Elton John

The only child of Sheila Eileen and Stanley Dwight, Sir Elton John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on March 25, 1947, in Pinner, Middlesex. He was an English musician, composer, and singer. John, who gained the moniker "Rocket Man" following his famous song of the same title in 1972, has had a long and successful solo career, releasing thirty-one albums since 1969. John's songs and stage presence have greatly influenced popular music. One of the most profitable lyricist collaborations in history involved him and Taupin.

His maternal grandparents brought him up in a council house in Pinner. The family relocated to a neighboring semi-detached house after his parents' 1945 marriage. Before leaving Pinner County Grammar School at the age of 17, to achieve a specified goal for his life,

John first met Bernie Taupin (1950-) in 1968, and they wrote songs together for the rest of their lives. "Your Song," a smash in both the U.S. and the U.K., was his second song. His first number-one hit in America, "Rocket Man," reached the top spot in 1972. Later, other songs from the album Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only the Piano Player, such as "Daniel" and "Crocodile Rock," were successes.

"Candle in the Wind," a song honouring actress Marilyn Monroe, was featured on the 1973 album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1926-1962). Rocket Records, John's music company, was established in the same year.

John rose to fame because of his crazy attire and oversized glasses. John was referred to as the "Queen Mum of Pop." He also favoured owning a lot of luxury automobiles and spacious mansions and buying excursions. He played the Pinball Wizard in the 1975 movie adaptation of Tommy's rock opera. He had his first British top record in 1976 with a collaboration with Kiki Dee called "Don't Go Breaking My Heart." Then, his influence started to fade due to a string of underwhelming releases. He lost fame after people learned he was interested in both men and women. He started drinking and taking drugs.

John performed throughout the 1980s, but his drug and alcohol abuse had rendered him incapable of doing his charm. On February 14, 1984, Valentine's Day saw the couple exchange vows. With an emphasis on John's past sexual activity, the British media criticised both the marriage and John. The couple decided to get divorced just under five years later.

Career

John had become one of the most successful pop artists in the world by 1973. His familiar songs, co-written with Taupin, were sympathetic satire and reinterpretations of anything from the Rolling Stones ("The Bitch Is Back" [1974]) to Frank Sinatra ballads ("Blue Eyes" [1982]) to 1950s rock and roll ("Crocodile Rock" [1972]) to Philadelphia soul ("Philadelphia Freedom" [1975]). In lengthier compositions like "Burn Down the Mission" from Tumbleweed Connection (1971) and "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, he also showed more ambitious artistic goals (1973). Two more tracks from this period worth mentioning are "Rocket Man" on Honky Château (1972) and "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" on Caribou (1974).

The song "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (1976), which characterised the staid bombastic atmosphere of his mature ballads, marked the beginning of 1976 with the album Blue Moves when his rock inspirations became less overt and a more churchlike English pop style appeared. He experimented with different partners in the late 1970s and early 1980s, which caused his music to lose some of its novelty and his fame to decline slightly. Nevertheless, he remained a very well-liked mainstream performer. He introduced an out-of-date, garishly dressed flamboyance to the pop scene, similar to the Las Vegas piano icon Liberace. John was the first male music singer to acknowledge his homosexuality in the 1990s publicly, yet his career was unaffected.

In 1994, he co-wrote the songs for The Lion King with writer Tim Rice; the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" received the Academy Award for best original music. John turned The Lion King into a Broadway musical in 1997. The same year, Taupin released a new version of "Candle in the Wind," a song he had written in 1973 to grieve the passing of Diana, Princess of Wales. The song became the most commercially successful pop single in history, selling more than 30 million albums worldwide.

Reuniting with Rice once more, John wrote the stage musical Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida in 1998. Aida, a revamped version of the 1998 production, is a liberal interpretation of the Giuseppe Verdi opera. John provided the score for Billy Elliot, a stage version of the well-known movie, while Taupin and John collaborated on the 2005 musical Lestat, which was based on several Anne Rice novels. In 2005, the West End of London hosted the premiere of that play, and in 2008, it debuted on Broadway. It received ten Tony Awards in 2008.

From 2003 until 2009, John worked at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on an open engagement. With images by photographer David LaChapelle, the performance, titled Elton John and the Red Piano, was a digital celebration of his career. The Million Dollar Piano was the name of John's second Las Vegas residency, which he began in 2011 and completed in 2018.

John's soundtracks for The Road to El Dorado (2000) and Gnomeo & Juliet (2011), two animated films, included his sound compositions. Farewell Yellow Brick Road, a three-year tour that John declared his last, began in 2018 after he made the announcement. Nevertheless, the 2020 COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic forced the suspension of the journey. The Lockdown Sessions (2021), which included partnerships with artists including Miley Cyrus, Eddie Vedder, and Stevie Wonder, was the 32nd studio album that John released during the intermission. In 2022, John restarted the journey. The 2019 movie Rocketman, inspired by his life, was published around this period.

In 1994, John was admitted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; in 1998, Queen Elizabeth II honoured him. In 2004, he was honoured by the Kennedy Center. In 2019, the book "Me," his autobiography, was released.

