Elton John
Elton John | |
---|---|
John at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival | |
Born | Reginald Kenneth Dwight 25 March 1947 |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1962–present |
Spouse(s) |
Renate Blauel
(m. 1984; div. 1988) |
Children | 2 |
Musical career | |
Genres | |
Instruments |
|
Labels | |
Website | eltonjohn |
Website | @Elton_Johns |
Sir Elton Hercules John CH CBE[1][2] (birth name Reginald Kenneth Dwight, born 25 March 1947) is an English singer, songwriter, pianist and composer. He started his music career immediately after leaving school.[3] Elton John was the biggest music star of the 1970s.[4]
Early life
[change | change source]Reginald Kenneth Dwight was born at 55 Pinner Hill Road, Pinner, Middlesex. He is the eldest child of Stanley Dwight and Sheila Eileen.[5] He was educated in Pinner.
Career
[change | change source]John became famous in the early 1970s when he and lyricist Bernie Taupin wrote several songs which he performed and recorded. John became a huge star, not only for his musical abilities, but for his flamboyant stage personality. He composed several musicals. He also composed the music for the animated movies The Lion King (1994) and The Road to El Dorado (2000). He is active in charity work. In 1997, in honor of Diana, Princess of Wales, John co-wrote and released a version of his hit Candle in the Wind. That became the world's best-selling single of all time. It sold 37 million copies within two months.[source?]
Outside of music, John has raised millions of pounds for people living with HIV and AIDS through the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
Awards
[change | change source]John has received the following awards:
Academy Awards
[change | change source]- 1995: Best Original Song for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from The Lion King
- 2020: Best Original Song for “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from Rocketman
Grammy Awards
[change | change source]- 1987: Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "That's What Friends Are For", performed by Dionne Warwick & Friends (award shared with Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder)
- 1991: Best Instrumental Composition for "Basque", performed by James Galway
- 1995: Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"
- 1997: Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Candle in the Wind 1997"
- 1999: Grammy Legend Award
- 2001: Best Musical Show Album for Elton John & Tim Rice's Aida (award shared with Guy Babylon, Paul Bogaev & Chris Montan (producers), Tim Rice (lyricist) and the original Broadway cast with Heather Headley, Adam Pascal, and Sherie Rene Scott)
Tony Awards
[change | change source]- 2000: Best Original Musical Score for Aida
Personal life
[change | change source]John has had treatment for alcoholism, drug abuse and bulimia nervosa.[6] In 1984, he was married to Renate Blauel. In 2005, John entered a civil partnership with David Furnish. They had been together for over 16 years.[7] On 21 December 2014, John and Furnish married. Guests at their wedding included English former footballer David Beckham along with his wife Victoria Beckham and their younger sons and their daughter. Their eldest son, who is also John's godson, was not present.[8]
Discography
[change | change source]- Studio albums
- Empty Sky (1969)
- Elton John (1970)
- Tumbleweed Connection (1970)
- Madman Across the Water (1971)
- Honky Chateau (1972)
- Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player (1973)
- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
- Caribou (1974)
- Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975)
- Rock of the Westies (1975)
- Blue Moves (1976)
- A Single Man (1978)
- Victim of Love (1979)
- 21 at 33 (1980)
- The Fox (1981)
- Jump Up! (1982)
- Too Low of Zero (1983)
- Breaking Hearts (1984)
- Ice on Fire (1985)
- Leather Jackets (1986)
- Reg Strikes Back (1988)
- Sleeping with the Past (1989)
- The One (1992)
- Duets (1993)
- Made in England (1995)
- The Big Picture (1997)
- Songs from the West Coast (2001)
- Peachtree Road (2004)
- The Captain & the Kid (2006)
- The Union (2010)
- The Diving Board (2013)
- Wonderful Crazy Night (2016)
- Regimental Sgt. Zippo (2021)
References
[change | change source]- ↑ "Change of Name". The London Gazette. No. 45571. 11 January 1972. p. 403.
- ↑ "New year honours". BBC News. The British Broadcasting Corporation. 1997-12-31. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
KNIGHTS BACHELOR ...Elton Hercules John, CBE. Musician and Composer. For services to Music and for charitable services.
- ↑ "Elton John's biography on eltonjohn.com". Archived from the original on 2010-07-15. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ↑ "A biography of Elton John". Archived from the original on 2009-04-13. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ↑ "Birthplace of Elton John goes up for sale". Harrow Times. Retrieved 2020-02-11.
- ↑ Rolling Stone
- ↑ Briggs, Caroline (21 December 2005). "Sir Elton celebrates his big day". BBC. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
- ↑ Barbara Miller (2014-12-21). "Sir Elton John marries partner David Furnish in ceremony at their home". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2014-12-21.
- 1947 births
- Living people
- Best Original Song Academy Award-winning songwriters
- Brit Award winners
- Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
- Companions of Honour
- English LGBT people
- English pianists
- English rock musicians
- English rock singers
- English singer-songwriters
- Gay men
- Grammy Award winners
- LGBT musicians
- Musicians from London
- Musicians from Middlesex
- Singers from London
- Elton John