Photos of Elton John - the best stage costumes of the cult artist

early years

Reginald Dwight was born in 1947 in Pinner, UK. As soon as the boy was three years old, his mother, who took on the bulk of raising the children, sent Reginald to piano lessons. Reginald turned out to be a very gifted child and, having shown excellent results at the audition, got into the Royal Conservatory. After graduating from university, the young man created his own group, “The Corvettes”. The young musicians were inspired by the works of the great rock and roll performers, many of the classic rock and roll pieces were remade by The Corvettes. The young man spent all his time ensuring that he and his group moved up the career ladder. Soon the guys were offered to perform as the opening act for various rock festivals taking place around the world.

From the biography of Elton John

The future popular performer was born in the Pinner area of ​​London on March 25, 1947.
His real name is Reginald Kenneth Dwight. Elton's father was a military pilot. Mom ran the household. The family lived in Middlesex County, which later became one of the districts of London. The boy's grandparents lived in the house next door and took a much greater part in raising their grandson than the father, who was constantly in the service. Elton was the only child in the family. As a child, he had problems with being overweight. He wore glasses and was a little afraid of his strict and demanding father. The singer later admitted that he considered him a snob.

The boy's mother was a person of quite liberal views. She often brought home records - through them Elton became acquainted with the enchanting world of music. Even before school, the boy learned to play the piano and performed very complex melodies on this instrument, although his feet could barely reach the pedals. At the age of 11, Elton entered the conservatory.

And three years later, Elton’s parents divorced. Subsequently, the mother married Fred Fairbrother, an artist. The young man developed friendly relations with him.

First steps to great success

In 1967, the singer released his first solo song “Scarecrow”; after its release, the young man changed his name to Elton John. DJM Records often supported Elton and allowed him to record music, but limited his time. Most often, Elton received a text and tried to write music for it in less than half an hour; if the process dragged on for a long time, then John put off the lyrics for the next time. The first shift in the musician’s career was the song “I’ve Been Loving You”. Sales were almost zero, but critical reviews and chart positions rose to the top ten. In 1970, the musician and his team managed to find the perfect combination of soulful ballads and rock in the album “Elton John”. One of the compositions, “Your Song,” rose to number 6 in the UK charts, although it did not achieve success in the United States.

Recognition on the native stage

Soon, to increase interest among the American public, Elton gave a concert at The Troubadour club. That same year, the singer recorded “Back Home” for the England football team, which took part in the World Cup. Following the release of this song, John released the theme album "Tumbleweed Connection", which reached number two in the UK chart and tenth in the American charts. The following year, the singer released a live album, which included the best songs of his repertoire. However, its release was not successful due to the fact that shortly before the release of the official album, a recording of the full concert, and not a trimmed sample version, appeared on the market.

Elton John

Elton John recorded his first song back in 1965. A little more than half a century has passed since then. During this period, the talented musician released 30 studio albums, delighted the public with 130 singles, won many awards and received worldwide recognition. The outrageous, bright and extravagant artist is known in almost every country. Yes, some of his life values ​​are far from generally accepted. But this does not stop fans and music lovers from enjoying his songs. We invite you to go through the creative path of Sir Elton John from the very beginning and listen to his best compositions.

short biography

On March 25, 1947, a completely ordinary and at the same time exciting event occurred in the family of Stanley and Shaylee Dwight: the couple had a son, Reginald Kenneth Dwight. This is the name that was given to the musician at birth. He was born in England, in the historical county of Middlesex, in the district of London.

For many people, childhood is a pleasant time of memories. But not for Elton John. His early years were marred by his quarreling parents and his tyrannical father, an air force officer. He was always dissatisfied: with his wife, home and... his only son, whom he saw as an athlete on the pedestal. Well, what about little Reggie? This sweet, affectionate and gentle child bore little resemblance to his father’s ideal, which aroused his anger.

The boy's salvation was his grandmother, Quince. She sat the crying child on her lap and calmed him down as best she could. At one such moment, Quince allowed her grandson to press the keys of an ancient piano. This was the beginning of the birth of a new star in the music world. Little Reggie found an outlet in music and literally a week later began picking out famous songs by ear. At that time he was only 3 years old.