Decides To Help Others

John sought therapy for bulimia ( an eating disease), drug addiction, and drunkenness towards the beginning of the 1990s. He acknowledged being a homosexual (a guy interested in other males) and turned his attention to assisting others.

Diana, Princess of Wales died in a car collision in 1997. John was greatly disappointed. John gave a brand-new performance of "Candle in the Wind at her funeral." More than thirty million singles had passed after being made available as a single. More than $47 million in revenues were given entirely by John to a foundation named in Diana's honour. He received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022) to recognise his musical accomplishments and charitable works.

Personal life

Sexuality And Family

John and Taupin, at the time, had monetary assistance from Woodrow. After receiving advice from Taupin and Long John Baldry, John called off the engagement two weeks ahead of their planned marriage. John had lost touch with Woodrow fifty years ago, but in 2020, he assisted in covering her medical expenses at her request.

He began his first gay relationship and lost his virginity to John Reid, the U.K. manager of the Tamla Motown label. The latter would eventually become John's manager in 1970, following his first U.S. concert in Los Angeles. Although Reid continued to serve as his manager until 1998, the bond dissolved five years later.

On February 14, 1984, at a lavish marriage ceremony held in Darling Point, New South Wales, Australia, John wed German recording engineer Renate Blauel.

When John informed her he wanted to dissolve their relationship, Blauel said she tried to kill herself when they were on their honeymoon in St. Tropez. In 1988, they divorced after a short relationship. Although she was the most refined woman he'd ever met, things didn't work out. He was acting falsely. In 2020, Blauel filed a lawsuit against John, alleging that the singer had violated the conditions of their divorce settlement by discussing their affair in his 2019 book, Me: Elton John's Official Autobiography. Later on, in the same year, the divorce lawsuit was resolved.

In a 1976 interview, John revealed his bisexuality to Rolling Stone, and in a 1992 meeting, he said he was "very pleased about being homosexual."

There are two sons born to John and Furnish. Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John, the older, was born through a surrogate on December 25, 2010, in California. On January 11, 2013, the same surrogate delivered the younger, Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John. The ten godchildren that John also has are Sean Lennon, the son of Brooklyn and Romeo Beckham, Damian Hurley, the son of Elizabeth Hurley, and Seymour Stein's daughter are among the ten godchildren that John also has.

After describing Jesus as a "caring, amazingly homosexual man who recognised societal issues," John was condemned by specific Christian organisations in the US in 2010. Defending against gay marriage, Bill Donohue, head of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, replied, "To call the Lord a homosexual is to declare him a sexual criminal."

But what else can we expect from a man who has already stated, "From my perspective, I would outlaw religion entirely."? In John's book, Me, published in 2019, John claimed that his comments had led to several threatening messages. We're here today to tell Elton John that he needs to die. A Christian Reconstructionist from Bremen, Georgia, in the United States named Neal Horsley was detained for spreading terrorist threats after uploading a video on youtube. Following that, the accusations were withdrawn.

John had previously stated that he thought homosexual people should only be allowed to be married in civil unions, but by 2012, he had altered his mind and was now in favour of same-sex marriages in the UK. John uttered: "Using the terms "spouse" and "partner" interchangeably might cause misunderstandings. Only use the word "partner" when referring to those with whom you play tennis or operate a business. It falls far short of adequately expressing the affection David and I have. "'Husband', on the other hand, does."

He asserted that Jesus would have approved of same-sex unions in 2014.

Football

In 1976, John, a team fan since he was a little boy, was named chairman and director of Watford F.C. John. The latter also made significant financial investments as the team climbed three tiers to the English First Division, giving Graham Taylor the manager position. At its peak, the team placed second behind Liverpool in the First Division in 1983 and advanced to the Wembley Stadium FA Cup Final in 1984. In 1987, John sold the club to Jack Petchey while continuing to serve as president. John repurchased the club from Petchey a decade later, when he was elected chairman again. When the club required a full-time chairman in 2002, he resigned but kept his position as president. John still has a significant economic stake even though he is no longer the dominant shareholder. John conducted concerts at Watford's home stadium, Vicarage Road, in 2005 and 2010, with the revenues going to the team. Many well-known footballers, such as David Beckham and Pelé, have remained close friends with him. John shared ownership of the North American Soccer League's Los Angeles Aztecs from late 1975 to early 1976. Announcing the inauguration of the "Sir Elton John stand" on December 13, 2014, he made an appearance at Watford's Vicarage Road with his spouse and boys. He referred to the event as "one of the best moments of my life."

Political Views

John has played at various royal family-related ceremonies, including the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace in 2012 and the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, at Westminster Abbey in 1997. He also performed at the Palace events in 2002 and Diana, Princess of Wales's burial at Westminster Abbey in 1997.

John informed fans during a performance in Moscow in 2013 that the restrictions were "cruel and restricting" and that he was "very disappointed and horrified by the existing law," despite requests to boycott Russia in protest of the country's homosexual promotion statute. In a meeting in January 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioned John to demonstrate that there is no prejudice against homosexual people in his country. He said, "Elton John is an outstanding guy, a famous artist, and many Russian citizens appreciate him, irrespective of his gender identity." John offered to present Putin to Russians who had been subjected to "gay propaganda" in violation of Russian law as a response. According to the Associated Press, