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Elton John dead or alive. Elton John: biography, best songs, interesting facts, listen. Last years of career

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Biography

Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; born March 25, 1947) is an English rock singer, composer, pianist, knight bachelor (1995) and holder of the Order of the British Empire (CBE, Commander, 1997) ...

Over the course of his nearly 40-year career, Elton John has sold over 250 million records. More than 50 of his singles were in the Top 40. He is one of the most successful pop artists of all time.

Elton John was one of the most commercially successful rock music artists of the 1970s: 7 of his albums topped the US charts, 23 were in the American Top 40, 16 were in the top 10 and 6 were in first place. One of them, "Candle in the Wind" (dedicated to Princess Diana), sold 37 million copies and became the bestselling single of all time. Elton John influenced the development of popular music and made a huge contribution to the spread of the piano in rock and roll. The main features of Elton John's work are melodic talent, a rich tenor, a gospel-style piano, energetic orchestral arrangements, a bright stage image and theatrical skill.

In the early 1990s, Elton John was forced to fight drug addiction, depression and bulimia. Nevertheless, he continues to work in public, in particular in the fight against AIDS, which he began in the late 1980s. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, was knighted in 1998 and remains one of the most successful singers in England to this day.

Elton John was born in Pinner (Pinner, England), the son of Air Force Squadron Commander Stanley Dwight and his wife Sheila (nee Harris). Young Dwight was raised primarily by his mother, and he did not see his father often. Stanley and Sheila divorced in 1962 when Dwight was 15 years old. His mother married Fred Farebrother, whom Elton fondly called "Derf".

Dwight began playing the piano when he was four years old. As a child prodigy, he was able to play any melody. At the age of 11, he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied for six years, after which he began his musical career. In 1960, Dwight and his friends formed the group The Corvettes, which began with the performance of compositions by Ray Charles and Jim Reeves (on the stage of the Northwood Hills Hotel, Middlesex), and in 1961 turned into Bluesology. During the day he ran errands for music publishers, while at night he performed solo in a London hotel bar and worked with Bluesology. By the mid-1960s, Bluesology was already touring the United States with R&B musicians such as The Isley Brothers, Major Lance, Doris Troy, Patti LaBelle and The Bluebelles. In 1966, the group began to collaborate with Long John Baldry (part of the latter's nickname later became the pseudonym of Elton John) and began a tour of England.

After unsuccessful auditions for King Crimson and Gentle Giant, Dwight responded to an ad in the weekly New Musical Express posted by Ray Williams, then head of A&R at Liberty Records. Williams gave Dwight a collection of lyrics written by Taupin who responded to the same announcement. Neither Dwight nor Taupin were selected in the competition. Dwight wrote music for poetry, which he then mailed to Taupin: this is how a partnership arose from joint work by correspondence, which continues to this day. In 1967, Elton John / Bernie Taupin's first composition "Scarecrow" was recorded: after the first meeting, six months later, Reginald Dwight took the pseudonym Elton John - in honor of Elton Dean and Long John Baldry. Some time later, in 1972, he added a middle name to himself, Hercules: that was the name of the horse in the comedy television series Steptoe and Son.

John & Taupin soon joined Dick James' DJM Records as full-time songwriters in 1968 and spent the next two years writing songs for a variety of artists, including Roger Cook and Lulu. Taupin could sketch a text in an hour, then send it to John, who wrote music for it in half an hour, and if he could not think of something quickly, he ordered the next sketch. At the same time, John worked part-time in "budget" labels, recording cover versions of topical hits, collections of which were sold in supermarkets.

On the advice of music publisher Steve Brown, John and Taupin began writing more complex songs for the DJM label. The first was the single "I’ve Been Loving You" (1968), recorded by producer Caleb Quaye, former Bluesology guitarist. In 1969, John released the single "Lady Samantha" and the album "Empty Sky" with Quay, drummer Roger Pope and bassist Tony Murray. Both works received good reviews, but were not commercially successful.

To work on the next album, John and Taupin brought in producer Gus Dudgeon and arranger Paul Buckmaster. Album "Elton John" was released in the spring of 1970: in the UK - by Pye Records (a subsidiary of DJM), in the USA - by Uni Records. It was here that the authors found the formula for success, which was subsequently developed: rock songs (with elements of gospel music) and soulful ballads. The first single from the album Border Song reached only 92 in the United States. But the second - Your Song - became a hit on both sides of the Atlantic (# 8 in the US, # 7 in the UK): in the wake of this success, the album itself began to rise in the charts.

In August, Elton John gave his first American concert at the Los Angeles club The Troubadour: on stage he was introduced to the audience by Neil Diamond; Nigel Olsson (former drummer of the Spencer Davis Group) and bassist Dee Murray played the backing lineup. His style of performance (much like that of Jerry Lee Lewis) made an impression not only on reporters, but also on colleagues, in particular, Quincy Jones and Leon Russell.

Taking part in the recording of Back Home, the football anthem for the England national team going to the World Cup in Mexico, Elton John recorded the concept album Tumbleweed Connection, which was released in October 1970 and climbed to the top ten on Billboard.

Live album 1-17-70 (17-11-70 - in the UK) includes a recording of a performance broadcast from the studios of the New York radio station WABC-FM, where Elton John and his band were represented by DJ Dave Herman. The record, which includes mostly extended versions of John and Taupin's early compositions, showcased the influences of gospel, boogie-woogie and blues that were characteristic of Elton John's early work. Outstanding tracks here were "Burn Down the Mission" (18:20) (which included a portion of "My Baby Left Me" by Arthur Crudup and the full version of "Get Back" by The Beatles), as well as a cover of "Honky Tonk Women" by AMG calls it "phenomenal." The commercial performance of the album in the United States, however, was negatively affected by the fact that a few weeks before the official release, a bootleg appeared on the market containing full version radio concert (not the 40 minutes that Dick James Music selected for the record).

In November 1971, Elton John's sixth studio album, Madman Across the Water, was released, a dark, atmospheric piece marked by Paul Buckmaster's grandiose orchestrations and a notable influence of progressive rock. The album became a hit in the USA (# 8, UK - # 41), as did the single from it, "Levon". At the same time, the single "Friends" from the soundtrack album for the film of the same name entered the charts.

In 1972, with the arrival of Davey Johnstone (guitar, backing vocals), the final line-up of the Elton John Band was formed. All members of the group were excellent instrumentalists, had strong voices and painted vocal arrangements themselves, often in the absence of Elton John. The band with producer Gus Dudgeon released Honky Chateau: the album climbed to # 1 on Billboard's lists and stayed at the top for 5 weeks. It released singles for "Rocket Man" (I Think It’s Going To Be A Long, Long Time) (# 6 US, # 2 UK) and Honky Cat (# 8 US). "Rocket Man" kicked off a series of sixteen Top 20 singles (of which 19 made it to the UK's top ten). Honky Chateau was the first in a similar series of 7 charttopper albums to go platinum one after another.

In 1973, Elton John created his own label Rocket Records and released Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player (1973, # 1 USA, UK), his most pop-oriented album. It was released as singles "Crocodile Rock" (# 1, US, # 5 UK) and "Daniel" (# 2 US, # 4 UK).

The next album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973, # 1 USA - 8 weeks, # 1 UK) had an even more resounding success - an album of an unusually wide stylistic range, in which Bernie Taupin realized some of his literary claims ("The Ballad of Danny Bailey" ). In retrospect, this is the album that music critics consider the best in Elton John's career. It was around this time that Elton John found himself at the center of the glam rock movement; the moment came when (according to an AMG reviewer) the singer's personality "... began to attract more attention than even his music." 4 singles were released from the album: "Saturday Night's Alright for Fignting" (# 7 UK, # 12 USA), “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” (# 6 UK, # 2 USA), “Candle in the Wind” (# 11, UK ), "Benny and the Jets" (# 1, USA).

The records of Kiki Dee and Neil Sedaki were released on Rocket Records, but Elton John himself decided to return to MCA in 1974, having signed a record 8 million contract with the company at that time.

