Music Flashback: Elton John

Truly one of the greatest recording artists and entertainers of All-Time.

Elton John is a Grammy Award winning English Singer, Songwriter, Composer, and Pianist.

He was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in 1947.

In a career that has spanned over four decades, Elton John has sold well over 250 Million Albums worldwide.

His first studio album, “Empty Sky“, was released in 1969.

He has since released 30 Studio Albums and 8 Theater, Soundtrack, and Score Albums.

He has won 6 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony Award.

He has charted 56 Singles onto the Billboard Top-40 Charts thus far in his career.

Nine of his singles have reached #1 on the Billboard Charts.

He had Seven consecutive Albums reach #1 on the Billboard Album Charts.

In 2008, Billboard ranked him the #3 artist of All-Time behind The Beatles and Madonna.

Most of his his hits have been written with longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. They have been writing together since 1967 and have collaborated on 30 of John’s albums.

Trying to list his hits without developing carpal tunnel syndrome…

Your Song
Tiny Dancer
Levon
Rocket Man
Honky Cat
Crocodile Rock
Daniel
Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Candle in the Wind
Bennie and the Jets
Don’t let the Sun go down on Me
The Bitch is Back
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
Philadelphia Freedom
Someone Saved my Life Tonight

Island Girl
Pinball Wizard
Don’t go breaking my Heart
Sorry seems to be the Hardest Word
Mama can’t buy you love
Little Jeannie
Funeral for a Friend
Nobody Wins
Chloe
Blue Eyes
Empty Garden
I Guess that’s why they call it the Blues
I’m Still Standing
Kiss the Bride
Sad Songs

Who wears these shoes?
In Neon
Nikita
Wrap her Up
Flames of Paradise
Candle in the Wind (1997)
I Don’t wanna go on with you like that
Healing Hands
Sacrifice
You Gotta Love Someone
The One
Can you feel the love tonight
Circle of Life
Believe
Blessed
Written in the Stars

and many, many more……

He is a prominent activist for Aids-related charities and has raised tens of Millions of dollars for Aids causes around the globe.

He was elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

Appeared as the “Pinball Wizard” in the 1975 Rock Opera “Tommy“.

He was Knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1998.

Upon the death of longtime friend Princess Diana, Elton contacted Bernie Taupin and had him rewrite the lyrics to the classic 1973 hit “Candle in the Wind“, originally written in tribute to Marilyn Monroe. John sang the new version at Diana’s funeral and the subsequent re-release of the new version went on to be the top-selling single in Billboard History, selling over 33 Million copies worldwide.

I have seen him in concert twice. The man is an amazing entertainer and showman.

My wife and I saw him in Fort Worth last year. He opened with “Saturday Nights Alright for Fighting” and played a solid two and a half hours of non-stop hits. To show how timeless his music is, the crowd ranged all the way from High School age up to folks well into retirement.

His lead guitarist, Davey Johnstone, has been with Elton since 1970. Bandmates Nigel Olson and Ray Cooper have been performing with him since 1972.

Now 64yrs old, Elton John is still going strong. His most recent Album, “The Union“, in collaboration with Leon Russell, was released in 2010.

He is currently performing his show “The Million Dollar Piano” at Ceasar’s Palace in Las Vegas for the next three years.

He recently completed his 3,000th concert of his long career.