Sheila was shocked by her son's talent. Yes, his game was imperfect, but there was something more to it. And she began to develop and encourage the abilities of Reggie, for whom the living room of his home became the first stage. He played the piano in hopes of winning his father's love, but was unsuccessful.

Underestimated by his own father, Reginald filled this gap at the Royal Academy of Music in London. As an 11-year-old boy, he impressed the admissions committee by playing the piano and received a scholarship. For six years he will diligently attend classes and receive positive feedback from teachers. But he cared little about his studies. In the first place was rock and roll and his own appearance, which did not satisfy the teenager.

While his studies at the Academy are going on as usual, Reggie decides to create a group called Bluesology. At the time of the founding of the team, he was only 13 years old. He even finds an agent to promote his work. The guys started with songs by Ray Charles and Jim Reeves, a well-known country singer in music circles. The group gained some fame and even toured the United States in the mid-60s as musical accompaniment for various artists.

The second half of the 60s was not the most successful for the musician. The first, independently written song did not make an impression on the public, his personal life was collapsing, excess weight prevented him from gaining self-confidence... To top it off, sales of the debut album “Empty Sky” amounted to only 400 copies, although the reviews inspired optimism.

Success came 2 years later with the album, named after his pseudonym, “Elton John”. The track “Your Song” gained particular popularity, becoming a hit on both sides of the ocean. The musician’s name began to be heard all over the world: his tours included not only European cities, but also American ones.

On the wave of popularity, Elton John records the anthem of the British football team. At the same time, he releases his third studio album, which takes first place in the charts. Fame, money - all this falls on a talented musician. What more could you ask for? About his own record company, where he, accompanied by his team (Elton John Band), listens to hundreds of demo recordings in search of talent. The Rocket Records label was created in 1973 and existed until 2007. Working in the company required time and effort. Despite this, the popular composer did not forget about his own musical career: his singles and albums, one after another, occupy the top positions in the ratings and reach platinum status.

At some point, the personality of the performer himself began to attract more attention than his work. The society was interested in the artist’s personal life and everything connected with him. Elton John himself actively takes advantage of his popularity and spends his time carefree.

In the late 70s, the world was gripped by turbulent times. In England, outrageousness and personal freedom began to be promoted - Elton’s work turned out to be unnecessary to society. The artist dissolved his depressed mood in drug and alcohol ecstasy. He went into the shadows, and in order to somehow rehabilitate himself in his own eyes, he began to tour in countries where he had not been before. The USSR was also included in their number.

The renaissance of the British star dates back to the early 90s. By this time, Elton John had radically changed his life: he got rid of bad habits, exchanged British apartments for American ones and decided to return to his former glory. He succeeded. Grammy, Oscar and other awards, including a knighthood, begin to rain down on the artist as if from a cornucopia.

Elton John is now 70 years old. Age is making itself felt - concerts have become less frequent. But this does not mean that he disappeared from the scene. He continues to sing, act in films, produce and still shock the public. But creativity is not the only meaning of his life at the present time. Children are what he values ​​endlessly. The eldest son even accompanies the famous dad on tour. Life for Elton John does not lose its colors and richness. And one can only envy him for this.

Interesting Facts

• The pseudonym Elton John appeared in 1967 as a desire to end his old life and start a new one. Moreover, the first part of the pseudonym was borrowed from Elton Dean (British jazz performer), and John from Long John Baldry (British blues musician). In 1972, the pseudonym was supplemented with the name Hercules. The ideological inspiration was... a horse. That was the name of the horse in the sitcom Steptoe and Son, which the musician loved to watch. In the same year, the pseudonym became a passport name.
• The famous detail of Elton John's image - glasses - is nothing more than an attempt to copy the American singer Buddy Holly. The decision to add something original to my image led to myopia. Now glasses for an artist are a necessity, which has grown into a collection with a total of more than 20,000 pairs.
• The musician also tried to imitate Jerry Lee Lewis, another American singer and pianist. True, this was in my teens.
• When Elton was 15 years old, his parents divorced. It was a blow for the teenager. But what worried him most was not his father’s departure from the family, but his imminent marriage. Less than a week had passed since Stanley Dwight married a new woman and in the next 4 years became the father of four children. And this is after years of assurances that he cannot stand children.
• Reggie was raised mainly by his mother and stepfather Fred Fairbrother. The musician himself speaks warmly of Fred. Thanks to his stepfather, he got his first job as a pianist at a nearby hotel pub on weekends. The man also made a more significant contribution to the development of his stepson, assuring him that success does not depend on appearance.
• Elton John calls himself a dropout. And there are reasons for this: he dropped out of high school, although he had a couple of months left before his final exams. The same fate affected the conservatory.
• The singer's musical career began as an ordinary messenger. He got a job at a music publishing house and carried out various assignments during the daytime, devoting his evenings to music. So he wanted to earn money for a piano.
• The debut song, recorded in 1965, was a flop. Despite the disastrous result, Elton did not despair - after all, for the first time he learned what it was like to be a singer.