In 1974, Elton John recorded two cover versions: "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "One Day at a Time" (composition by John Lennon), after which he was invited by the latter to participate in the recording of "Whatever Gets You thru the Night" from the Walls And Bridges album. Lennon promised that if the single came out on top, he would invite Elton to perform it together at a concert, and he kept his word: a concert in Madison Square Garden (during which the duo also performed “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” and “I Saw Her Standing There ") was the last public performance of the ex-Beatle. After the concert, Elton John continued touring the United States on his own Boeing.

In 1974, the album Caribou was released: it climbed to No. 1 in the United States, but critics were generally not satisfied, because (as the AMG reviewer notes) "more than the previous ones, it was designed for external effect." There were reports that Elton John recorded it for only two weeks between concerts. Notable tracks included the hard rock "The Bitch Is Back" and the classic pop ballad "Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me," where John once again demonstrated his mastery of the orchestral arranger.

That same year, Pete Townshend asked Elton John to play the role of "Local Lad" in the film adaptation of the rock opera Tommy (directed by Ken Russell) and perform the song "Pinball Wizard". The single with this version climbed to 7th place in England. Also in 1975, John appeared with Cher, Bette Midler and Flip Wilson in the Cher Bono Television Special (1975).

In 1975, the autobiographical album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy was released: a musical story about the first months of their stay in London, then unknown John and Taupin. A single from here came "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" - a song that told about a specific episode of John's youth.

1975 was marked by the collapse of the Elton John Band: Olsson and Murray, tired of continuous work, left the band - musicians who made a huge contribution to the formation of a specific sound best works Elton John. Johnston and Ray Cooper stayed, Quay and Roger Pope returned, and new bassist Kenny Passarelli came in. James Newton-Howard was brought in to work on studio arrangements and keyboards. Elton John unveiled his new roster at London's Wembley Stadium in front of 75,000 spectators.

With the new line-up, Rock of the Westies was released - an album that topped the US charts, but was inferior in quality to its predecessor. Be that as it may, the main income by this time brought Elton John his stage shows, which were held with increasing fanfare. At the same time, John found the opportunity to give 4 concerts at the Troubadour club: tickets were distributed according to a lottery, and everyone who won a ticket was given a special booklet. Also in 1975, Elton John played on Kevin Ayers' Sweet Deceiver album.

In 1976, the live album Here and There was released, followed by Blue Moves, a generally dark album whose atmosphere was perfectly reflected by the single track "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word". Despite the fact that the overall saturation of the double album could not compare with Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, critics praised it highly, noting among the unusual things "Cage the Songbird" (tribute to Edith Piaf) and "Boogie Pilgrim" with the participation of the church choir of the South California under Rev. James Cleveland.

Elton John achieved his highest commercial achievement in 1976 in a duet with Kiki Dee: their single "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" topped both the American and English charts. Shortly after the release of the single, Elton John openly declared his bisexuality in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine. Later, the singer admitted that this wording was a compromise: he did not dare to immediately declare his homosexuality, so as not to upset the fans, many of whom were horrified even by this "softened" version of the confession. At the end of 1976, Elton John gave 7 sold-out concerts in a row at Madison Square Garden: this record remains unsurpassed to this day. After that, there was a break in the singer's concert activity, which he himself explained by creative fatigue. In addition, some cooling occurred in his relationship with Bernie Taupin, who, after the release of the album Blue Moves, began to work on the side with other musicians.

In general, 1970-1976 years were in all respects the most successful in the singer's career. All six of Elton John's albums included in Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (the highest, 91st is Goodbye Yellow Brick Road) date from this period.

In 1979, the creative tandem of Elton John and Bernie Taupin reunited. The following year, the new album 21 at 33 was released, which is considered a great achievement in the singer's creative career. One of the songs on the album was Little Jeannie, which became Elton John's greatest success in four years. She climbed to number three on the US charts. It should be noted, however, that the lyrics for this song were written by Gary Osborne. In addition to Taupin and Osborne, Elton John collaborated during this period with authors of poetry such as Tom Robinson and Judy Tsuki.

In 1981, the album The Fox was released, the recording of which took place in part during the recording of the previous album. Both poets, Taupin and Osborne, took part in this work. On September 13, 1980, Elton John performs a free concert in front of a crowd of approximately 400,000 in New York's Central Park. The concert took place in the immediate vicinity of the house in which the apartment of John Lennon, a friend of Elton John's, was located. At this concert Elton John sang Imagine songs as a tribute to his friend. Three months later, Lennon was killed near this very building. Elton John mourns this loss in his 1982 composition Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johny), featured on the Jump Up! In August 1982, Elton John took part in a John Lennon Memorial Concert at Madison Square Garden in New York. On stage, the singer was joined by Yoko Ono and Sean Ono Lennon, godson of Elton John.

The 80s were a period of strong personal shocks for the singer. In 1984 he unexpectedly married the sound engineer Renate Blauel. In 1986, he loses his voice while touring Australia and undergoes throat surgery shortly thereafter. Several polyps were removed from his vocal cords, which, fortunately, were not associated with cancer. As a result, the timbre of the singer's voice has changed somewhat, and from this period it begins to sound in a new way. Elton John continues to actively "record", but years of addiction to cocaine and alcohol are beginning to make themselves felt. In 1987, he wins a libel lawsuit against The Sun newspaper, which accused him of having sex with minors. After his victory in court, Elton John said: "You can call me a fat, bald, mediocre old queen who cannot sing, but you have no right to tell a lie about me."

After the former members of his band - Johnston, Murray and Olsson got back together, Elton John was able to return to the top charts with his new album To Low For Zero, which was recorded in 1983. This album, among other songs, included hits such as I’m Still Standing and I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues. The last song, in which Stevie Wonder took part, reached No. 4 in the American charts. Despite the fact that Elton John during this period did not manage to repeat the success in America, which he achieved in the 70s, his songs regularly hit the top positions in the charts throughout the decade. These were such compositions as: Little Jeanny (took 3rd place in 1980), Sad Song (Say So Much) (5th place in 1984), Nikita (7th place in 1986). The most successful single was the work in which Elton John took part along with such artists as Dionne Warwick, Gladys Nnight and Stevie Wonder - That’s What Friends Are For (1st place in 1985). The proceeds from this song went to fund AIDS research. Despite the fact that his albums continue to sell, only his work, Reg Strikes Back, managed to break into the American Top 20 and take 16th place there in 1988.

In 1984, Watford Football Club made it to the English Football League Cup final. Thus, the long-standing dream of Elton John, who for many years was a fan of this club, as well as its owner and chairman of the board, came true. During the traditional pre-match ceremony, fans sang the song Abide With Me, which caused tears in Elton John's eyes. However, the game was lost to the Everton club, who played in their traditional blue uniform. After the game, Everton fans raised a banner above their podium that read: "Sorry, Elton, but this is probably why everyone calls us gay."

In 1985, Elton John, along with other famous performers, took part in the Live Aid concert project, the proceeds from which were sent to help the countries of the African continent. During the marathon concert at Wembley Stadium in London, he sang his songs Bennie And The Jets and Rocket Man, sang Don't Go Breaking My Heart with Kiki Dee, and also introduced his young friend George Michael, who was then a member of group Wham !, singing with him the song Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me.

In 1986, Elton John took part in the recording of the album Rock The Nations of the metal band Saxon's, recording keyboards for two tracks from this album.

In 1988 he played five concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York. The total number of performances of the artist in this concert hall was then 26, which allowed him to break the record previously held by the American group Grateful Dead. However, this year can be considered a certain turning point in the career and personal life of Elton John. More than 2,000 items related to or belonging to Elton John were put up for sale at Sotheby's in London, for a total amount of about $ 20 million. Among them was even a collection of tens of thousands of musical recordings that Elton John has collected and cataloged over the years. The singer himself admitted that this was his kind of farewell to his eccentric and turbulent past. In later interviews, he said that 1989 was perhaps the most difficult year for him, and compared his condition during this period with the complete moral and physical exhaustion of Elvis Presley in the last years of his life.

