Elton John - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In a career spanning five decades, Elton John has sold over 250 million records and has over 50 hits, making him one of the most successful musicians of all time. John was one of the dominant commercial forces in the rock world during the 1970s, with a string of seven consecutive #1 records on the U.S.

album charts, 23 Top 40 singles, 16 Top 10 ones, and six #1 hits. His success had a profound impact on , and contributed to the continued popularity of the piano in . Key musical elements in John's success included his melodic gifts matched with the contributions of his lyricist partner , his rich and -chorded piano, aggressive arrangements, and his fashion sense and on-stage showmanship.

In 2004, ranked #49 on their list of the . He continues to be a major public figure, and has been heavily involved in the fight against since the late . He was inducted into the in and was in , and has remained an enduringly successful artist.

Reginald Kenneth Dwight was born in , , a suburb. His father, Stanley Dwight, was an officer in the and was frequently away, while his mother, the former Sheila Harris commented years later that her son grew up "a bundle of nerves." Reginald's childhood was marred by terrible arguments between his parents.

Stanley Dwight had once played trumpet with an American-styled big band called Bob Miller and The Milkmen. He and Sheila were avid record buyers, exposing Reginald to the music of pianists , , and , and to singers , , , , , , and . Aged 3 Reginald started playing the piano, while by age, 4 his parents recognised Reginald's talent, and would often ask him to play at parties.

His mother was buying him records by rock 'n' roll acts like Presley and . By the time he started attending the on a scholarship at age 11, Reginald's musical inspiration was rock 'n' roll.
Reginald preferred playing by ear.

Subprofessor Helen Piena once said that upon the boy's entrance into the Academy, she'd played him a four-page piece by , which he promptly played back for her like a "gramophone record." Reginald enjoyed playing and and singing in the choir during his Saturday classes at the Academy, but was not otherwise a diligent classical student. As he remembered decades later, "I kind of resented going to the Academy.

I was one of those children who could just about get away without practising and still pass, scrape through the grades." Sometimes, he would play truant and ride around the tube (subway). Yet Piena saw Reginald as a "model student.

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A student at the Academy for five years, Reginald rounded out the little free time he had with a newspaper route and a job at a wine shop on Saturday afternoons after class. At Pinner Country Grammar School, he was more advanced musically than his peers and had an aptitude for songwriting, dashing off good melodies for his composition assignments.
Reginald's record collection grew rapidly.

He took sustenance in the early rock 'n' roll piano pioneers, annoying his father, who wanted him to concentrate on the classics, and frightening his mother with a fascination for music of the sexual, androgynous . Reginald gained some notoriety by playing like at functions, and even sang.
In 1962, Reginald's embattled parents finally divorced, in the wake of Sheila Dwight's friendship with a painter named Fred Farebrother.

Later, Stanley married again and had four children.
At age 15, with the help of caring father figure Farebrother, Reginald Dwight became a weekend pianist at the nearby Northwood Hills pub, playing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. The crowd was often rough – sometimes an unruly patron would dump a pint of beer into Reginald's piano – and the youngster had to work hard to please them.

He played everything from songs ("He'll Have to Go") to numbers ("When Irish Eyes Are Smiling"), decades-old ditties ("Beer Barrel Polka"), hits of the day ("King of the Road"), and songs he had written himself. He received a modest, steady income and substantial tips. "During that whole period, I don't think I ever missed a gig," he said later.

A stint with a short-lived group called the Corvettes rounded out his time.
In 1964, Dwight and his friends formed a band called Bluesology. By day, he ran errands for a music publishing company; he divided his nights between solo gigs at a London hotel bar and working with Bluesology.

By the mid-1960s, Bluesology was backing touring American soul and R B musicians like , , and . In 1966, the band became musician 's supporting band and began touring cabarets in England.
After failing lead vocalist auditions for both and , Dwight answered an advertisement in the placed by , then the A R manager for .

At their first meeting, Williams gave Dwight a stack of lyrics written by , who had answered the same ad. Dwight wrote music for the lyrics, and then mailed it to Taupin, and thus began a partnership that continues to this day. In 1967, what would become the first Elton John/Bernie Taupin song, "Scarecrow", was recorded; when the two first met, six months later, Reginald Dwight had changed his name to Elton John, by , in homage to Bluesology saxophonist and Long John Baldry.

For two years, they wrote tunes for James to peddle to singers.
Their early output included an entry for British song for the in , called "Can't Go On (Living Without You)" It came sixth of six songs.
On the advice of music publisher Steve Brown, John and Taupin started writing more complex songs for John to record for DJM.