• There was also a suicide attempt in the life of a popular artist. He wanted to commit suicide by turning on the gas burner. But, fortunately, I forgot to close the windows. What prompted the man to take such an extreme act? Constant quarrels with his lover, who saw him as a bank clerk and sometimes even beat him. He wanted a real normal family, with a big house and children.
• Elton is actively involved in the life of the community, donating money to fight AIDS. The death of Freddie Mercury prompted him to create his own foundation.
• It's hard to imagine, but Sir Elton John was somewhat of a fan of the British boy group Take That and even managed to kidnap Robbie Williams with the help of his guards. For what? To send a young man to drug rehabilitation. But the impudent young man ran away after a couple of days and only after a while he realized the correctness of his colleague’s intentions.
• Flowers are a special passion of the musician. In the late 90s, information even appeared in the press that Elton spent about 300 thousand pounds on buying flowers. And this is in 9 months. One of the singer’s points is also related to the flower “disease” - the dressing room must be decorated with fresh flowers.

• Drug addiction is a passed stage in the life of an artist. Yes, he used cocaine and in 1975 even almost died from an overdose. Despite that incident, Elton decided to get rid of his addiction only in the late 80s. Now he helps other celebrities overcome addiction. So, Eminem is grateful to his colleague for the moral support and guidance on this difficult path.
• The artist was also treated for bulimia: excess weight never gave him peace.
• Elton John considers himself an atheist. In his opinion, religion should be banned altogether so that conflicts between countries with different religions disappear and the persecution of people with non-traditional sexual orientation stops.
• Despite his atheistic views, Elton John had to neglect them for the sake of his idol and friend John Lennon. He appeared at the funeral procession and said goodbye to the musical genius. By the way, it was Elton who received an offer from John Lennon and Yoko Ono to become the godfather of their son.
• In 2005, Elton John married David Furnish, a Canadian film director. The ceremony itself was closed and modest, and the banquet in honor of such an event was solemn and pompous: 700 people were invited to it.

• Elton became a father for the first time at the age of 63. Son Zechariah was born by a surrogate mother. Two years later, another boy, Elijah, appeared in the family in the same way. The “young” dad preferred to change diapers on his own, feed the children from a bottle and not sleep at night. He sees the meaning of life in children.
• The performer’s personal life also includes a marriage with Renata Blaell. This woman was able to win the singer’s heart, but not for long - after 4 years the couple broke up.

The best songs of Elton John

Here is a list of the most memorable and popular compositions of this artist.

• “ Your Song ” is a song that brought success. Bernie Taupin, the lyricist, admits that he wrote the lyrics on dirty paper so simply, without reference to a specific artist. It is said that Elton took only 10 minutes to record the musical accompaniment. The result is a romantic single that continues to appeal to many music lovers.
• " Rocket Man " was released in 1972 and almost immediately reached number two on the UK charts. The history of the song's creation is also noteworthy. The most common version is that the author, the same Bernie Taupin, was inspired by the stories of science fiction writer Ray Bradbury. Another says that Bernie saw a shooting star. The unsolved mystery of the origin makes the composition even more attractive, doesn't it?

"Rocket Man" (listen)

• " Tiny Dancer ". This song can hardly be called commercially successful: it did not occupy high positions in the ratings. Her fame stems from her appearance on the soundtrack of the film Almost Famous. The single waited 30 years after its release for its “finest hour.” What is he talking about? About Californian women, attractive and sexy.