Elton John was deeply impressed by the story of Ryan White, an Indiana teenager who had AIDS. Together with Michael Jackson, he took an active part in the fate of the child, supported him and his family until White's tragic death in 1990. Depressed, Elton John is admitted to a hospital in Chicago in 1990, where he is undergoing rehabilitation in the fight against drug addiction, alcoholism and bulimia. After finishing treatment, he loses weight, undergoes a hair transplant and moves to his new residence in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1990, Elton John finally managed to reach number one in the UK charts with his single Sacrifice. This song was part of the singer 's last year album Sleeping With The Past. The single remained at the top of the charts for six weeks.

In 1991, the documentary Two Rooms was released, which describes the creative process of creating songs by the tandem of Elton John and Bernie Taupin. As shown in the film, Taupin writes poetry in one place, while Elton John creates music in another room. During the creative process, the authors never intersect with each other. In the same year, the tribute album Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin was released, in the recording of which many famous British and American performers of rock and pop music took part. In 1991, Elton John achieved another success, his composition Basque received a Grammy award in the category Best Instrumental Composition. The singer took part in the recording of George Michael in his interpretation of the song Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me. This work was released as a single and took first places in the charts of Great Britain and the USA. The singer died of AIDS on November 24, 1991 Queen groups and close friend of Elton John Freddie Mercury. Elton John was one of the few people invited to the burial ceremony.

In 1992, he founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation to fund AIDS programs. He also announced his decision to use all the money he earned from singles sales in the UK and the US to expand AIDS research. In the same year, his new album, The One, was released, which reached number 8 in the American charts, the highest achievement since the release of Blue Moves in 1976. Elton John and Taupin signed this year with Warner / Chappell Music, which is valued at $ 39 million for a period of 12 years. At that time, it was the largest contract in the history of pop music. Elton John takes part in a concert dedicated to the memory of Freddie Mercury, where he sings songs Bohemian Rhapsody and The Show Must Go On with Queen.

In September of the same year, Elton John performed the song November Rain with Guns N 'Roses. The following year, his album Elton John's Duets was released, which was recorded by him with the participation of 15 artists representing a wide variety of genres and trends in contemporary music. One of the compositions presented on this album - the song True Love, which Elton John sings with singer Kiki Dee, takes 10th place in the British charts, another duet with Eric Clapton Runaway Train also hits the British charts.

In 1994, Elton John collaborated with Tim Rice on the soundtrack for the Disney animated film The Lion King. The film became the most commercially successful cartoon of all time, and the songs recorded for it played an important role in this. Of the five Oscar-nominated songs this year, three were written by Elton John and Tim Rice for The Lion King. The song Can You Feel The Love Tonight won an Academy Award. With this song, Elton John was also awarded a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal. The film's soundtrack peaked at number one on the Billboard charts for nine weeks. On November 10, 1999, the RIAA announced that The Lion King had sold 15 million in sales, making it a massive diamond by the organization's classification.

In 1994, Elton John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Prior to that, in 1992, he and Bernie Taupin were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 1995 he became the Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Elton John was given the title of Knight Bachelor, which gave him the right to add the prefix "sir" to his name.

In 1995, his album Made In England was released, which took the 3rd position in the British charts. One of the compositions from this album - Believe - also hits the charts and takes 15th position there. The compilation album Love Songs is released next year.

1997 was marked by ups and downs for Elton John. At the beginning of the year, the singer appeared before the public in his "splendor" during the celebration of his 50th anniversary. He organized a Louis IV-style festive party for 500 of his closest friends, at which he appeared in a suit worth $ 80,000 Perdu De Son Charme Ni Le Jardin Du Son Éclat ”by the legend of the French ballet Maurice Bejart, which was dedicated to the fight against AIDS and the memory of Freddie Mercury and Georges Donne, the star of the Bejart troupe. This performance was the second time since the death of Freddie Mercury that the rest of the band got together. At the end of 1997, Elton John lost two very close friends: designer Gianni Versace (who was killed) and Princess Diana, who died in Paris in a car accident.

In early September, Bernie Taupin finalized the lyrics to Candle In The Wind for a special ceremony commemorating Diana's death, and Elton John sang it during a funeral ceremony at Westminster Abbey. The recording of this song became the fastest-selling single in the history of pop music. Total sales in the UK alone reached 5 million copies, in the United States - 11 million, and in total worldwide sales amounted to about 33 million copies. The proceeds from the sale of this disc, which totaled approximately £ 55 million, were donated to the Princess Diana Memorial Fund. Subsequently, the singer received a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal with this song. He never performed this version of the song again, repeatedly emphasizing that this song can only be performed once in order to remain special.

In 1998, a disc was released with the recording of music for the musical Aida (Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida), on which Elton John worked with Tim Rice. The first stage performance of this musical was in Atlanta, later performances were held in Chicago and Broadway in New York.

The first decade of the 21st century was marked for Elton John by numerous collaborations with other artists and figures of contemporary pop culture. In 2000, Elton John and Tim Rice teamed up again to work on the music for the new animated film The Road to El Dorado. This year, a disc is released with a recording of his concert Elton John One Night Only - The Greatest Hits, which took place a year earlier at the Madison Square Garden in New York.

In 2001, Elton John announced that Songs From The West Coast would be his last studio album and that from now on he would only focus on live performances. However, in 2004 his next studio album, Peach Road, was released.

In 2001, Elton John received an invitation to take part in the BBC television show Have I Got News For You. At first he gave his consent, but at the last moment he changed his mind and refused to participate in the program. This happened just hours before its airing, and the producers were forced to bring in Ray Johnson, a taxi driver from Golchester who sometimes acted as Elton John's doppelganger. During the program, he practically did not say a word, however, when the program went on the air 24 hours later, his name was present in the credits, and the name of Elton John was removed from there. In the same year, a film was shot that told about the singer's career from the moment of his appearance on the stage until the early 2000s. This film was called The Elton John Story and aired on VH-1 Classic, but it was never released as a separate disc or cassette.

In 2001, Elton John performed a duet with Eminem on his song Stan at the Grammy Awards. This song later appeared on Eminem's album Curtain Call: The Hits. Before public opinion considered Eminem a homophobe, but after collaborating with Elton John, this opinion changed somewhat. In the same year, he sang the song Friends for the film The Country Bears, and also performed one of the episodic roles in this film.

In 2002, the British band Blue released their interpretation of Elton John's song Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word, in which the singer himself also took part. This song took first place in the UK charts, as well as in several others. European countries... Elton John also contributed to the success of Tupac Shakur, who used an excerpt from Elton John's song "Indian Sunset" from Madman Across The Water into Ghetto Gospel, the US chart-topping single. The song "Indian Sunset" was later included in Elton John's single Electricity, which the singer wrote in 2005 for the production of Billy Elliot The Musical. The marketing plan for the new single was organized in a very unusual and efficient way. Over 75% of sales were online downloads after users accessed by taking a quiz and answering questions via text messages sent from a cell phone. Electricity is still one of Elton John's most successful solo singles throughout the 2000s.

However, the song Are You Ready For Love should be recognized as the greatest success of Elton John in the first decade of the 21st century. This composition went almost unnoticed when it first appeared in the late 70s, however, when it was reissued in 2003, it immediately took first places in the charts.

"Billy Elliot" was not the only musical in which Elton John took part. Together with Bernie Taupin, he took part in the production of Lestad: The Musical based on the novel by Anna Rice. However, this production was greeted with hostility by the critics and was closed after 39 performances.

In addition, Elton John's music has been widely used in films. One of his songs, Tiny Dancer, recorded back in 1970, was used in the 2002 film "Almost Famous". His other composition, The Heart Of Every Girl, was used in the 2003 film Mona Lisa Smile.

On July 2, 2005, Elton John took part in the famous Live 8 concert held in London's Hyde Park. In the same year, the singer recorded a duet with Australian country singer Katherine Britt entitled "Where We Both Say Goodbye". The song climbed to 38th position on the Billboard magazine country charts.

