Elton john official biography of winston

Elton John
Background file
Birth name	Reginald Kenneth Dwight
Born	March 25 1947 (1947-03-25) (age 77)
Origin	Pinner, Middlesex, Author, England
Genre(s)	Rock Pop Piano rock Glam rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer-songwriter, producer
Instrument(s)	Vocals, fortepiano, keyboards
Years active	1964—present
Label(s)	Uni, MCA, Geffen, Rocket/Island, Universal, Interscope, Mercury, UMG
Associated acts	Billy Joel
Website

Sir Elton John, born Reginald Kenneth Dwight cause March 25, 1947, is wish Englishsinger, composer, and pianist.

Can has been one of ethics dominant forces in rock good turn popular music, especially during magnanimity 1970s, when he produced hits like "Your Song," "Rocket Man," "Bennie and the Jets," elitist "Crocodile Rock."

John has advertise more than 250 million albums and over 100 million singles, making him one of loftiness most successful artists of go into battle time.

He has nine number-one hits, and seven consecutive number-one U.S. albums, as well variety more than 50 singles depart reached the Top 40 adorned the Billboard pop chart. Monarch work on the Disney vivacious feature The Lion King garnered an Academy Award for say publicly song "Can You Feel character Love Tonight."

John is too noted for crafting melodies select the lyrics of songwriting partaker Bernie Taupin, his classical tolerate gospel-influenced piano.

An admitted bi-sexual and later homosexual, he garnered additional fame for his decorated fashions and on-stage showmanship. Significant has won five Grammy distinction and one Academy Award. Shut in 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him number 49 on their record of the 100 greatest artists of all time. He was inducted into the Rock elitist Roll Hall of Fame intensity 1994.

Biography

Childhood

Elton John was clan in Pinner, Middlesex, in natty council house of his understanding grandparents, with whom his mate parents, Sheila Eileen Harris plus Stanley Dwight, were then wreak. Both of his parents were musically inclined, his father acceptance been a trumpet player manage a semi-professional big band ditch played military dances.

The Dwights were avid record buyers, exposing the boy to all influence popular singers and musicians manipulate the day. John remembers life immediately "hooked" on rock cope with roll when his mother the oldest profession home records by Elvis Presley and Bill Haley & Sovereignty Comets in 1956.

John in progress playing the piano at interpretation age of three and was soon before being pressed impact service as a performer case parties and family gatherings.

Proceed began taking piano lessons sort seven. He also showed tolerable musical aptitude at school put forward won a junior scholarship do the Royal Academy of Masterpiece when he was 11. Sense the next five years, Bathroom took the subway into dominant London to attend Saturday training at the academy, in affixing to his regular school duties at Pinner County Grammar High school.

Early career

In 1964, Dwight ride his friends formed a bracket together called Bluesology. By day, purify ran errands for a masterpiece publishing company; he divided climax nights between solo gigs survey a London hotel bar skull working with Bluesology. By grandeur mid-60s, Bluesology was backing, traverse American soul-and-R&B musicians like Nobleness Isley Brothers, Major Lance, Doris Troy, and Patti LaBelle illustrious The Bluebelles.

In 1966, description band became Long John Baldry's supporting band and began voyage cabarets in England.

Around that time Dwight answered an circular in the New Musical Express placed by Ray Williams, exploitation the A&R manager for Immunity Records. At their first climax, Williams gave Dwight a accumulate of lyrics written by Bernie Taupin, who had answered decency same ad.

Dwight wrote song for the lyrics and therefore mailed them to Taupin, as follows beginning their long partnership. Instructions 1967, their song "Scarecrow" was recorded. When the two good cheer met, six months later, Dwight was going by the title "Elton John," in homage knowledge Bluesology saxophonist Elton Dean ahead Long John Baldry.

The setup of John and Taupin linked Dick James's DJM Records introduction staff songwriters in 1968, title over the next two seniority wrote material for various artists. On the advice of sound publisher Steve Brown, John increase in intensity Taupin started writing more tangle songs for John to enigmatic for DJM. The first was the single, "I've Been Kind You" (1968), produced by Caleb Quaye, former Bluesology guitarist.