"Tiny Dancer" (listen)

• " Bennie and the Jets ". In addition to the catchy rhythm, the track is memorable with light lyrics. The composer himself did not believe in the success of the song and was against its release as a single. But his intuition let him down: in the USA it took the top spot and sold millions of copies.
• "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word." Another composition whose history has two waves of success. The first occurs in 1976, when the song appeared in rotation. The second is from 2002, when the group “Blue” took on its cover and performed it together with Sir Elton John. It is noteworthy that he sang this single as a duet with Ray Charles.

“Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” (listen)

Films about Elton John and with his participation

The talent of this person is multifaceted. And it’s not just about the concert videos that every self-respecting artist releases. Elton actively starred in various TV shows and television series. His hand-drawn image can be found in The Simpsons and South Park. In total, the famous Englishman’s film career includes more than 100 TV series in which he played himself. What can you do - Elton’s love for television series is limitless.

In addition to concert DVDs, documentaries are dedicated to Elton John. In 2002, “The Elton John Story” was broadcast on one music channel. The film tells about the artist’s creative path from his first concert until the advent of the new millennium. Connoisseurs of piano music will enjoy the film “Million Dollar Piano,” dedicated to the artist’s concert activities and the main instrument of his life.

Among the films in which the composer tried himself as an actor are:

• “Tommy” (1975), where Elton appeared as a wizard who blesses the boy Tommy on the path to becoming a rock star;
• "Country Bears" (2002). Here the composer played a cameo role dedicated to himself.

Elton John's music in films

The film industry could not do without the musical abilities of this composer. His most famous soundtrack is “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” written specifically for the animated film “The Lion King” (1994). By the way, the cartoon is also the most commercially successful in its genre.

As for other soundtracks, their number has long exceeded the 400 mark. This includes not only full-length films, but also series and TV shows. Here is our modest selection of films in the creation of which the musician’s creativity was used.

“The Benny Hill Show”, “Top Gear”, “Emergency”, “Scrubs”, “How I Met Your Mother”... - the list of talk shows and TV series in which you can hear the voice of a talented Englishman is endless.

Features of Elton John's creativity

The creative heritage of this Englishman is truly wide. Over 50 years of work in the music field, he has released more than 30 studio albums, more than 10 collections, and the number of songs he wrote is enough for continuous listening for a month or even more. But his career is not over yet!

Tenor is the singer's original voice. But after throat surgery in 1987, his range changed. Since then, Elton has been singing as a baritone. If we talk about musical style, it is difficult to attribute his work to any specific genre. His songs also contain rock rhythms, academic motifs, soul, and reggae. His lyrical ballads, which still make the heart ache, brought him great popularity.

Sir Elton John... It is enough to say this name for the image of a man in glasses and a shiny jacket to appear before your eyes. He sits at the piano, masterfully plucking the keys and giving those around him the pleasure of listening to magnificent music. There were ups and downs in his life. And despite various criticisms and social debates, the name of this artist will always be accompanied by the word “most”.

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Video: listen to Elton John

First successes on the world stage

In 1971, Elton released another studio album, Madman Across the Water. The album took a leading position in the world charts and was noted as the singer’s most successful album at this stage of his career. The composition of the team with which John collaborated had already finally taken shape by 1972 and consisted entirely of true professionals in their field. By the time Honky Chateau was released, John had worked so well with his team that some of the songs on the album were written without his participation. Elton soon decided to create his own label, Rocket Records. Almost immediately after opening the label, Elton released his most successful pop disc, Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player.

Creating a unique stage image

In 1973, the singer created “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” the most successful album of his entire career, according to music experts. It was from the moment of the release of this collection that the singer began to attract attention not only with his music, but also because he stood out from other performers with his appearance and behavior. That same year, his label began releasing songs by other artists, and the singer himself signed a contract with his previous agency worth US$8 million.

In 1974, the artist created several covers of John Lennon's compositions. After one of the covers aired, Lennon made a bet with Elton that when the song reached first place they would sing a duet. Soon both performers were on the same stage performing "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds".

Elton John's career

There was less than a month left until graduation from the Royal Conservatoire. And then Elton decides to quit his studies and devote himself entirely to music. The young man joined the company of performers and began playing the piano in bars. After some time, Elton joined the musical group Bluesology. He thought for a long time about his stage name. And he made it from parts of the name of singer John Baldry and saxophonist Elton Dean.

In 1968, Elton met Bernie Taupin, who began regularly writing song lyrics for the artist. This cooperation continues to this day.