On November 10, 2005, the compilation Elton John’s Christmas Party was released, for which he sang two songs, and the artists he had selected took part in the recording of the rest. The album was originally sold through the Starbucks Café chain, and two dollars from each sale went to his Elton John AIDS Foundation. On October 10, 2006 the album went on sale, but 6 songs from the original list (which included 21 songs) were excluded. On February 7, 2006, a dedication album was released, recorded by a number of artists at Studio 99, titled The Timeless Classics Of Elton John Performed By Studio 99.

On September 19, 2006, Elton John and Bernie Taupin released their next joint disc, which was, as it were, a logical continuation of the famous Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy album titled The Captain & The Kid. This album included 10 new songs. It is also interesting in that for the first time in the entire time of the collaboration, photographs of Elton John and Bernie Taupin were placed on the disc at the same time. The album was critically acclaimed and has worldwide sales of approximately 3.5 million copies to date.

* In 1991 "Basque" received a Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition.
* Elton John and Bernie Taupin were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992.
* Elton John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
* The singer became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1995.
* In September 1997, a special version of the single "Candle in the Wind" was released. This single became the best-selling single of all time. It has sold over 30 million copies worldwide, and £ 55 million from its sales went to the Princess Diana Memorial Fund. Elton John later received a Grammy for Best Male Vocal Performance for this song.
* On February 24, 1998, Queen Elizabeth II knighted the singer and bestowed the title of "sir" on him.
* Elton John voiced himself in the South Park series "Boss Assistance" (earlier in the same series, Elton John appeared in the episode "The Elephant Makes Love to a Pig", where he was voiced by Trey Parker). In addition, Elton John recorded the song "Wake Up Wendy" for the "Chef Aid: The South Park Album".

Elton John's coat of arms has 2 circles: white and black. Black stands for vinyl record, white stands for CD.

On December 7, 2008, Elton John performed with a New Year's Eve charity concert at the new Luxury Village concert hall in Barvikha. Together with Elton, his husband, film director David Furnish, flew to the next Russian concert of the singer.

Tickets cost up to 1.3 million rubles.

At the moment, Elton John is the author of 29 studio albums, 128 singles, the composer of music for several films, cartoons and productions. A large number of collections of his best songs, albums with his works performed by other artists have been released. In addition, there are a number of videotapes and DVDs on the market with recordings of his live performances and clips.

Elton John recorded his first song back in 1965. A little more than half a century has passed since then. During this period, the talented musician released 30 studio albums, delighted the audience with 130 singles, won many awards and received worldwide recognition. The shocking, bright and extravagant artist is known in almost any country. Yes, some of his life values ​​are far from generally accepted. But this does not prevent fans and connoisseurs of music from enjoying his songs. We suggest you go through the creative path of Sir Elton John from the very beginning and listen to his best compositions.

short biography

On March 25, 1947, a completely ordinary and at the same time exciting event happened in the family of Stanley and Shailey Dwight: the couple had a son, Reginald Kenneth Dwight. This was the name given to the musician at birth. He was born in England, in the historic county of Middlesex, in the county of London.

For many people, childhood is a pleasant time to remember. But not for Elton John. His early years were marred by his parents' quarrels and his oppressive father, an Air Force officer. He was always unhappy with his wife, home and ... the only son he saw as an athlete on the podium. Well, what about little Reggie? This sweet, affectionate and gentle child did not resemble the ideal of his father much, which caused his anger.

The grandmother, Quince, became the salvation for the boy. She put the crying child on her lap and soothed as best she could. At one of these moments, Quince allowed her grandson to press the keys of an old piano. This was the beginning of birth new star in the music world. Little Reggie found an outlet in music and literally a week later began to select famous songs by ear. At that time he was only 3 years old.

Sheila was shocked by her son's talent. Yes, his acting was imperfect, but there was something more in it. And she began to develop and encourage the abilities of Reggie, for whom the living room home became the first scene. He played the piano in hopes of winning his father's love, but to no avail.

Underestimated by his own father, Reginald filled that gap at the Royal Academy of Music in London. As an 11-year-old boy, he impressed the admissions office with his piano playing and received a scholarship. For six years he will diligently attend classes and receive approving reviews from teachers. But study did not bother him much. In the first place was rock and roll and their own appearance, which did not satisfy the teenager.

While studying at the Academy goes on as usual, Reggie decides to create a group called Bluesology. At the time of the founding of the team, he was only 13 years old. He even finds an agent to promote his art. The guys started with songs by Ray Charles and Jim Reeves, a well-known country performer in music circles. The group gained some notoriety and even toured the United States in the mid-60s as musical accompaniment for various artists.

The second half of the 60s was not the best for a musician. The first self-written song did not make an impression on the public, personal life collapsed, excess weight prevented me from gaining self-confidence ... To top it off, the sale of the debut album "Empty Sky" totaled only 400 copies, although the reviews inspired optimism.

Success came 2 years later with an album named by his pseudonym, "Elton John". The track "Your Song" gained particular popularity and became a hit on both sides of the ocean. The name of the musician began to sound all over the world: not only European cities, but also American ones were included in the tour.

In the wake of popularity, Elton John records the anthem of the British football team. At the same time he releases his third studio album, which takes the first line in the charts. Fame, money - all this falls on a talented musician. What else can you dream of? About his own record company, where he, accompanied by his team (Elton John Band), listens to hundreds of demos in search of talent. The Rocket Records label was created in 1973 and existed until 2007. Working for the company took time and effort. Despite this, the popular composer did not forget about his own musical career: his singles and albums, one after another, occupy the highest lines in the ratings and reach platinum status.

At some point, the personality of the performer himself began to attract more attention than his work. Society was interested in the artist's personal life and everything that was connected with him. Elton John himself is actively using his popularity and has a carefree time.

In the late 70s, turbulent times swept the world. In England, shocking and personal freedom began to be promoted - Elton's work turned out to be unnecessary for society. The artist dissolved the depressive mood in narcotic and alcoholic ecstasy. He went into the shadows, and in order to somehow rehabilitate himself in his eyes, he began to tour in countries where he had not been before. Among them was the USSR.

The revival of the British star dates back to the early 90s. By this time, Elton John had radically changed his life: he got rid of bad habits, changed his British apartments to American ones and decided to return to his former glory. He succeeded. "Grammy", "Oscar" and other awards, including a knight's title, begin to pour in on the artist as if from a cornucopia.

Elton John is now 70 years old. Age makes itself felt - concerts are less frequent. But this does not mean that he disappeared from the stage. He continues to sing, act in films, produce and still shock the audience. But creativity is not the only meaning of his life at the present time. Children are what he endlessly values. The eldest son even accompanies the famous dad on tour. Life for Elton John does not lose color and saturation. And in this one can only envy him.

Interesting Facts

• There was also a suicide attempt in the life of a popular artist. He wanted to commit suicide by turning on the gas burner. But, fortunately, I forgot to close the windows. What prompted a man to do such an extreme act? Constant quarrels with his beloved, who saw him as a bank clerk and sometimes even beat him. He wanted a real normal family, with a big house and children.
• Elton is actively involved in community life, donating money to the fight against AIDS. The death of Freddie Mercury pushed him to create his own foundation.
• It's hard to imagine, but Sir Elton John was in some way a fan of the British boy group "Take That" and even managed to kidnap Robbie Williams with the help of his guards. What for? To send a young man to drug rehabilitation. But the impudent young man ran away after a couple of days and only after a while appreciated the correctness of his colleague's intentions.
• Flowers are a special passion of a musician. In the late 90s, the press even reported that Elton had spent about 300 thousand pounds to buy flowers. And this is in 9 months. One of the singer's points is also associated with flower "disease" - the dressing room must be decorated with fresh flowers.

• Drug addiction is a passed stage in the artist's life. Yes, he used cocaine and in 1975 he even nearly died of an overdose. Despite that case, Elton decided to get rid of addiction only in the late 80s. He is now helping other celebrities resist addiction. So, Eminem is grateful to his colleague for moral support and guidance on this difficult path.
• The artist was also treated for bulimia: excess weight never gave him rest.
• Elton John considers himself an atheist. In his opinion, religion should be banned altogether so that conflicts between countries with different religions disappear and the persecution of people with non-traditional sexual orientation stops.
• Despite his atheistic views, Elton John had to neglect them for the sake of his idol and friend John Lennon. He appeared at the funeral procession and said goodbye to the musical genius. By the way, it was Elton who received an offer from John Lennon and Yoko Ono to become the godfather of their son.
• In 2005, Elton John married David Furnish, a Canadian filmmaker. The ceremony itself was closed and modest, and the banquet in honor of such an event was solemn and pompous: 700 people were invited to it.

