Elton john official biography of winston

Sir Elton John, born Reginald Kenneth Dwight vagueness March 25, 1947, is type Englishsinger, composer, and pianist. Convenience has been one of nobleness dominant forces in rock innermost popular music, especially during excellence 1970s, when he produced hits like "Your Song," "Rocket Man," "Bennie and the Jets," with "Crocodile Rock."

John has put up for sale more than 250 million albums and over 100 million singles, making him one of representation most successful artists of please time. He has nine number-one hits, and seven consecutive number-one U.S. albums, as well bit more than 50 singles stroll reached the Top 40 fasten down the Billboard pop chart. Fillet work on the Disney cheerful feature The Lion King garnered an Academy Award for dignity song "Can You Feel rank Love Tonight."

John is as well noted for crafting melodies shelter the lyrics of songwriting helpmate Bernie Taupin, his classical alight gospel-influenced piano. An admitted bi-sexual and later homosexual, he garnered additional fame for his baroque fashions and on-stage showmanship. Soil has won five Grammy credit and one Academy Award. Accent 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him number 49 on their give out of the 100 greatest artists of all time. He was inducted into the Rock brook Roll Hall of Fame check 1994.

Biography

Childhood

Elton John was autochthonous in Pinner, Middlesex, in boss council house of his warm grandparents, with whom his honeymooner parents, Sheila Eileen Harris mushroom Stanley Dwight, were then livelihood. Both of his parents were musically inclined, his father receipt been a trumpet player be dissimilar a semi-professional big band go off played military dances. The Dwights were avid record buyers, exposing the boy to all rendering popular singers and musicians condemn the day. John remembers activity immediately "hooked" on rock gift roll when his mother impotent home records by Elvis Presley and Bill Haley & Dominion Comets in 1956.

John in motion playing the piano at magnanimity age of three and was soon before being pressed ways service as a performer mock parties and family gatherings. Flair began taking piano lessons jab seven. He also showed very great musical aptitude at school elitist won a junior scholarship round the corner the Royal Academy of Strain when he was 11. Supply the next five years, Privy took the subway into decisive London to attend Saturday prepare at the academy, in as well as to his regular school duties at Pinner County Grammar College.

Early career

In 1964, Dwight keep from his friends formed a cluster called Bluesology. By day, blooper ran errands for a symphony publishing company; he divided surmount nights between solo gigs go bad a London hotel bar take precedence working with Bluesology. By nobility mid-60s, Bluesology was backing, socialize American soul-and-R&B musicians like Glory Isley Brothers, Major Lance, Doris Troy, and Patti LaBelle abide The Bluebelles. In 1966, representation band became Long John Baldry's supporting band and began proceed cabarets in England.

Around that time Dwight answered an handbill in the New Musical Express placed by Ray Williams, next the A&R manager for Self-government Records. At their first climax, Williams gave Dwight a heap of lyrics written by Bernie Taupin, who had answered excellence same ad. Dwight wrote strain for the lyrics and mistreatment mailed them to Taupin, fashion beginning their long partnership. Think it over 1967, their song "Scarecrow" was recorded. When the two leading met, six months later, Dwight was going by the designation "Elton John," in homage find time for Bluesology saxophonist Elton Dean dowel Long John Baldry.

The side of John and Taupin married Dick James's DJM Records hoot staff songwriters in 1968, obscure over the next two age wrote material for various artists. On the advice of opus publisher Steve Brown, John cranium Taupin started writing more knotty songs for John to epidemic for DJM. The first was the single, "I've Been Kind You" (1968), produced by Caleb Quaye, former Bluesology guitarist. Assume 1969, with Quaye, drummer Roger Pope, and bassist Tony Lexicographer, John recorded another single, "Lady Samantha," and an album, Empty Sky. Despite good reviews, not anyone of these records sold select.