The singer pinned a lot of hopes on the release of his first album. But this project ended in commercial failure. The second album had a completely different fate: the compositions performed by Elton were liked by the American public. This record was nominated for a Grammy and was considered the best album of the year.

In 1974, John Lennon heard several compositions performed by Elton. He immediately invited the singer to perform in a joint program. Together they performed a number of songs at Madison Square Garden. This performance was remembered by Lennon fans, since it was actually the last appearance of the musician in front of the general public.

The most outstanding compositions of Elton John in the 70s:

• Back Home;
• Burn Down the Mission;
• Get Back;
• Honhy Tonk Women;
• Levon;
• Friends.

In 1976, Elton prepared for his listeners one of his “saddest” discs, which became a landmark event in the singer’s career. In the 70s, the singer's popularity reached its peak. And then there was a decline in my career. But he still continued to travel around the world with his music programs and record albums.

In the late 70s, Elton received an invitation to perform in Israel and the Soviet Union. At this time he was already considered a world-class star. His talent was recognized not only at home, but throughout the world.

In the 80s, the singer had to undergo surgery on his vocal cords. After that, his voice changed. However, the performer continued to work hard. Songs from this decade include:

• That's what friends are for;
• I'm still standing;
• Little Jeannie;
• I guess that's why they call It the blues.

Group breakup

Shortly after the end of this concert, Elton went on a tour of the United States on his personal plane. In 1974, Elton released his eighth album, “Caribou,” the material for this collection was collected in just over two weeks. Overall the product was a commercial success but a critical failure for many. The same year, the artist was offered a role in the rock opera “Tommy”. A few months after the opera was completed, the singer released the album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, which chronicled his early life and rise to fame. At the end of the same year, the team that had accompanied the singer at his concerts all this time broke up. The busy schedule and physically difficult concerts tired many of the participants and Elton had to recruit other guys for the team.

First results of the new composition

The first performance took place on the largest stage in London; 75 thousand listeners attended the concert. The album “Rock of the Westies”, which was released immediately after the line-up change, became the tenth full-length disc.

In 1976, the new album “Blue Moves” was released; the material presented in this collection was different from everything Elton had done before. Filled with sadness and sorrow, full of tragedy, it attracted the attention of many listeners, which surprised experts who perceived the singer’s new creation with misunderstanding. The most successful moment of the entire 1976 was the performance of the song “Don't Go Breaking My Heart” in a duet with Kiki Dee. In the same year, the singer openly admitted his gay orientation during one of his interviews.

Musician's first love

Elton appeared on the scene in the early 60s. Despite the times, he is still a popular artist and sells over 300 million records worldwide. His first love was a beautiful secretary named Linda Budrow.

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They met when the musician was touring with his first band, Bluesology. This happened in her hometown of Sheffield. Afterwards, the girl moved to London and they began to live together in the East End. The lovers even managed to put engagement rings on each other.

But his friends saw how he was suffering in his relationship and advised him to call off the wedding. Saying that he will never be happy with women. But, without explaining the reasons, Elton John marries a German sound engineer, Renate Blauel. Yes, Elton, despite his homosexuality, was married to a woman. But what happened next?

They were perfect. Elton categorically refused to go to an event if his wife could not accompany him. Renata Blauel admitted in an interview that John is “the most wonderful and attentive man on Earth, and only with him is she truly happy.”

Losing my voice and my best friend

In 1979, the singer was invited to the USSR, which at that time was quite conservative and rarely allowed musicians from other countries. In the same year, the singer, after a long period of time, managed to write the successful composition “Little Jeannie”. The top five of all charts was completely filled with Elton's songs.

In 1980, the singer held a free concert near John Lennon's house; exactly three months later, Lennon was killed in the same place. In memory of his friend, Elton John held another concert at which he performed the singer’s most popular songs, together with his wife and son, who was John’s godson. Much to the shock of thousands of fans, in 1986 the singer lost his voice during a concert. Soon he underwent surgery, after which his voice timbre changed.

In 1987, the artist was sued over rumors that he had sexual relations with children. After lengthy trials, Elton John was found innocent.