• For the first time, Elton had to become a father at the age of 63. The son of Zachariah was born as a surrogate mother. Two years later, another boy, Elijah, appeared in the family in the same way. The "young" dad preferred to change diapers on his own, bottle feed the children and stay awake at night. He sees the meaning of life in children.
• In the personal life of the performer, marriage with Renata Blayel is also listed. This woman was able to win the singer's heart, but not for long - after 4 years the couple broke up.

Best Songs by Elton John

Here is a list of the most memorable and popular songs by this artist.

• « Your Song"- a song that brought success. Bernie Taupin, the author of the words, admits that he wrote the lyrics on dirty paper so simply, without being tied to a specific artist. Elton is said to have taken only 10 minutes to record the score. The result is a romantic single that continues to appeal to many music lovers.
• « Rocket man"Was released in 1972 and almost immediately hit # 2 on the UK charts. The history of the song's creation is also noteworthy. The most common version is that the author, the same Bernie Taupin, was inspired by the stories of science fiction writer Ray Bradbury. Another says that Bernie saw a shooting star. The undisclosed origin secret makes the composition even more attractive, doesn't it?

"Rocket Man" (listen)

• « Tiny dancer". This song can hardly be called commercially successful: it did not occupy high positions in the ratings. Her fame is due to her appearance as a soundtrack for the movie "Almost Famous." The single was waiting for its "finest hour" 30 years after its release. What is he talking about? About Californian women, attractive and sexy.

"Tiny Dancer" (listen)

• « Bennie and the jets". In addition to the catchy rhythm, the track is remembered with light text. The composer himself did not believe in the success of the song and was against its release as a single. But his intuition let him down: in the USA it took the top line and was sold in multimillion copies.
• "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word." Another composition in the history of which there are two waves of success. The first falls on 1976, when the song appeared in rotation. The second - in 2002, when the band "Blue" took up its rehash and performed it together with Sir Elton John. It is noteworthy that he sang this single and a duet with Ray Charles.

"Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (listen)

Films about Elton John and with his participation

The talent of this personality is multifaceted. And it's not just the concert videos that every self-respecting artist releases. Elton is active in various TV shows and television series. His drawn image can be found in The Simpsons, South Park. In total, the famous Englishman's film career includes more than 100 TV series where he played himself. What to do - Elton's love for television series is limitless.

In addition to concert DVDs, documentaries are devoted to Elton John. In 2002, "The Elton John Story" was broadcast on one music channel. The tape tells about the artist's creative path from the first concert to the new millennium. Connoisseurs of piano music will love the film "The Million Dollar Piano", dedicated to the artist's concert activities and the main instrument of his life.

Among the paintings in which the composer tried himself as an actor, one can name:

• Tommy (1975), where Elton appears as a wizard who blesses the boy Tommy on the road to becoming a rock star;
• "Country Bears" (2002). Here the composer played an episodic role dedicated to himself.

Music by Elton John in films

The film industry could not do without the musical talent of this composer. His most famous soundtrack is considered "Can You Feel the Love Tonight", written specifically for the animated film "The Lion King" (1994). By the way, the cartoon is also the most commercially successful in its genre.

As for other soundtracks, their number has long exceeded 400. This includes not only feature films, but also serials and TV shows. Here is our modest selection of films, in the creation of which the musician's creativity was used.

Movie	Composition
Shot on Goal (1977)	"Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Words"
Lost Boys (1987)	"Don" t Let The Sun Go Down On Me "
Rocky 5 (1990)	"The Measure of A Man"
Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)	Runaway Train
Toy Story (1995)	"Hakuna Matata"
"The Rock" (1996)	"Rocket Man"
Ice Wind (1997)	"Levon"
Charlie's Angels: Only Ahead (2003)	"Saturday Night" s Alright For Fighting "
Australia (2008)	"The Drover" s Ballad "
"Sing" (2016)	"I" m Still Standing "

Benny Heal Show, Top Gear, Ambulance, Clinic, How I Met Your Mother ... - the list of talk shows and TV series in which you can hear the voice of a talented Englishman is endless.

Features of creativity Elton John

The creative heritage of this Englishman is really wide. For 50 years of work in the music field, he has released more than 30 studio albums, more than 10 collections, and the number of songs he has written will be enough for continuous listening for a month or more. But his career is not over yet!

The tenor is the original voice of the singer. But after surgery in 1987, which took place on the throat, his range changed. Since then, Elton has been singing in baritone. If we talk about musical style, then his work can hardly be attributed to any particular genre. In his songs there are also rock rhythms, academic motives, soul, reggae. Lyrical ballads brought him great popularity, which still make the heart squeeze.

Sir Elton John ... It is enough to say this name to make the image of a man in glasses and in a shiny jacket appear before your eyes. He sits at the piano, masterfully fingering the keys and giving those around him the pleasure of listening to great music. There have been ups and downs in his life. And despite various criticisms and social debates, the name of this artist will always be accompanied by the word "most".

Video: listen to Elton John

Elton John is a famous British pop-rock singer and composer, one of the most successful musicians in the UK. For its fruitful and very successful career the performer has already sold more than 250 million records, many of his songs and albums held the first places in the world charts. In 1980, 400,000 people gathered for his concert in Central Park in New York.

He is the recipient of numerous awards, including a Grammy and an Oscar, Sir of the British Empire (1998). In 1999, Elton was voted the best musician of all time by American listeners.

The audience remembered Elton John not only for his wonderful music, but also for his extravagant and unique stage image - bright costumes and, of course, permanent big glasses.

Childhood and family

In the family of pilot-officer Stanley and housewife Sheila Dwight, a boy was born on March 25, 1947, who was christened Reginald Kenneth. The Duyats lived in Midlax County, which became the Northwest District of London in 1965.

In the next house lived his maternal grandparents, who were much more involved in the upbringing of Reginald than his father. The only child in the family, Reggie was overweight, wore glasses and was afraid of his father. Growing up, his son called him a "cruel snob."

His mother, a very liberal nature, constantly brought home records that introduced the boy to music: jazz singer Kay Starr, composer-instrumentalist Billy May and country singer Tennessee Ernie Ford became the melodies of his childhood. Later, rock and roll pioneer Buddy Holly became his idol.

At the age of 3, the boy, inspired by his grandmother's playing the piano, himself showed interest in the instrument and learned a complex waltz by ear. Even before reaching the pedals, he surprised his family with intricate melodies. His father bought him a used tool for £ 68.

At the age of 11, the genius self-taught has already entered the Royal Conservatory in London, and became the youngest scholar in the history of the educational institution. At the audition, he by ear, without looking at the notes, reproduced the work of Handel played by the teacher.

Meanwhile, the relationship between the parents became more and more tense. The father often went on business trips, but when he returned, he tried to impose new rules on his son: how and how much to eat, what to wear.

Once my mom and dad were in love, but by the time I was born, not a trace of this feeling remained. They seemed to hate each other. My father was a strict, detached person with a terrible character. Mom liked to argue and had a tendency to depression. When they were together, they were either silent or quarreled. They fought mainly because of me, because of my upbringing.

More and more often, Reginald had the feeling that Sheila and Stanley were staying together only because of him, and he was gnawing at a feeling of guilt. At such moments, he locked himself in the room, listened to the records of his beloved Little Richard, Ray Charles and Jerry Lee Lewis and imagined himself in their place. But, he realized, with such an appearance he would hardly be able to become a rock and roll star.

Documentary about Elton John

When the boy was 13, his parents divorced. Despite the difficult relationship with his father, the breakup greatly affected his mental well-being. Stanley started a new family, and Reginald had four half-brothers and sisters, with whom, according to the musician, the man became more intimate than him.