The first was the single "I've Been Loving You" (1968), produced by Caleb Quaye, former Bluesology guitarist. In 1969, with Quaye, drummer Roger Pope, and bassist Tony Murray, John recorded another single, " ," and an album, . Despite good reviews, none of the records sold well.

John and Taupin now enlisted to produce a follow-up with as arranger. was released in the spring of 1970 on / in the UK and in the USA, and established the formula for subsequent albums; gospel-chorded rockers and poignant ballads. After the first single " " made the , the album followed suit.

John's first American concert took place at in Los Angeles, in August, backed by ex- drummer and bassist . Kicking over his piano bench -style and performing handstands on the keyboards, John left the critics raving, and drew praise from fellow artists such as and .
Elton John was followed quickly with the concept album in October 1970, which reached the Top Ten on the .

A frenetic pace of releasing two albums a year was now established.
The live album ( in the US) showcased Elton's talent as a rock pianist and father of . Taped at a live show aired from A R Studios on in , and introduced by disc jockey , it featured extended versions of John/Taupin's early compositions that illustrate the gospel and boogie-woogie influences on John's piano playing.

It also featured much interaction between John, bassist , and drummer . During the magnum opus 18:20 version of " ", the band interpolates 's "My Baby Left Me" and a full rendition of ' " " before a rampaging conclusion.
In 1972, the final piece of what would become known as the Elton John Band fell into place, with the addition of (on guitar and backing vocals).

Murray, Olsson, and Johnstone came together with John and Taupin's writing, John's flamboyant performance style, and to create a hit-making chemistry for the next five Elton John albums. Known for their instrumental playing, the members of the band were also strong backing vocalists who worked out and recorded many of their vocal harmonies themselves, usually in Elton's absence.
The band released , which became Elton's first American number 1 album, spending five weeks at the top of the charts and spawning the hit singles " " and " ".

The 1973 pop album came out at the start of 1973, and produced the hits " " and " "; the former became his first US number one hit. (Ironically this, like his other famous 1970s solo hits, would be popular in his native land but never top the ; this achievement would have to wait two decades.) Both the album and "Crocodile Rock" were the first album and single, respectively on the consolidated label in the USA, replacing MCA's other labels including Uni.

, a double album considered by many to be Elton John's best album, followed later in . It gained instant critical acclaim and topped the chart on both sides of the Atlantic. It also temporarily established Elton John as a star.

It contained the Number 1 hit " ", along with the popular and praised " ", " ", " ", " " and "Grey Seal".
John then formed his own MCA-distributed label and signed acts to it — notably ("Bad Blood", on which he sang background vocals) and — in which he took personal interest. Instead of releasing his own records on Rocket, he opted for $8 million offered by MCA.

When the contract was signed in 1974, MCA reportedly took out a $25 million insurance policy on John's life.
In 1974 a collaboration with took place, resulting in Elton John covering ' " " and Lennon's "One Day at a Time", and in return Elton John and band being featured on Lennon's "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night". In what would be Lennon's last live performance, the pair performed these two number 1 hits along with the Beatles classic " " at .

Lennon made the rare stage appearance to keep the promise he made that he would appear on stage with Elton if "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night" became a number 1 single.
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 " ".

At the end of the year, the compilation album was released and reached number 1.
of asked John to play a character called the "Pinball Wizard" in the film of the rock opera , and to perform the song of the same name. Drawing on , John's version was recorded and used for the movie release in 1975 and the single came out in 1976 (1975 in the US).

The song charted at number 7 in England. subsequently released a "Captain Fantastic" pinball machine featuring an illustration of Elton John in his movie guise.
In the 1975 autobiographical album , Elton John revealed his previously ambiguous personality, with Taupin's lyrics describing their early days as struggling songwriters and musicians in .

The lyrics and accompanying photo booklet are infused with a specific sense of place and time that is otherwise rare in John's music. " " was the hit single from this album and captured an early turning point in John's life.
The album's release signalled the end of the Elton John Band, as an unhappy and overworked John dismissed Olsson and Murray, two people who had contributed much of the band's signature sound and who had helped build his live following since the beginning.

Johnstone and Ray Cooper were retained, Quaye and Roger Pope returned, and the new bassist was Kenny Passarelli; this rhythm section provided a heavier-sounding backbeat. James Newton-Howard joined to arrange in the studio and to play keyboards. John introduced the lineup before a crowd of 75,000 in London's .