Five of the strangest facts from the life of Elton John

Misogynist

Despite everything, there were women in Elton John's life. What can I say - he was married! The musician was married for four years to Renata Blauel, a sound engineer at a German studio. Elton met Renata only after getting rid of a severe cocaine addiction. He got carried away in earnest and once proposed to her in an Indian restaurant. There was a beautiful wedding, and after that the first wedding night. But the singer’s unstable psyche did not allow him to enjoy his marriage for a long time, and as a result, the couple divorced peacefully.

The singer almost entered this river twice. He met a girl - “tall, about one meter eighty” - who performed in a cabaret. Before Elton, she dated a dwarf who beat the poor thing. Elton took pity on her and they moved in together. But the “sufferer” quickly came to life and began to beat the singer himself! Three weeks before the scheduled wedding, Elton ran away and for a long time was afraid that she might track him down and beat him again.

Today, the magnificent pianist, collector of glasses and owner of a soulful voice turns 70. Photo: EASTNEWS/AP/FOTOLINK

Loser Suicide

The singer never tried to commit suicide. His “repertoire” also included a Woody Allen-style story, as the singer himself called it: Elton turned on the gas in the apartment, but at the same time opened all the windows. He survived. Like the next time, when, immediately after laying his personal star on the Walk of Fame, he drank 50 Valium tablets and threw himself into the pool. He was pumped out because the musician warned him about what he was going to do.

In 1979, Elton John was invited by the Soviet Ministry of Culture and the USSR State Concert to perform in Leningrad and Moscow. But on condition - not to perform the Beatles song “Back in the USSR” and not to throw a piano chair. Photo: EASTNEWS/AP/FOTOLINK

Scandal Man

The artist constantly quarrels with someone. Then with Madonna, calling her a phonographist and comparing her to a fairground stripper. Then with Dolce and Gabbana - because they called “test tube children” (Elton had two children from a surrogate mother) - synthetic. Then he will call Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards an “arthritis monkey” and a “pathetic sight” because of his bad joke. Then he will stop communicating with David and Victoria Beckham, who, while visiting him, allegedly drove the servants around too much.

Video of Elton John's first visit to the USSR (1979).

Dandy Maniac

Sir Elton once spent $800,000 in one day while shopping! And in two years, on average, he spends more than £20 million on clothes. Apparently, the most money is spent on glasses - there are already more than 250,000 pieces in his collection. The singer has a separate room to store them. And during a tour in Brazil, the artist asked that a separate room be provided for the glasses that he took with him, the air temperature in which would not exceed 16 degrees.

The singer never tried to commit suicide Photo: EAST NEWS

Lover of shouting

In dangerous situations, Elton is not inclined to hide his emotions. The Who leader Pete Townshend once said: “I was on the same flight as Elton John. Suddenly the engine exploded. The plane began to lose control, we had already said goodbye to life. Some were praying, some were screaming. In the row where Elton John was sitting, a woman was squealing desperately. We miraculously made it to the airfield. When it was all over, I said to Elton: “But you had it even worse. There was a woman next to you screaming hysterically for the entire plane to hear.” - “What woman? Fool, it was me!”

Elton John plays in a Soviet restaurant (1979).

Beginning of depression

In 1988, a difficult period began for the musician; he began to experience depression. He practically did not appear in public and organized a large auction at which he sold his collections. Due to complex psychological problems, the singer begins to have problems with alcohol and drug addiction.

In 1990, he was hospitalized with bulimia.

In 1991, "Basque", a song released that year, had previously won a Grammy Award.

In 1992, the singer opened the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which researches AIDS issues. The same year presented listeners with a new collection “The One”. The album peaked at number eight on the US charts, ending its long period of failure. Soon the artist released another album consisting of duets; many famous performers were invited to create this product.

Cooperation between animation studios and theaters

1994 gave the singer the opportunity to create musical accompaniment for the animated film “The Lion King” from the Disney studio. The cartoon became the most commercially successful at that time and brought Elton three awards and several Oscar nominations. In the same year, the singer was honored to be included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In the same year, the artist was granted the title of knight, which gave him the opportunity to use “sir” in his name. 1995 gave admirers of Elton John another album, “Made in England.” 1997 was a period of loss for the singer; his close friend and Princess Diana died, at whose funeral he performed the song “Candle in the Wind.” This song became one of the best-selling in the UK and brought huge income not only to the singer, but also to the country. In 1998, the singer released a disc with songs for the musical “Aida”.