The mother married the artist Fred Fairbrother, with whom the teenager developed a warm relationship. His own father criticized the choice of his son, even after the divorce from Sheila. So, when the matured Reginald got a job at the bank, but soon left, Stanley was beside himself with rage. He wrote an angry letter to his son, in which he predicted his future on the street if the guy did not return to the bank. Unlike his father, his stepfather supported the musical youth.

2 weeks before graduating from the conservatory, Reginald dropped out of school, deciding to devote himself entirely to a musical career in rock and roll music. The guy got a job in a music publishing company, and also played the piano in bars, and then joined a group called Bluesology. He himself invented his stage name, borrowing some of the names of the band members: saxophonist Elton Dean and singer John Baldry.

Musical career

In 1967, Elton John met the poet Bernie Taupin. Both responded to an announcement from Liberty Records A&R, which was looking for new talent. Neither of them passed the audition, but this failure was the beginning of something bigger. On the label, Reginald, admitting that he had a hard time creating lyrics, received a sealed envelope from the organizer of a talent competition, inside which was a pile of papers with lyrics written by a man named Bernie Taupin.

Young people met and began to work together, justifying workplace at Elton's parents' house. Bernie produced extraordinary lyrics that catch the audience, and Reginald composed equally memorable arrangements. Topin became a regular contributor throughout the singer's career, together they composed more than thirty albums, and the very first song together was the composition "Your Song".

It was not immediately published, it was released as the second single on Elton John's second album "Elton John", which was released in 1970. And the first single “I’ve Been Loving You” (1968), like the first album “Empty Sky” (1969), turned out to be a commercial failure. The second disc presented the talented performer not only to the British, but also to the American public, and so successfully that the disc received a Grammy nomination for Best Album of the Year. And the single "Your song" became a hit that Elton John still sings at every concert. In May 1970 he performed it live on the BBC.

Elton John - Your Song (1970, live on BBC)

In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, John Lennon recalled the following:

I heard "Your Song" in America and I thought, "This is the first time something new has come out since we came along." It was a step forward. There was something in his voice that lifted the entire British music scene a little higher.

In 1970, the aspiring musician was noticed by Steve Brown, who worked in the advertising department of the music label EMI. With his assistance, Elton John's compositions began to be played on the radio, and soon the performer was invited to tour the United States. In September of the same year, Elton performed brilliantly at the Troubadour club, met his idol, singer and composer Leon Russell, and after spending three weeks in the States, returned home drunk with attention.

A month later, Elton gave a large-scale tour in the United States, as a result of which The Time called him a "musical superman" capable of surpassing all the cult bands of the 60s.

In 1971, Reginald Kenneth Dwight officially changed his name to Elton Hercules John.

Even then, an extravagant image of the singer began to form, which can still be recognized today by hypertrophied glasses (a compromise between myopia and style), of which he had more than 4 thousand during his career, and challenging stage costumes in the style of glam rock, which was fashionable at the beginning of his career. ... He deliberately brought the stage costumes to the point of absurdity, take at least the costume of a giant chicken.

At the dawn of his career, critics predicted an imminent sunset for Elton John, believing that "eltonomania" is a temporary phenomenon caused by the public's interest in catchy outfits and outrageous behavior of the singer on stage. How wrong they were.

Elton John glasses

Composition from the album "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (1973) "Candle in the Wind", dedicated to Marilyn Monroe, who died 11 years earlier, made Elton a supernova in the music world. The song was ranked 347 on the list of the 500 best songs of all time according to Rolling Stone, the most authoritative music publication.

The album itself, which included 16 more songs, at first met with opposition from critics who called the disc "protracted", but later "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" was recognized as the best album in Elton John's discography.

The singer confirmed his high status with the following successful albums "Caribou" (1974) and "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy" (1975).

In 2015, Elton John delighted fans with a performance at a concert of Ed Sheeran, with whom he performed his famous song “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” and Sheeran’s song “Afire Love”.

In 2016, the singer presented his 32 studio album "Wonderful Crazy Night", which eventually became the last in his eventful career. In 2017, Elton made a cameo appearance in the hit spy action movie Kingsman: The Golden Circle, starring Colin Firth and Taron Egerton.

Elton John's personal life

According to Elton John, he remained a virgin until the age of 23, and made his first sexual contact with a man, his producer John Reed.

After that, the singer was in close relationships with women. So, he had a serious relationship with his secretary Lina Woodrow, whom he met at the very beginning of his career, during a tour with Bluesology. They lived together and were even engaged, but Elton was not happy. He was tormented by thoughts of death, but he did not have the courage to end the relationship. He tried to commit suicide, but thanks to his friend, musician Long John Baldry, he decided to cancel the wedding. The song "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" is dedicated to this episode of his life.

In 1976, Elton John admitted to the press that he likes both women and men. The press attacks that followed the revelations provoked a severe depression in the musician. Elton began to abuse alcohol and drugs. Later, he managed to survive this dysfunctional period.

In 1984, he tied the knot with 28-year-old German Renata Blaeul. The marriage was not happy. Perhaps the musician's cocaine addiction affected. After 4 years, Elton filed for divorce.

After the divorce, in 1988, Elton John came out, admitting that he was not at all interested in women. He no longer hid homosexuality, started numerous novels, and met the love of his life in 1993. Elton's chosen one was Canadian director David Furnish.

In 2005, a marriage contract ceremony was held at Windsor Castle, followed by a banquet attended by over 700 guests. Among them were Prime Minister Tony Blair, Ozzy Osbourne Elton John and David Furnish with children.

In 2014, shortly after the legalization of same-sex marriage in the UK, the couple signed and got married on the 9th anniversary of civil relations.

Sheila Dwight, Elton John's mother, died in December 2017. Before that, they had not maintained a relationship for 8 years: the mother did not hide her dislike for her son's chosen one, but 2 years before her death, they still reconciled. Elton's father died back in 1991, and his son never became close to him.

John has always been known for his passion for expensive cars, luxury homes, and rampant shopping. Already at the beginning of his career, Elton had his own Boeing for touring flights.

Elton John now

In 2018, Sir Elton John announced a farewell world tour and the cessation of concert activities. From now on, he intends to devote all his time entirely to his happy family.

In 2019, the movie "Rocketman" was released on the big screens, telling a wide audience Elton John's thorny path to fame. The great musician was played by the young actor Taron Edgerton. All songs in the film are performed by Elton; Theron succeeded in imitating the timbre of the musician's voice very subtly, but he did not succeed in mastering the piano, despite the lessons with a tutor.

Elton John very warmly reviewed both the film itself and Edgerton's performance. According to the musician, Theron treated the original source very carefully (the diaries of Elton John, which he gave the actor to study before filming).

I sat and looked at myself 15 minutes after the start of the film, I cried.

1947 in North London in Pinner. This event was as ordinary in scale as the birth of a child in the most ordinary family can be. And only many years later we can talk about the significance of this event not only for the parents of their miracle, but also for the whole world ...

Musical prodigy

Reginald Kenneth Dwight, this is how Stanley and Sheila Dwight christened their child when he was born. From early childhood, Reggie showed an interest in music. This was facilitated by the mother, who often studied the piano with the child. My father was a military musician, played the trumpet in the Royal Air Force Band. But he did not want Reggie to follow in his footsteps, so his son's hobbies did not please dad.

However, Reginald's interest in music only grew. Already at the age of four he could play by ear; which was facilitated by the frequent listening of records with performers popular at that time.

When the talented Reginald was 12 years old, the Royal Academy of Music offered free tuition. He regularly attended classes on Saturdays. And a year later, the parents divorced, because of which the young man was very worried. At the same age, Reggie began to wear glasses, copying the famous artist Buddy Holly. As expected, Reggie became short-sighted and could not do without glasses.

Future Elton John chose music

Reginald's stepfather supported the child's endeavors in music. He first came out to the public at the age of 16. He sang and played the piano every weekend. And his mother always sat in the corner. Reg received a pound a night for his performance and was able to save up for an electric piano.

At that time, the young man was engaged in three jobs at once. In the morning he acted as a courier in a music publishing house. During the day I played the piano in a restaurant. Finally, in the evening he performed and rehearsed with the Bluesology group, which he organized with his schoolmates. They managed to release two singles, but both were unsuccessful.

