He has even helped other artistes get sober in the later years – notably, he remains Eminem’s AA sponsor.Įlton John has also been a vocal advocate for gay rights. What has won fans over, has been his honesty in speaking about these issues. Your Song, the marquee piece with lyrics written by Taupin on a napkin on the kitchen table of John ’s mother, was an instant chartbuster and an exemplar of Elton John ’s genius.īut this is also the period in Elton John ’s life when drugs and alcohol started becoming an ever more integral part. After a couple of singles and a less recognised album named Empty Sky (1969), came Elton John (1970) – comprising passionate ballads, fusing gospel-style music with pop rock. Soon enough, however, the duo decided to work together on John’s solo projects. John’s melodies, were always easy-on-the-ear and produced over a very short period of time. Fortunately for him, his aesthetic fit right in with the glam rock scene of the time.įor the next two years, Taupin and John wrote music for up-and-coming artistes of the time. In fact, John wrote in his autobiography Me (2019), that the coloured hair, flamboyant clothes and shoes, and exuberant glasses, were all a reaction to everything that he was not allowed to do when he was a child. He has said that the name change made him feel like a new, regenerated person, hence allowing him to leave his difficult past behind. Many also think that John was also an ode to The Beatles ’ John Lennon, one of Elton John’s favourite musicians. So, six months after meeting Taupin, Reginald Dwight became Elton John – ‘Elton’ from Elton Dean, the saxophonist of Bluesology, and ‘John’ from vocalist Long John Baldry. He wanted a name that felt like it belonged to a famous musician. In the process John realised that he held massive disdain for the name that his parents gave him.
Remember that giant chicken outfit in The Muppet Show in 1977? Or the suit he wore while receiving his Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 1975 – embellished with stars containing names of previously consecrated stars? Or the wild white piece with a 15-foot train and silver wig, reminiscent of Queen Marie Antoinette he wore on his 50th birthday? (Wikimedia Commons)īefore there was the kooky Lady Gaga being applauded as a shapeshifter, there was Elton John, an artiste whose sartorial choices were anything but understated. This was his final performance in Australia. Elton John performs in the rain in Sydney in January 2023. His music was accessible but poignant, his personality unique and his concerts an experience – an eclectic mishmash of high-voltage rockers and beautifully soothing ballads, complemented by his wild costumes. While the world ’s musicians were finding their expression with the guitar, John stuck to the piano and merged it with the propulsive rhythms of rock n ’ roll. In the 1960s, when the biggest stars – the likes of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Elvis Presley – were all about the twang of the guitar, a young boy from the northwest London suburb of Pinner, arrived at the music scene and changed its face forever.Įlton John was one of the first artistes to infuse the sound of piano into rock n roll. It has been a 271-concert farewell, with the musician performing around the world at some of his favourite venues. 🚀,” Furnish wrote Sunday on Instagram, sharing a clip of John floating across the stage in a clear box as he and their boys waved from the audience.Titled Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road, John’s farewell tour began in 2018 but was delayed due to Covid and other ailments suffered by the septuagenarian. However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted his carefully planned outing and forced him to reschedule dates three times since 2020, extending the tour well beyond his initial plans. John said he was retiring from the road to spend more time with his family - husband David Furnish and their young sons, Zachary and Elijah.
The Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour was named after John’s smash 1973 double LP and was meant to be his exhaustive three-year swan song as a touring artist. They have stuck with me, they have supported me, they have been patient, and they have kept turning out for every single last show,” he said. “Every step of the way, my fans have been there. The “Your Song” and “Tiny Dancer” singer fittingly closed out the five-year concert tour with its namesake “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and thanked fans for supporting him along the way. Music Goodbye, Elton John: Inside the music legend’s final Dodger Stadium concertĮlton John played his final North American show Sunday night at Dodger Stadium with cameos from Dua Lipa, Brandi Carlile and Kiki Dee.
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