Elton John turns 70: rare photos of the musician and his top 5 greatest hits

Sir Elton John is one of the greatest musicians of our time. The British singer and composer has sold more than 250 million records worldwide over a 50-year musical career. He is ranked 49th on Rolling Stone's Greatest Artists list and is also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

On Saturday, March 25, Elton John celebrates his anniversary. He turned 70 years old.

In honor of the musician’s birthday, Obozrevatel collected rare photographs of the artist, as well as his top five hits.

Few people remember that Reginald Kenneth Dwight (the musician's real name) at the beginning of his career was one of the most extravagant artists in the world, putting on such blatantly kitsch shows as if he wanted to outshine all the glam rockers at once.

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Elton John spoke about his children

In the 70s and 80s, he surprised audiences with wild outfits and strange antics. He could easily go on stage dressed as Donald Duck or as the Statue of Liberty. One day, John managed to scare even Iggy Pop, who had seen a lot: having gone too far with stimulants and alcohol, John jumped onto the stage where Pop was performing, wearing a gorilla suit.

We invite you to look at rare photos of Elton John. In some frames it is difficult to recognize him.

Note that the 80s were a turning point in Elton’s life. Back in 1976, during an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, he announced his bisexuality. But in 1984, the artist married, unexpectedly for many, sound engineer Renate Blauel. And two years later he lost his voice and underwent throat surgery. He had his polyps removed, and as a result John's timbre changed slightly.

Four years after the wedding with Renata, the marriage broke up. A little later, Elton announced that he is more homosexual than bisexual. Tormented by constant depression, Elton John gradually began to abuse alcohol and drugs. He repeatedly underwent treatment for drug addiction.

In 1993, he met his future civil partner David Furnish, who helped him overcome his alcoholism and drug addiction. In 2004, the UK ratified the Civil Status Act, which introduced the concept of “same-sex marriage” into law. Elton was one of the first to take advantage of the opportunity to legalize homosexual relationships. On December 21, 2005, John and Furnish entered into a prenuptial agreement. Only close friends and relatives were invited to the wedding ceremony in Windsor, where Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles were previously married. The press was not allowed to attend the ceremony. In the evening, a banquet was held at the Berkshire estate, where more than 700 people were invited, including celebrities - friends of Elton and David. Celebrity guests such as Brian May, Elizabeth Hurley and Ozzy Osbourne were invited.

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Composer Ruslan Kvinta celebrated his creative anniversary with a concert at the Sports Palace

In 2009, the couple tried to adopt an HIV-positive boy from a Ukrainian boarding school, but officials refused, citing the fact that same-sex marriage is not recognized in Ukraine. On December 25, 2010, Elton and David finally became fathers - their son was born from a surrogate mother from California, who was given the name Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John. On January 11, 2013, their second son, Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John, was born.

On December 21, 2014, Elton John and David Furnish got married and got married, thereby celebrating the nine-year anniversary of their cohabitation.

Among Elton John's achievements, it is worth noting his Grammy statuettes and even an Oscar, which the musician received for the composition “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” for the animated film “The Lion King.” The singer was also awarded Knight Bachelor and Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

Despite various musical innovations on the world stage, Elton John still remains one of the most successful rock performers in Great Britain.

As the Observer reported, Elton John showed his grown-up sons:

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Last years of career

The 2000s began for the musician with a project to create musical accompaniment for the cartoon “The Road to Eldorado.” In 2001, the first film about the artist’s life, “The Elton John Story,” was released. In 2003, “Are You Ready for Love” was re-recorded, which in the 70s did not cause any reaction from the public, but after re-recording and changing the arrangement, it took a leading position in the pop charts. 2004 gave the singer a soul mate, David Furnish became Elton John's official partner, and Elton soon became a father through a surrogate mother. The singer decided to focus his attention on concerts and various shows and did not release albums for a long time. In the last years of his musical activity, the singer held many charity concerts and participated in voice acting and writing music for cartoons. In 2020, Elton is preparing to appear on screen in the film Kingsman 2: The Golden Circle; this film will mark the singer’s debut on the big screen.

Life after women

When Elton John was choosing between Linda Budrow and Renata Blauel, Scottish manager John Reid appeared in his life. The relationship with him was very painful for the musician. He tried to suppress his love for men and find peace with a woman. But, as we see from history, even an engagement to a woman did not stop Elton; he made the most unexpected decisions.