Reggie never finished school. He left her for a job at the Mills music publishing house. However, the work had to be abandoned when the group went on a tour of Britain with the accompaniment of one singer.

In 1967 he toured again. At this time, Reggie fell in love with a girl named Linda and long sought her attention. But she made him make a choice: "Either me or music." The guy desperately wanted to commit suicide. But, fortunately, he changed his mind and chose music.

Unsuccessful first step

Upon learning of the Liberty Music Young Talent Competition, Reggie hurried to audition. He sang a couple of other people's songs ... and failed. But fate turned out to be favorable to him: the organizer of the competition, Ray Williams, gave the "unfortunate musician" the poems of one poet. Without knowing it, Ray formed the creative union of Elton John and Bernie Taupin for more than three decades.

All the same Ray Williams introduced Reginald to Dick James. Once he published songs. Now, at Ray's request, I must record Reggie's first song. Dick James signed a publishing contract with Reginald. Bernie Taupin moved to London.

At first, Reggie and Bernie had to work on social orders. But later, Dick James agreed to record and release Reginald's own disc. Now it's time to change his name. And became Reginald Dwight Elton John.

Failure, success and tour of Elton in the USA

First plastic Elton"I’ve Been Loving You" came out in March 1968 but was unsuccessful. And it is no coincidence. The fact is that Elton wrote a song in the then popular style just to become famous. Moreover, he wrote the words himself, and presented Topin with the right to be considered the author of these poems. As a result, I had to return to my previous job.

The head of one of the departments of the publishing house began to persuade the director to give free rein co-authors in their work. Dick James agreed. It allowed Elton to punch your name into the world of music.

And here's real luck. The aspiring English musician was noticed in America and invited to tour. In September 1970 Elton went to the USA. He was well received. At the same time, Elton and his team, which included drummer Nigel Olson and bassist Dee Murray (a little later they were joined by guitarist Davey Johnston), recorded the music for the film "Friends". By the end of 1971, Reginald Kenneth Dwight officially changed his name and became Elton Hercules John.

Sample yourself

Davey Johnston once said that he would like to release his solo album. Elton and his manager, John Reed, went to help a friend. But all negotiations with the studios were in vain. Then it was decided to open their own company, which would help young talents to make their way to fame.

1974 career Elton failure awaited. His next album was badly received. Moving a little away from this beat switched to other areas of activity. He bought out the Watford football team and later became the president of that club.

Managed Elton John to be an actor on stage. In 1975, Ken Russell prepared the rock opera "Tommy". The director wanted the musicians to play the main roles. That's Elton got a role, albeit quite small, only 4 minutes of being on stage. This year Elton invited to record his disc. Elton in turn suggested Lennon play on his record. He agreed. When the song took first place Lennon spoke with Elton at Maddison Square Garden.

Elton John's family life

By 1976, turbulent times had begun in the world, such as the punk revolution in England. Music Elton turned out to be alien and unnecessary. Soon his alliance with Bernie. During an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, the singer declared his bisexuality. Notoriety Elton due to his long absence from music, he drifted away from the musician, so he decided to go on tour in countries where he had never performed: France, Spain, Israel, the USSR.

In 1980 Elton appreciating the old friendship and affection, returns De Murray and Nigel Olson to his team. And with his songwriter Elton resumed permanent cooperation in 1984. Then Elton started a family: married Renate Blauer. She was a sound engineer and collaborated with him in Germany. really wanted to have children, but time passed, and his marriage with Renata remained fruitless and broke up four years later.

A little later, a statement appeared Elton John that he is more homosexual than bisexual. He was tormented by constant depression. began to abuse alcohol and drugs and was repeatedly treated for drug addiction.

with David Furnish

In 1993, he met David Furnish, who helped get rid of bad habits, and in 2005 John and Furnish entered into a prenuptial agreement. Only closest friends and relatives were invited to the wedding ceremony.

December 25 2010 Elton and David became fathers: their son was born from a surrogate mother from California, and 11 january 2013 the second was born. Exactly nine years after entering into a civil partnership, December 21, 2014, and David Furnish officially married. The wedding ceremony took place at the Windsor estate near London. According to an already established tradition, only the closest people were invited to the wedding. There were 50 of them. Among the guests were also the sons of John and Furnish - three-year-old Zachary and two-year-old Elijah.

Charity

with David Furnish and sons

After the death of the vocalist of the most popular group, Elton created his own fund to fight AIDS. Since then, he has often given charity concerts for the benefit of the foundation.

In 1995 he received an Oscar for his performance of the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" - the soundtrack to the animated film "The Lion King". And two years later, during the funeral of Princess Diana, he performed his old song "Candle in the Wind", which he and Bernie rewrote. After this event, Queen Elizabeth dedicated Elton John into knights.

Now he is one of the most popular and richest performers in the world. He has over 30 albums and 500 songs. He boasts that for 30 years there has not been a case where his songs have not been on the charts. And it is not surprising, because he is.

FACTS

Prodigy Reginald Kenneth Dwight at age 11 won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, where then he studied for six years.

In his entire career, he has sold more albums in the United States and Britain than any other British solo artist.

The singer's personal fortune is estimated at $ 265 million, he donated about $ 1 billion to charity.

Updated: April 12, 2019 by the author: Elena

Elton John

Sir Elton Hercules John, real name Reginald Kenneth Dwight. Born March 25, 1947 in Pinner, England. British rock singer, composer and pianist. Knight Bachelor (1997) and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE, Commander, 1995).

Elton John made a significant impact on the development of light rock. Over the course of his 50-year career, he has sold over 250 million records. 52 of his singles were included in the British Top 40, in the list of the greatest artists according to Rolling Stone magazine, the musician takes 49th place.

Elton John is one of the most commercially successful artists of the 1970s: his seven albums topped the Billboard 200, 23 singles were in the American Top 40, 16 were in the top ten and 6 climbed to number one. One of them, "Candle in the Wind" (dedicated version), sold 37 million copies.

Throughout his career, Elton John has sold more albums in the United States and Britain than any other British solo artist.

Elton John is also known as a public figure, in particular, in the field of the fight against the AIDS epidemic that he began in the late 1980s.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, Elton John remains one of the UK's most successful rock artists to this day.

Elton John - Believe

Reginald Kenneth Dwight was born in Pinner, England to Air Force Squadron Commander Stanley Dwight and his wife Sheila (nee Harris).

Young Dwight was raised primarily by his mother, and he did not see his father often. Stanley and Sheila divorced in 1962 when Dwight was 15. His mother married Fred Farebrother, whom Elton fondly called "Derf".

Dwight began playing the piano when he was four. He was able to play any melody.

At the age of eleven, he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, where he then studied for six years.

In 1960, Dwight and his friends formed the group The Corvettes, which began with the performance of compositions by Ray Charles and Jim Reeves (on the stage of the Northwood Hills Hotel, Middlesex), and in 1961 turned into Bluesology. During the day he ran errands for music publishers, while at night he performed solo in a London hotel bar and worked with Bluesology.

By the mid-1960s, Bluesology was already touring the United States with R&B musicians such as The Isley Brothers, Major Lance, Doris Troy, Patti LaBelle and The Bluebelles. In 1966, the group began collaborating with Long John Baldry (part of the latter's nickname later became Elton John's pseudonym) and began a tour of England.

After unsuccessful auditions for King Crimson and Gentle Giant, Dwight responded to an ad in the weekly New Musical Express posted by Ray Williams, then head of artist and repertoire at Liberty Records. Williams gave Dwight a collection of lyrics written by Bernie Taupin, a songwriter who responded to the same ad. Neither Dwight nor Taupin were selected in the competition. But Dwight wrote music to Taupin's verses, which he then sent to the latter by mail: thus, a partnership arose in the joint work by correspondence, which continues to this day.

In 1967 the first composition of Elton John and Bernie Taupin was recorded "Scarecrow"("Scarecrow"): After the first meeting, six months later, Reginald Dwight took the pseudonym Elton John - in honor of Elton Dean and Long John Baldry. Some time later, in 1972, he added a middle name to himself, Hercules: that was the name of the horse in the comedy television series Steptoe and Son.