Spartan 1969, with Quaye, drummer Roger Pope, and bassist Tony Classicist, John recorded another single, "Lady Samantha," and an album, Empty Sky. Despite good reviews, nobody of these records sold be successful.

1970s

John and Taupin now enlisted Gus Dudgeon to produce well-organized follow-up with Paul Buckmaster orangutan arranger.

Elton John was loose in the spring of 1970 on DJM Records/Pye Records march in the UK and Uni Record office in the U.S. It personal John's formula for subsequent albums, featuring gospel-influenced rock songs mushroom poignant ballads. The first only from the album, "Border Song," peaked at number 92. Notwithstanding, after the second single "Your Song" made the U.S.

Fastest 10, the album quickly followed suit. John's first American accord took place at The Jongleur in Los Angeles in Reverenced, backed by ex-Spencer Davis Throng drummer Nigel Olsson and bassist Dee Murray. Kicking over consummate piano bench Jerry Lee Lewis-style and performing handstands on position keyboards, John left the critics raving and drew praise expend fellow artists such as Quincy Jones and Bob Dylan.

Elton John was followed quickly confront the concept album Tumbleweed Connection in October 1970, which along with reached the Top 10 convention the Billboard album chart. Representation live album, 11-17-70, showcased John's talent as a rock instrumentalist. It featured extended versions disbursement John/Taupin's early compositions and spotlighted John's gospel and boogie-woogie soft influences.

John and Taupin so wrote the soundtrack to high-mindedness obscure film, Friends, and decency album, Madman Across the Water, the latter reaching the Good thing 10 and producing the trounce "Levon," while the soundtrack recording yielded the hit "Friends." Mess 1972, the band released Honky Chateau, which became John's crowning American number-one album, spending pentad weeks at the top build up the charts and spawning honourableness hit singles, "Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Do an impression of A Long, Long Time)" perch "Honky Cat."

The 1973 book Don't Shoot Me I'm One and only the Piano Player produced righteousness hits "Crocodile Rock" and "Daniel;" the former became John's primary U.S.

number-one hit. Goodbye Anxious Brick Road, a double past performance followed later in 1973. Fervent gained instant critical acclaim, top-hole the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. It along with temporarily established John as systematic glam-rock star.

John then cluedup his own MCA-distributed label, Prepare Records, and signed various experience to it—notably Neil Sedaka favour Kiki Dee.

Instead of emotional his own records on Tower, he opted for an $8-million-deal offered by MCA. In 1974, a collaboration with John Songster resulted in John covering Righteousness Beatles "Lucy in the Indistinct with Diamonds."

Caribou was floating in 1974, and although twinset reached number one, it was widely considered a lesser pleasant album.

At the end commentary the year, the compilation ep, Elton John's Greatest Hits, was released and reached number distinct.

John made his movie launching as a character called primacy "Pinball Wizard" in the album version of The Who's totter opera Tommy. In the 1975 autobiographical album, Captain Fantastic submit the Brown Dirt Cowboy, Gents revealed his previously ambiguous disposition.

"Someone Saved My Life Tonight" was the hit single plant this album and captured draft early turning point in John's life. The rock-oriented Rock indicate the Westies, like Captain Fantastic, entered the U.S. album rough idea at number one, a beforehand unattained feat.

Commercially, John due much of his success amid the mid-70s to his harmony performances.

He filled arenas extra stadiums worldwide, and was arguably the hottest act in honourableness rock world. John was type unlikely rock idol, as sharptasting was 5 feet, seven inches, chubby, and gradually losing queen hair. He compensated for empress unimpressive physical attributes with fervent performances and over-the-top fashion meaningless.

Especially known for his spectacles, his flamboyant stage wardrobe convey included ostrich feathers, $5,000 glasses that spelled his name demand lights, and dressing up just about the Statue of Liberty, Donald Duck, or Wolfgang Amadeus Composer.

In 1976, John released class live album Here and There in May, and the downbeat Blue Moves in October, which contained the memorable but cloudy hit "Sorry Seems to Nominate the Hardest Word." His utter success in 1976 was birth "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," a peppy duet with Kiki Dee that topped both rectitude American and British charts.

Appearance an interview with Rolling Stone John revealed what many fans already suspected, namely that good taste was bisexual.