Rock-oriented entered the at number 1 like Captain Fantastic, a previously unattained feat. However, the material was almost universally regarded as not on a par with previous releases. The musical and vocal chemistry Olsson and Murray brought to Elton's previous releases was seen as lacking by some, both on the album and in the concerts that supported it.

Commercially, Elton owed much of his success during the mid-1970s to his concert performances. He filled arenas and stadiums worldwide, and was arguably the hottest act in the rock world. John was an unlikely rock idol to begin with, as he was short of stature at 5'7" (1.

70 m), chubby, and gradually losing his hair. But he made up for it with impassioned performances and over-the-top . Also known for his glasses (he started wearing them as a youth to copy his idol ), his flamboyant stage wardrobe now included feathers, $5,000 spectacles that spelled his name in lights, and dressing up like the , , or among others at his concerts made them a success and created interest for his music.

To celebrate five years of unparalleled success since he first appeared at the venue, in 1975 John played a two-night, four-show stand at . With seating limited to under 500 per show, the chance to purchase tickets was determined by a postcard lottery, with each winner allowed two tickets. Everyone who attended the performances received a hardbound "yearbook" of the band's history.

In 1976, Elton released the live album in May, then the downbeat in October, which contained the memorable but even gloomier hit " ". His biggest success in 1976 was the " ", a peppy duet with that topped both the American and British charts. Finally, in an interview with that year entitled "Elton's Frank Talk", a stressed John stated that he was .

Besides being his most commercially successful period, 1970 - 1976 is also held in the most regard critically. Of the six Elton John albums to make Rolling Stone's 2003 list, 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 are all from this period too (Tumbleweed Connection, Honky Château, and Captain Fantastic).
During the same period, John made a self-effacing guest appearance on the popular show on the .

The two comics spent the episode pointing him in the direction of everywhere except the stage in order to prevent him singing.

[ ] Early retirement, hiatus, and return to the musical scene

John secluded himself in any of his three mansions, appearing publicly only to attend the matches of , an English football team of whom he was a lifelong devotee, and that he later bought. Some speculated that John's retreat from stardom was prompted by adverse reactions to the Rolling Stone article.
Now only producing one album a year, John issued in 1978, employing a new lyricist, Gary Osborne; the album featured no Top 20 singles.

In 1979, accompanied by , John became the first Western pop star to tour the (as well as one of the first in , then mounted a two-man comeback tour of the US in small halls. John returned to the singles chart with "Mama Can't Buy You Love" (number 9, 1979), a song from an EP recorded in 1977 with Philadelphia soul producer . A -influenced album, , was poorly received.

In 1979, John and Taupin reunited. , released the following year, was a significant career boost, aided by his biggest hit in four years, " " (number 3 US), although the lyrics were written by . (John also worked with lyricists and during this period as well.

) His 1981 follow-up, , was recorded in part during the same sessions and also included collaborations with both lyricists. On Elton John performed a free concert to an estimated 400,000 fans on The Great Lawn in in , with Olsson and Murray back in the Elton John Band, and within hearing distance of his friend 's . Three months later Lennon would be murdered in front of that same building.

Elton mourned the loss in his 1982 hit "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)", from his album, his second under a new US recording contract with . He performed the tribute at a sold-out Madison Square Garden show in August , joined on stage by and , Elton's godchild.
However, the 1980s were years of personal upheaval for John.

In 1984 he surprised many by marrying sound engineer since lots of people presumed that he was gay. While the marriage lasted four years, John later maintained that he had realised that he was homosexual before he married, proving them right. In 1986 he lost his voice while touring and shortly thereafter underwent throat surgery.

John continued recording prolifically, but years of cocaine and alcohol abuse, initiated in earnest around the time of Rock of the Westies' 1975 release, were beginning to take their toll. In 1987 he won a libel case against who had written about his allegedly having underaged sex; afterwards he said, "You can call me a fat, balding, talentless old queen who can't sing — but you can't tell lies about me."
In 1988, he performed five sold-out shows at New York's Madison Square Garden, giving him 26 for his career, breaking the 's house record.

But that year also marked the end of an era. Netting over $20 million, 2,000 items of John's memorabilia were auctioned off at Sotheby's in London, as John bade symbolic farewell to his excessive theatrical persona. (Among the items withheld from the auction were the tens of thousands of records John had been carefully collecting and cataloguing throughout his life.

