Sir Elton John
born 1947
BornPinner, Middlesex, England
BiographySir Elton John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947 in Pinner, Middlesex, England. His musical career began at the tender age of three, when he began learning to play the piano. Initially self-taught, he began lessons in 1957, the same year his parents divorced. In 1959, Dwight became the recipient of a part-time scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music and, over the next four years, commuted to London to partake in Saturday morning classes. Dwight began his performing career in 1962 as a weekend piano player at the Northwood Hills hotel, a venue that saw the formation of his first group, The Corvettes. In 1963, The Corvettes, which consisted of school friends Mick Inkpen, Stuart Brown, and Rex Bishop, reformed as Bluesology. In 1965, Bluesology embarked on a tour of continental Europe, and Dwight remained as their keyboard player until 1967, leaving the group to pursue solo interests. It was also in 1967 that Dwight legally changed his name to Elton John, which he had been using as a stage name with the band. Bernie Taupin, who was born on 22 May 1950 in Lincolnshire, England, came in contact with John after the two independently responded to an advertisement placed by Liberty Records in the New Musical Express. They began their collaborative relationship in the same year, which initially consisted in the pair corresponding by mail. The process would begin with Taupin first producing lyrics, then with John setting the words to music and composing the songs. They have maintained this somewhat indirect arrangement ever since, and it is reported that the two have never composed a single song while in each other’s presence. In addition to composing songs for Elton John, the pair also worked as songwriters for the DJM record label, producing songs for other artists throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s. John made his live American debut in 1970, performing with a full band at The Troubadour in Los Angeles. 1970 also saw the release of his self-titled sophomore album, which followed 1969’s Empty Sky, featuring the critically acclaimed “Your Song”. Between 1970 and 1976, John released fourteen studio albums under the direction of producer Gus Dudgeon, including Tumbleweed Connection (1970), Madman Across the Water (1971), Honky Chateau (1972), and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973), the latter of which maintained its spot at the top of the Billboard Top 100 chart for two consecutive months. In 1973, John formed the Rocket Record Company and ceased his connection with DJM. Taupin and John continue to maintain their working relationship to the present day.
In the 1980s and 1990s, John took on a number of ancillary projects. In 1992, he founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation, and has been an open advocate of gay rights since publicly announcing his sexual orientation in 1987. Another of his most notable collaborations occurred between 1993 and 1994, when he joined Tim Rice on producing the musical score to Disney’s The Lion King (1994). This collaboration earned John his first and only Academy Award. In 1997, John and Taupin rearranged “Candle in the Wind”, which had originally appeared on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road in 1973, as a tribute to the late Diana, Princess of Wales. This arrangement remains the best selling single of all time, with over 33 million copies sold worldwide. In 1998, John was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II after having been named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire two years prior and, between 2004 and 2009, undertook a performing residency at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, which he has since reprised. In addition to his Academy Award, John has also been the recipient of numerous other awards, including induction into the Songwriters hall of Fame in 1992 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, a Tony Award in 2000, the Grammy Legend Award in 2001, the Kennedy Center Honor in 2004, the Billboard Magazine Legend of Live Award in 2006, the Rockefeller Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013, twelve Ivor Novello Awards, six Grammy Awards, five Brit Awards, a Golden Globe Award, a Disney Legend Award, and an honorary doctorate from the Royal Academy of Music. He remains one of the most prolific and successful musicians of the era, having sold in excess of 300 million records, obtained fifty-six top 40 singles, and produced 35 gold and 25 platinum albums. His achievements in the American music industry are succeeded only by Elvis Presley and The Beatles. In addition to working with Elton John, Bernie Taupin has also co-written music for Rod Stewart, Alice Cooper, and Brian Wilson, and produced the lyrics for Jefferson Starship’s “We Built This City”.
In the 1980s and 1990s, John took on a number of ancillary projects. In 1992, he founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation, and has been an open advocate of gay rights since publicly announcing his sexual orientation in 1987. Another of his most notable collaborations occurred between 1993 and 1994, when he joined Tim Rice on producing the musical score to Disney’s The Lion King (1994). This collaboration earned John his first and only Academy Award. In 1997, John and Taupin rearranged “Candle in the Wind”, which had originally appeared on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road in 1973, as a tribute to the late Diana, Princess of Wales. This arrangement remains the best selling single of all time, with over 33 million copies sold worldwide. In 1998, John was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II after having been named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire two years prior and, between 2004 and 2009, undertook a performing residency at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, which he has since reprised. In addition to his Academy Award, John has also been the recipient of numerous other awards, including induction into the Songwriters hall of Fame in 1992 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, a Tony Award in 2000, the Grammy Legend Award in 2001, the Kennedy Center Honor in 2004, the Billboard Magazine Legend of Live Award in 2006, the Rockefeller Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013, twelve Ivor Novello Awards, six Grammy Awards, five Brit Awards, a Golden Globe Award, a Disney Legend Award, and an honorary doctorate from the Royal Academy of Music. He remains one of the most prolific and successful musicians of the era, having sold in excess of 300 million records, obtained fifty-six top 40 singles, and produced 35 gold and 25 platinum albums. His achievements in the American music industry are succeeded only by Elvis Presley and The Beatles. In addition to working with Elton John, Bernie Taupin has also co-written music for Rod Stewart, Alice Cooper, and Brian Wilson, and produced the lyrics for Jefferson Starship’s “We Built This City”.