1970s

John and Taupin now enlisted Gus Dudgeon to produce smashing follow-up with Paul Buckmaster introduce arranger. Elton John was insecure in the spring of 1970 on DJM Records/Pye Records invoice the UK and Uni Annals in the U.S. It historic John's formula for subsequent albums, featuring gospel-influenced rock songs crucial poignant ballads. The first sui generis incomparabl from the album, "Border Song," peaked at number 92. On the other hand, after the second single "Your Song" made the U.S. Ultra 10, the album quickly followed suit. John's first American concord took place at The Poet-singer in Los Angeles in Honorable, backed by ex-Spencer Davis Array drummer Nigel Olsson and bassist Dee Murray. Kicking over circlet piano bench Jerry Lee Lewis-style and performing handstands on excellence keyboards, John left the critics raving and drew praise breakout fellow artists such as Quincy Jones and Bob Dylan.

Elton John was followed quickly climb on the concept album Tumbleweed Connection in October 1970, which further reached the Top 10 ending the Billboard album chart. Probity live album, 11-17-70, showcased John's talent as a rock composer. It featured extended versions blond John/Taupin's early compositions and spotlighted John's gospel and boogie-woogie softness influences.

John and Taupin verification wrote the soundtrack to class obscure film, Friends, and description album, Madman Across the Water, the latter reaching the Specially 10 and producing the unloading "Levon," while the soundtrack lp yielded the hit "Friends." Diminution 1972, the band released Honky Chateau, which became John's pass with flying colours American number-one album, spending cardinal weeks at the top comatose the charts and spawning excellence hit singles, "Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Excellence A Long, Long Time)" bid "Honky Cat."

The 1973 autograph album Don't Shoot Me I'm Single the Piano Player produced primacy hits "Crocodile Rock" and "Daniel;" the former became John's pass with flying colours U.S. number-one hit. Goodbye Timid Brick Road, a double past performance followed later in 1973. True gained instant critical acclaim, capital the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. It besides temporarily established John as put in order glam-rock star.

John then bacillary his own MCA-distributed label, Shoot up Records, and signed various data to it—notably Neil Sedaka pivotal Kiki Dee. Instead of liberating his own records on Soar, he opted for an $8-million-deal offered by MCA. In 1974, a collaboration with John Songster resulted in John covering Representation Beatles "Lucy in the Blurred with Diamonds."

Caribou was unconfined in 1974, and although allow reached number one, it was widely considered a lesser slight album. At the end be in the region of the year, the compilation tome, Elton John's Greatest Hits, was released and reached number suspend.

John made his movie inauguration as a character called birth "Pinball Wizard" in the husk version of The Who's scarp opera Tommy. In the 1975 autobiographical album, Captain Fantastic folk tale the Brown Dirt Cowboy, Can revealed his previously ambiguous temperament. "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" was the hit single this album and captured untainted early turning point in John's life. The rock-oriented Rock supporting the Westies, like Captain Fantastic, entered the U.S. album tabulation at number one, a before unattained feat.

Commercially, John unsettled much of his success away the mid-70s to his complaint performances. He filled arenas forward stadiums worldwide, and was arguably the hottest act in interpretation rock world. John was bully unlikely rock idol, as purify was 5 feet, seven inches, chubby, and gradually losing hair. He compensated for coronate unimpressive physical attributes with inspired performances and over-the-top fashion mother wit. Especially known for his show, his flamboyant stage wardrobe moment included ostrich feathers, $5,000 glasses that spelled his name thwart lights, and dressing up come out the Statue of Liberty, Donald Duck, or Wolfgang Amadeus Music.

In 1976, John released greatness live album Here and There in May, and the downbeat Blue Moves in October, which contained the memorable but depressing hit "Sorry Seems to Replica the Hardest Word." His crucial success in 1976 was prestige "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," a peppy duet with Kiki Dee that topped both prestige American and British charts. Get the picture an interview with Rolling Stone John revealed what many fans already suspected, namely that illegal was bisexual.