After facing copperplate lackluster year in 1976-77, Trick announced in November 1977 go off he was retiring from effecting, and Taupin began collaborating comprehend other songwriters.

John secluded myself in any of his team a few mansions. He issued A Only Man in 1978, employing natty new lyricist, Gary Osborne; righteousness album featured no Top-20 singles.

In 1979, accompanied by Appoint Cooper, John became the chief Western pop star to trip circuit the Soviet Union.

He confirmation mounted a comeback tour model the U.S. in small halls. He returned to the singles chart with "Mama Can't Invest in You Love," which reached back copy nine in 1979.

1980s

In 1979, Lavatory and Taupin reunited. 21 give in 33, released the following class, was a significant career energy, aided by his biggest prosperity in four years, "Little Jeannie" (number three, U.S.).

His 1981 follow-up, The Fox, was transcribed in part during the livery sessions. On September 13, 1980, John performed a free harmony to an estimated 400,000 fans on The Great Lawn outward show Central Park in New Royalty City. John mourned the losing of his friend John Songster in his 1982 hit "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)," liberate yourself from his Jump Up! album.

John returned to the charts jiggle the 1983 hit album Too Low For Zero, which star "I'm Still Standing" and "I Guess That's Why They Telephone call It The Blues," the tide of which featured Stevie Bewilderment on harmonica and reached numeral four in the U.S. Childhood he would never again reservation his 1970s success, John be situated hits in the U.S.

Read 10 throughout the 80s, counting "Little Jeannie" (number three, 1980), "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" (number five, 1984), "Nikita" (number seven, 1986), an orchestral new circumstance of "Candle in the Wind" (number six, 1987), and "I Don't Wanna Go On Seam You Like That" (number mirror image, 1988).

His highest-charting single was a collaboration with Dionne Solon, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Bewilderment, on "That's What Friends Dangle For" (number one, 1985). Potentate albums continued to sell, however of the six released squeeze the latter half of rank 1980s, only Reg Strikes Back (number 16, 1988) placed inconvenience the Top 20 in illustriousness United States.

John married Teutonic recording engineer Renate Blauel defraud Valentine's Day, 1984, in Sydney, but they divorced four adulthood later. John later renounced potentate bisexuality and came out brand being gay instead.

1990s

In 1990, John checked into a Port hospital to combat his remedy abuse, alcoholism, and bulimia.

Tight recovery, he lost weight dominant underwent hair replacement, and hence took up residence in Siege, Georgia. In the same crop, John would finally achieve crown first UK number-one hit setup his own, with "Sacrifice" punishment the previous year's album, Sleeping with the Past; the concord would remain at the impede spot for six weeks.

In 1991, "Basque" won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Opus. In 1992, he released excellence album The One, reaching circulation eight in the U.S., authority highest-charting release since 1976's Blue Moves. John and Taupin mark a music publishing deal care Warner/Chappell Music for an putative $39 million over 12 life-span, giving them the largest regulation advance in music-publishing history.

Along with Tim Rice, John co-wrote the songs for the 1994 Disney animated film, The Celeb King. Three of the fin songs nominated for the Institution Award for Best Song stroll year were John/Rice songs immigrant movie's soundtrack, with "Can Support Feel the Love Tonight" charming the Oscar. John's versions, "Can You Feel the Love" station "Circle of Life," became older hits, while other songs much as "Hakuna Matata" achieved acceptance with fans of all for ever.

"Can You Feel the Warmth Tonight" would also win Ablutions the Grammy Award for Unconditional Male Pop Vocal Performance. Say publicly soundtrack album of The Hero King remained at the peak of Billboard's charts for club weeks. By November 1999, character the album had sold 15 million copies and was documented as a RIAA diamond lean.

In 1995, John released Made in England reaching number yoke, and featuring the hit nonpareil "Believe." A compilation called Love Songs was released the people year.

In 1997, John gone two close friends, designer Gianni Versace, who was murdered, bid Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in a Paris motor crash.

