Elton John
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Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE (born March 25, 1947), British pop singer, composer and musician, was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in Pinner, Middlesex, but changed his name by deed poll.
Working in a band called Bluesology throughout the mid to late 1960s, his first international hits came in 1971 on his second album, a self-titled release, including "Your Song." The lyrics, then and since, were written by chief collaborator Bernie Taupin.
He went on to be one of the 1970s most successful recording artists, with globally-successful singles including "Rocket Man," "Crocodile Rock," "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," and, notably "Candle In The Wind" (a song about Marilyn Monroe) and the equally well-known B-Side "Bennie And The Jets." His 1980s hits included "Nikita," "Sad Songs," and "I'm Still Standing," amongst others, most featuring his distinctive piano playing.
In 1992 he performed Bohemian Rhapsody and The Show Must Go On with Queen at the Freddie Mercury Tribute concert, an AIDS charity event held at Wembley Stadium, London.
In 1997, he updated the lyrics of "Candle In The Wind" for a special version mourning the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.
He has also done work both for and in films. In 1971, he wrote original songs for the movie Friends. In 1975, he appeared as the Pinball Wizard in the movie version of the rock opera Tommy. Then, in 1994, he (along with Tim Rice) wrote the songs for the Walt Disney animated film The Lion King (John and Rice subsequently won a Best Original Song Oscar for "Can You Feel The Love Tonight"). Five years later, he wrote the score for The Muse, and a year later composed songs for another animated film, Dreamworks' The Road To El Dorado. His most recent movie song was "The Heart Of Every Girl" (the end title song from 2003's Mona Lisa Smile).
In 2003, he reached number one in the United Kingdom with a rerelease of the single "Are You Ready For Love" which had been only a minor hit when first released in 1979.
He continues to release new material to commercial success and tours extensively, despite being fitted with a pacemaker.
Elton has had a complicated personal history. Coming out first as bisexual in 1976, he married (1984) and quickly divorced (1988) Renate Blauel. He subsequently stated that he was gay and has lived with his partner David Furnish, for a number of years. He has occasionally battled addictions to cocaine and financial difficulties caused by his profligate spending.
Elton has long been associated with AIDS charities after the death of his friend Ryan White, raising large amounts of money and using his public profile to attract attention to the disease.
Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, radio conglomerate Clear Channel Communications sent out of a list of 150 songs that were recommended to be pulled from airplay. Three Elton John songs were listed: "Benny & The Jets", "Daniel", and "Rocket Man".
Discography
;1969 Empty Sky ;1970 Elton John ;1970 The Games [Original Soundtrack] ;1971 Tumbleweed Connection ;1971 Friends ;1971 11-17-70 [live] ;1971 Madman Across the Water ;1972 Honky Chateau ;1973 Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player ;1973 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road ;1974 Caribou ;1975 Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy ;1975 Rock of the Westies ;1975 West of the Rockies [live] ;1976 Here and There [live] ;1976 Blue Moves ;1978 A Single Man ;1979 Victim of Love ;1980 21 at 33 ;1981 The Fox ;1982 Jump Up! ;1983 Too Low for Zero ;1984 Breaking Hearts ;1985 Ice on Fire ;1986 Leather Jackets ;1987 Live in Australia ;1988 Reg Strikes Back ;1989 Sleeping With the Past ;1992 The One ;1993 Duets ;1995 Made in England ;1997 Big Picture ;1999 The Muse ;1999 AIDA ;2000 One Night Only [live] ;2000 The Road To Eldorado ;2001 Songs from the West Coast ;2001 Prologue ;2002 Live at the Ritz
External links