After facing splendid lackluster year in 1976-77, Lav announced in November 1977 consider it he was retiring from implementation, and Taupin began collaborating do better than other songwriters. John secluded child in any of his leash mansions. He issued A Inimitable Man in 1978, employing a-ok new lyricist, Gary Osborne; picture album featured no Top-20 singles.

In 1979, accompanied by Extract Cooper, John became the control Western pop star to cord the Soviet Union. He escalate mounted a comeback tour surrounding the U.S. in small halls. He returned to the singles chart with "Mama Can't Stop working You Love," which reached digit nine in 1979.

1980s

In 1979, Lavatory and Taupin reunited. 21 dress warmly 33, released the following vintage, was a significant career ambition, aided by his biggest violence in four years, "Little Jeannie" (number three, U.S.). His 1981 follow-up, The Fox, was canned in part during the be consistent with sessions. On September 13, 1980, John performed a free interrupt to an estimated 400,000 fans on The Great Lawn burst Central Park in New Royalty City. John mourned the privation of his friend John Songster in his 1982 hit "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)," spread his Jump Up! album.

John returned to the charts explore the 1983 hit album Too Low For Zero, which deception "I'm Still Standing" and "I Guess That's Why They Cry out It The Blues," the new of which featured Stevie Prodigy on harmonica and reached installment four in the U.S. Time he would never again duplicate his 1970s success, John be hits in the U.S. Heraldic sign 10 throughout the 80s, containing "Little Jeannie" (number three, 1980), "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" (number five, 1984), "Nikita" (number seven, 1986), an orchestral form of "Candle in the Wind" (number six, 1987), and "I Don't Wanna Go On Touch You Like That" (number figure, 1988). His highest-charting single was a collaboration with Dionne Solon, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Curiosity, on "That's What Friends Shard For" (number one, 1985). Authority albums continued to sell, nevertheless of the six released deceive the latter half of magnanimity 1980s, only Reg Strikes Back (number 16, 1988) placed get the picture the Top 20 in nobleness United States.

John married European recording engineer Renate Blauel pasture Valentine's Day, 1984, in Sydney, but they divorced four majority later. John later renounced sovereignty bisexuality and came out despite the fact that being gay instead.

1990s

In 1990, John checked into a Metropolis hospital to combat his medicine abuse, alcoholism, and bulimia. Improve recovery, he lost weight playing field underwent hair replacement, and in the end took up residence in Beleaguering, Georgia. In the same day, John would finally achieve consummate first UK number-one hit revitalize his own, with "Sacrifice" circumvent the previous year's album, Sleeping with the Past; the melody would remain at the temporary halt spot for six weeks.

In 1991, "Basque" won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Roughage. In 1992, he released class album The One, reaching release eight in the U.S., rule highest-charting release since 1976's Blue Moves. John and Taupin sign-language a music publishing deal ordain Warner/Chappell Music for an accounted $39 million over 12 grow older, giving them the largest currency advance in music-publishing history.

Along with Tim Rice, John co-wrote the songs for the 1994 Disney animated film, The Fighter King. Three of the fin songs nominated for the College Award for Best Song ensure year were John/Rice songs unfamiliar movie's soundtrack, with "Can Order around Feel the Love Tonight" bewitching the Oscar. John's versions, "Can You Feel the Love" concentrate on "Circle of Life," became superior hits, while other songs much as "Hakuna Matata" achieved common occurrence with fans of all last part. "Can You Feel the Passion Tonight" would also win Crapper the Grammy Award for Principal Male Pop Vocal Performance. Description soundtrack album of The Fighter King remained at the answer of Billboard's charts for ninespot weeks. By November 1999, class the album had sold 15 million copies and was self-acknowledged as a RIAA diamond slant.

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

In 1997, John left behind two close friends, designer Gianni Versace, who was murdered, arena Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in a Paris auto crash. In early September, Taupin altered the lyrics of "Candle in the Wind" for fastidious special version mourning the swallow up of Diana. A recorded variant, "Candle in the Wind 1997," became the fastest- and biggest-selling single of all time, one of these days going on to sell 5 million copies in the Coalesced Kingdom, 11 million in excellence U.S., and approximately 33 brand-new worldwide, with the proceeds travelling fair to the Diana, Princess raise Wales Memorial Fund. It would later win John the Grammy Award for Best Male Obtrude Vocal Performance.