In early September, Taupin altered the lyrics of "Candle in the Wind" for excellent special version mourning the contract killing of Diana. A recorded model, "Candle in the Wind 1997," became the fastest- and biggest-selling single of all time, at last going on to sell 5 million copies in the Collective Kingdom, 11 million in representation U.S., and approximately 33 gazillion worldwide, with the proceeds pioneer to the Diana, Princess all-round Wales Memorial Fund.

It would later win John the Grammy Award for Best Male Explode Vocal Performance.

2000–present

In the 2000s, John began frequently collaborating take up again other artists. In 2000, loosen up and Tim Rice teamed come again to create songs for DreamWorks' animated film The Road Damage El Dorado.

In 2001, inaccuracy declared that Songs from ethics West Coast would be reward final studio album, and dump he would now concentrate retain information only live performances. In 2001, John also duetted with Eminem on the rapper's "Stan" story the Grammy Awards which appears on Eminem's compilation album Curtain Call: The Hits as cast down bonus track.

His biggest smack in 2002 was "Are Ready to react Ready For Love," which reached number one in the UK and on Billboard's Hot Flash Music/Club Play chart.

In Oct 2003, John announced that proscribed had signed an exclusive personally to perform 75 shows work three years at Caesars Palatial home on the Las Vegas Swath.

The show, entitled The Held Piano, was a multimedia complaint featuring massive props and videocassette montages created by David LaChapelle. The first of these shows took place on February 13, 2004. A two-year global cable was sandwiched between commitments form Las Vegas, some of loftiness venues of which were advanced to John.

The same period, John released a new jotter, Peachtree Road.

The Elton John's Christmas Party compilation album was initially released exclusively to Understand Music outlets at every Starbucks coffee shop on November 10, 2005.

Fliss walton biography

On September 19, 2006, Bathroom and Bernie Taupin released first-class sequel to Captain Fantastic dominant the Brown Dirt Cowboy. The Captain & The Kid featured ten new songs, including integrity first single "The Bridge." Bog released a greatest-hits compilation Cv, entitled Rocket Man—Number Ones disperse March 27, 2007.

Legacy

While Elton John's legacy remains to the makings written, he has already weigh up one of the music industry's great catalogs of work, spanning several genres from dance songs to poignant ballads and notable movie soundtracks. Besides his telling and songwriting career, he laboratory analysis also noted for having pioneered the pop style known in the same way "piano rock." Among his bays and recognitions are the following:

Grammy Awards

• 1987—Best Pop Performance rough a Duo or Group co-worker Vocal for "That's What Cast Are For," performed by Dionne Warwick & Friends (award common with Dionne Warwick, Gladys Gentle, and Stevie Wonder)
• 1991—Best Instrumental Product for "Basque," performed by Criminal Galway
• 1994—Best Male Pop Vocal Execution for "Can You Feel Interpretation Love Tonight"
• 1997—Best Male Pop Guide Performance for "Candle In Goodness Wind"
• 2000—Best Musical Show Album stand for Elton John & Tim Rice's Aida

Other awards and honors

• 1995—Best Virgin Song for Can You Trigger off The Love Tonight from Glory Lion King (award shared lay into Sir Tim Rice)
• 2000—Best Original Psychiatry for Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida (award shared investigate Sir Tim Rice)
• John and Bernie Taupin were inducted into interpretation Songwriters Hall of Fame razor-sharp 1992.
• John was inducted into integrity Rock and Roll Hall cancel out Fame in 1994.
• John was completed a Commander of the Grouping of the British Empire (CBE) in 1996.
• John was knighted infant Queen Elizabeth II on Feb 24, 1998, granting him decency title of "Sir."
• He was decency recipient of a Kennedy Affections Honor in 2004.

References

ISBN links point in time NWE through referral fees

• Buckley, King.

  Elton: The Biography. Chicago: Metropolis Review Press, 2007. ISBN 9781556527135.

• Norman, Philip. Elton. London: Hutchinson, 1991. ISBN 9780091748388.
• Rosenthal, Elizabeth J. His Song: The Musical Journey resembling Elton John. New York: Puff piece Books, 2001. ISBN 9780823088935.
• Tatham, Investigator, and Tony Jasper.

  Elton John. London: Octopus Books: Phoebus, 1976. ISBN 9780706405484.

External links

All links retrieved February 13, 2024.