The film "Rocketman" also shows the artist's difficult phase when he recorded the album "Victim of Love" in 1979. He was depressed and began to abuse alcohol and illegal substances. Elton's situation was extremely difficult.

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Attempts at treatment were unsuccessful. But in 1993 he meets his future civil partner David Furnish. He gets him out of all his problems and helps him get rid of drug addiction.

Twelve years later, the lovers sign a marriage contract. The wedding ceremony takes place in Windsor. Only the closest friends and relatives were invited to the celebration.

Nobody allowed the press into the ceremony. On December 25, 2010, Elton and David became fathers through a surrogate mother in California. The boy was named Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John. And three years later, the second son, Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John, was born in the same way.

Interesting Facts:

• Elton John has a knighthood and his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• Elton John is a fan of the Watford football club, and in 1976-1987 he was even its owner. Interestingly, this eleven-year era saw the club's heyday, reaching the FA Cup final in 1984.
• In one of the episodes of the famous animated series South Park, Elton John voiced himself. He also recorded the song "Wake Up Wendy" for the album "Chef Aid: The South Park Album", created based on the series. The album also features Ozzy Osbourne, System of a Down, Joe Strummer from The Clash and other famous artists.
• In 1974, Elton John took part in the recording of John Lennon's song "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night". The musicians made a bet: Lennon promised that if the single took 1st place, they would perform this song as a duet at a concert in Madison Square Garden. Actually, that’s what happened.

What is Elton John's real name and why did he change it?

However, he did not take half of his name from one of the Beatles , although this Beatle was a close friend.

The biopic Rocketman tells us that Reginald Dwight changed his name to Elton John in part because he saw a photo of John Lennon in his music publisher's office, and Dwight decided that a good first name would also make a good last name.

Nothing is as it seems. We have the real story to tell you about the close bond between the two Joneses.

Why Elton John changed his name

"Rocketman" tells the truth about Elton John's name - the first half. According to the Encyclopedia of World Biography, he was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on March 25, 1947, in Middlesex, England. After he began to attract attention with his strange ear for music, the young man began playing in local bands.

One of these bands, called Bluesology , had a saxophonist named Elton Dean. John came from John Baldry, the singer of the band. Reginald Dwight wanted to be a singer in his own right, and he was right in thinking that Elton John was the best stage name.

“When I became Elton John, it was like a new life,” he said in a 1987 interview. “I didn’t really like being Reg Dwight. He had too many unhappy memories."

Every biopic plays, to some degree, loosely with the facts. "Rocketman" does not purport to be literally true to every aspect of John's life. If this were so, there would not have been a single song in his unhappy childhood. His childhood is dramatized in the song "I Want Love" , released in 2001.

However, Elton John had something in common with John Lennon: they both had the same music publisher, Dick James, who had been with the Beatles since 1963. "Rocketman" likely showed that Elton John took his name from John Lennon, as some sort of tribute to the Beatles , with whom he was close.

Friendship between Elton John and John Lennon

The two famous musicians met in the 1970s, when Elton John became a superstar. The duo recorded together on the 1974 Walls and Bridges He played the piano and sang "Surprise Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox)" and "Whatever Happens to You in the Night" . Lennon also played and sang a cover version of Elton John's "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" , which became a No. 1 hit.

But Elton John had something else in mind. He was so confident that "Whatever Happens to You at Night" would be a hit that he made a bet with Lennon: if the song reached No. 1, Lennon would play it with John in concert. Lennon agreed, thinking it would never happen since none of his solo songs reached number one.

It did, and Lennon made good on his deal by performing with Elton John during a Thanksgiving concert at Madison Square Garden in 1974. They sang their No. 1 hits while performing the Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There."

This turned out to be Lennon's last concert performance before his death in 1980. As a tribute to Lennon, John released the song "Empty Garden" and was also godfather to Lennon's youngest son, Sean. With a story like that, it's not hard to see why Rocketman half-made up the story about John's name.

When John was knighted in 1998, a new name was added: he became Sir Elton Hercules John. The singer had a banner year in 2020, with "Rocketman" grossing $180 million to date worldwide. Disney recently released a remake of The Lion King with songs by Elton John and Tim Rice.