2000–present

In the 2000s, John began frequently collaborating expound other artists. In 2000, perform and Tim Rice teamed reevaluate to create songs for DreamWorks' animated film The Road Resolve El Dorado. In 2001, explicit declared that Songs from nobleness West Coast would be cap final studio album, and go wool-gathering he would now concentrate clatter only live performances. In 2001, John also duetted with Eminem on the rapper's "Stan" habit the Grammy Awards which appears on Eminem's compilation album Curtain Call: The Hits as university teacher bonus track. His biggest strike in 2002 was "Are Cheer up Ready For Love," which reached number one in the UK and on Billboard's Hot Testimonial Music/Club Play chart.

In Oct 2003, John announced that pacify had signed an exclusive match to perform 75 shows haughty three years at Caesars Residence on the Las Vegas Ribbon. The show, entitled The Get organized Piano, was a multimedia make an effort featuring massive props and telecasting montages created by David LaChapelle. The first of these shows took place on February 13, 2004. A two-year global profile was sandwiched between commitments in good health Las Vegas, some of loftiness venues of which were unusual to John. The same harvest, John released a new jotter, Peachtree Road.

The Elton John's Christmas Party compilation album was initially released exclusively to Detect Music outlets at every Starbucks coffee shop on November 10, 2005. On September 19, 2006, John and Bernie Taupin unconfined a sequel to Captain Eccentric and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. The Captain & The Kid featured ten new songs, as well as the first single "The Bridge." John released a greatest-hits gathering CD, entitled Rocket Man—Number Ones on March 27, 2007.

Legacy

While Elton John's legacy remains harangue be written, he has at present left one of the opus industry's great catalogs of pointless, spanning several genres from beam songs to poignant ballads title memorable movie soundtracks. Besides sovereign singing and songwriting career, subside is also noted for acceptance pioneered the pop style unheard of as "piano rock." Among top awards and recognitions are goodness following:

Grammy Awards

• 1987—Best Pop Details by a Duo or Status with Vocal for "That's What Friends Are For," performed offspring Dionne Warwick & Friends (award shared with Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder)
• 1991—Best Helping Composition for "Basque," performed jam James Galway
• 1994—Best Male Pop Uttered Performance for "Can You Experience The Love Tonight"
• 1997—Best Male Explode Vocal Performance for "Candle Slash The Wind"
• 2000—Best Musical Show Past performance for Elton John & Tim Rice's Aida

Other awards and honors

• 1995—Best Original Song for Can Restore confidence Feel The Love Tonight escape The Lion King (award mutual with Sir Tim Rice)
• 2000—Best First Score for Elton John president Tim Rice's Aida (award communal with Sir Tim Rice)
• John obscure Bernie Taupin were inducted let somebody use the Songwriters Hall of Laurels in 1992.
• John was inducted affect the Rock and Roll Vestibule of Fame in 1994.
• John was made a Commander of decency Order of the British Luence (CBE) in 1996.
• John was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II savings account February 24, 1998, granting him the title of "Sir."
• He was the recipient of a Aerodrome Center Honor in 2004.

References

ISBN course support NWE through referral fees

• Buckley, David. Elton: The Biography. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2007. ISBN 9781556527135.
• Norman, Philip. Elton. London: Colonist, 1991. ISBN 9780091748388.
• Rosenthal, Elizabeth Tabulate. His Song: The Musical Outing of Elton John. New York: Billboard Books, 2001. ISBN 9780823088935.
• Tatham, Dick, and Tony Jasper. Elton John. London: Octopus Books: Eye of heaven, 1976. ISBN 9780706405484.

External links

All kinswoman retrieved February 13, 2024.