John and Taupin soon joined Dick James' DJM Records as full-time songwriters in 1968 and spent the next two years writing songs for various artists, including Roger Cook and Lulu. Taupin could sketch a text in an hour, then send it to John, who wrote music for it in half an hour, and if he could not think of something quickly, he ordered the next sketch. At the same time, John worked part-time in "budget" labels, recording cover versions of topical hits, collections of which were sold in supermarkets.

On the advice of music publisher Steve Brown, John and Taupin began writing more complex songs for the DJM label. The first was the single "I’ve Been Loving You" (1968), recorded by producer Caleb Quaye, former Bluesology guitarist.

In 1969, with Quay, drummer Roger Pope and bassist Tony Murray, John released the single "Lady Samantha" and the album Empty Sky, sustained (according to Allmusic) in the late Beatle style and, judging by the ambitious arrangements and interesting lyrics, was conceived as a serious creative statement. Both works received good reviews, but did not have commercial success in Britain, and did not come out in the USA at all (only in 1975 the album was re-released there and rose to number 6 in the Billboard 200).

To work on the next album, John and Taupin brought in producer Gus Dudgeon and arranger Paul Buckmaster. The Elton John album was released in the spring of 1970: in the UK by Pye Records (a subsidiary of DJM), in the USA by Uni Records. It was here that the authors found the formula for success, which was subsequently developed: rock songs (with elements of gospel music) and soulful ballads. The first single from the album, Border Song, reached only 92nd place in the United States. But the second, Your Song, was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic (# 8 US, # 7 UK). In the wake of this success, the album itself began to rise in the charts.

In August, Elton John gave his first American concert at the Los Angeles club The Troubadour: on stage he was introduced to the audience by Neil Diamond, drummer Nigel Olsson (ex-Spencer Davis Group, Uriah Heep) and bassist Dee Murray played the accompaniment.

Elton John's performance style (which in many ways resembled the style of Jerry Lee Lewis) made an impression not only on reporters, but also on colleagues, in particular, Quincy Jones and Leon Russell.

Taking part in the recording of Back Home, the football anthem for the England national team going to the World Cup in Mexico, Elton John recorded the concept album Tumbleweed Connection, which was released in October 1970, climbed to the top ten on Billboard and peaked at # 2 on the UK Singles Chart.

Elton John achieved his highest commercial achievement in 1976 in a duet with Kiki Dee: their single "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" topped both the American and English charts.

Shortly after the release of the single, Elton John openly declared his bisexuality in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine. Later, the singer admitted that this wording was a compromise: he did not dare to immediately declare his homosexuality, so as not to upset the fans, many of whom were horrified even by this "softened" version of the confession.

In general, 1970-1976 years were in all respects the most successful in the singer's career. All six albums of Elton John, included in the list of Rolling Stone magazine "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (the highest, 91st in it Goodbye yellow brick road) refer to this period.

In May 1979, one of the first Western rock musicians, Elton came on tour to the USSR. At the invitation of the State Concert, he gave 4 concerts in the Leningrad "Great Concert Hall Oktyabrsky" and the Moscow State Central Concert Hall "Russia".

In 1979, the creative tandem of Elton John and Bernie Taupin reunited. The next year, a new album was released 21 at 33, which is considered a great achievement in the singer's creative career. One of the songs on the album was Little Jeannie, which became Elton John's greatest success in four years. She climbed to number 3 in the US charts. It should be noted, however, that the lyrics for this song were written by Gary Osborne. In addition to Taupin and Osborne, Elton John collaborated during this period with authors of poetry such as Tom Robinson and Judy Tsuki.

The 1980s were a period of strong personal turmoil for the singer. In 1984, unexpectedly for many, he married the sound engineer Renate Blauel. In 1986, he lost his voice while touring Australia and soon thereafter underwent throat surgery: polyps were removed from his vocal cords. As a result, the timbre of the singer's voice changed somewhat, and from this period it sounded in a new way.

In 1987, he won a libel suit against The Sun newspaper, which accused him of having sex with minors.

In 1988 he played five concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York. The total number of performances of the artist in this concert hall was then 26, which allowed him to break the record previously held by the American group Grateful Dead.

Elton John was deeply moved by the story of Ryan White, an Indiana teenager who had AIDS. Together with Michael Jackson, he took an active part in the fate of the child, supported him and his family until White's tragic death in 1990. Depressed, Elton John is admitted to a hospital in Chicago in 1990, where he is undergoing rehabilitation in the fight against drug addiction, alcoholism and bulimia.

In 2001, Elton John announced that Songs From The West Coast would be his last studio album and that from now on he would only focus on live performances. However, later, abandoning this idea (the reason was never announced), in 2004 he released his next studio album (28th in a row) - Peachtree Road.

In 2001, Elton John received an invitation to appear on the BBC's Have I Got News For You. At first he gave his consent, but at the last moment he changed his mind and refused to participate in the program. This happened just hours before its airing, and the producers were forced to bring in Ray Johnson, a taxi driver from Golchester who sometimes acted as Elton John's doppelganger. During the program, he practically did not say a word, however, when the program went on the air 24 hours later, his name was present in the credits, and the name of Elton John was removed from there.

In the same year, a film was shot that told about the singer's career from the moment of his appearance on the stage until the early 2000s. The film was called The Elton John Story and aired on VH-1 Classic, but it was never released as a separate disc or cassette.

In 2001, Elton John performed a duet with Eminem on his song Stan at the Grammy Awards. In the same year, he sang the song Friends for the film The Country Bears, and also performed one of the episodic roles in this film.

Elton John's height: 172 centimeters.

Elton John's personal life:

In 1976, during an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, he declared his bisexuality.

On February 14, 1984, he married the sound engineer Renate Blauel. They divorced four years later. A little later, he announced that he was more homosexual than bisexual. Tormented by constant depression, Elton John gradually began to abuse alcohol and drugs. He has undergone drug addiction treatment on several occasions.

In 1993, he met his future civil partner, David Furnish, who helped him get rid of alcoholism and drug addiction.

In 2004, the UK ratified the Civil Status Act, which introduced the concept of "same-sex marriage" into legislation. Elton was one of the first to take advantage of the opportunity to legalize homosexual relations. On December 21, 2005, John and Furnish entered into a marriage contract. Only the closest friends and relatives were invited to the wedding ceremony in Windsor, where Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles were previously married. The press was not admitted to the ceremony. In the evening, a banquet was held at the Berkshire estate, where more than 700 people were invited, including celebrities - friends of Elton and David. Celebrity guests such as Brian May, Elizabeth Hurley and Ozzy Osbourne were invited.

In 2009, the couple tried to adopt an HIV-positive boy from a Ukrainian boarding school, but officials refused, citing the fact that same-sex marriages were not recognized in Ukraine. On December 25, 2010, Elton and David finally became fathers - on Catholic Christmas, their son was born from a surrogate mother from California, who was given the name Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John. On January 11, 2013, the second son was born - Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John.

On December 21, 2014, Elton John and David Furnish signed and got married, thus marking the 9th anniversary of their civil marriage.

Elton John discography:

Empty Sky (1969)
Elton John (1970)
Tumbleweed Connection (1970)
Madman Across the Water (1971)
Honky Château (1972)
Don "t Shoot Me I" m Only the Piano Player (1973)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
Caribou (1974)
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975)
Rock of the Westies (1975)
Blue Moves (1976)
A Single Man (1978)
Victim of Love (1979)
21 at 33 (1980)
The Fox (1981)
Jump Up! (1982)
Too Low for Zero (1983)
Breaking Hearts (1984)
Ice on Fire (1985)
Leather Jackets (1986)
Reg Strikes Back (1988)
Sleeping with the Past (1989)
The One (1992)
Duets (1993)
Made in England (1995)
The Big Picture (1997)
Songs from the West Coast (2001)
Peachtree Road (2004)
The Captain & the Kid (2006)
The Union (with Leon Russell) (2010)
The Diving Board (2013).