) In later interviews, he deemed 1989 the worst period of his life, comparing his mental and physical deterioration to Elvis Presley's last years.
With original band members Johnstone, Murray and Olsson together again, Elton was able to return to the charts with the 1983 hit album , which included "I'm Still Standing" and " ", the latter of which featured on harmonica and reached number 4 in the US, giving Elton John his biggest hit there since "Little Jeannie." Indeed while he would never again match his 1970s success, he placed hits in the US Top Ten throughout the 1980s — " " (number 3, 1980), "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" (number 5, 1984), " " boosted by a mini-movie pop video directed by Ken Russell (number 7, 1986), an orchestral version of " " (number 6, 1987), and "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That" (number 2, 1988).

His highest-charting single was a collaboration with , , and Stevie Wonder on " " (number 1, 1985); credited as Dionne and Friends, the song raised funds for research. His albums continued to sell, but of the six released in the latter half of the , only (number 16, 1988) placed in the Top 20 in the US.
In 1984, Watford reached the final at , fulfilling a lifelong ambition for John, who by now was owner and chairman of the club.

During the traditional pre-match ritual of the crowd singing " ", John burst into tears. Watford lost the game 2-0 to , who always played in a blue kit. After the game a large banner was unfurled among the Everton supporters, saying "SORRY ELTON - I GUESS THAT'S WHY THEY CALL US THE BLUES".

In 1985, John was one of the many performers at , playing the leg of the marathon concert. He played "Bennie and the Jets" and "Rocket Man"; performed "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" with Kiki Dee for the first time in years; and introduced his friend , still then of , to sing "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me".
This was an example of John's endearing support of young artists and embrace of all new music, which continues to this day.

He enlisted Michael to sing backing vocals on his single " ", and also recruited teen idol as an instrumentalist on "Nikita". John also recorded material with in 1985.
Elton John was deeply affected by the plight of , an Indiana teenager with .

Along with , John befriended and supported the boy and his family until White's death in 1990. Himself a mess and confronted by his then-lover, John checked into a Chicago hospital in 1990 to combat his , , and . In recovery, he lost weight and underwent hair replacement, and subsequently took up residence in .

Also in 1990, John would finally achieve his first UK number one hit on his own, with " " (backed with "Healing Hands") from the previous year's album ; it would stay at the top spot for six weeks.
The 1991 film documentary described the unusual writing style that John and Bernie Taupin use, which involves Taupin writing the lyrics on his own, and John then putting them to music, with the two never in the same room during the process. That same year, the came out, featuring contributions from many top British and American rock and pop performers.

Finally in 1991, John's "Basque" won the , and a guest concert appearance he had made on George Michael's reverent treatment of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" was released as a single and topped the charts in both the US and UK.
In 1992 he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation, intending to direct 90 percent of the funds it raised to direct care, and 10 percent to AIDS prevention education. He also announced his intention to donate all future royalties from sales of his singles in the US and UK to AIDS research.

That year, he released the US number 8 album , 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. John performed " " and " " with at the , an AIDS charity event held at , in honour of Queen's late front man . "Bohemian Rhapsody" featured a duet with , a reconciliatory gesture given Rose's previous homophobic reputation.

In September of the same year, he performed " " with Rose's band for the 1992 at the in Los Angeles. The following year, he released , a collaboration with 15 artists ranging from to . This also included a new collaboration with Kiki Dee, entitled "True Love", which reached the Top 10 of the UK charts.

In 1994, along with , he wrote the songs for the animated film . (Rice was reportedly stunned by the rapidity with which John was able to set his words to music.) The Lion King went on to become the highest-grossing traditionally-animated feature of all time, with the songs playing a key part.

Three of the five songs nominated for the that year were John and Rice songs from , with " " winning. (John acknowledged his domestic partner, Canadian film-maker , at the ceremonies.) In versions sung by John, both that and " " became big hits, while the other songs such as " " achieved popularity with all ages as well.

"Can You Feel the Love Tonight" would also win John the . After the release of the soundtrack, the album remained at the top of Billboard's charts for nine weeks. On , , the announced that the album The Lion King had sold 15 million copies and therefore was certified as a with room to spare.

Elton John was inducted into the in his first year of eligibility in 1994. He and Bernie Taupin had previously been inducted into the in 1992. Elton John was made a in 1995.

In 1995 John released (number 13, 1995), which featured the hit single "Believe" (number 13, 1995). Also, a compilation called was released the following year.
The cover of the Princess Diana tribute, Candle In The Wind.