 1969 Empty Sky
- 1970 Elton John
- 1970 The Games [Original Soundtrack]
- 1971 Tumbleweed Connection
- 1971 Friends
- 1971 11-17-70 [live]
- 1971 Madman Across the Water
- 1972 Honky Chateau
- 1973 Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player
- 1973 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
- 1974 Caribou
- 1975 Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy
- 1975 Rock of the Westies
- 1975 West of the Rockies [live]
- 1976 Here and There [live]
- 1976 Blue Moves
- 1978 A Single Man
- 1979 Victim of Love
- 1980 21 at 33
- 1981 The Fox
- 1982 Jump Up!
- 1983 Too Low for Zero
- 1984 Breaking Hearts
- 1985 Ice on Fire
- 1986 Leather Jackets
- 1987 Live in Australia
- 1988 Reg Strikes Back
- 1989 Sleeping With the Past
- 1992 The One
- 1993 Duets
- 1995 Made in England
- 1997 Big Picture
- 1999 The Muse
- 1999 AIDA
- 2000 One Night Only [live]
- 2000 The Road To Eldorado
- 2001 Songs from the West Coast
- 2001 Prologue
- 2002 Live at the Ritz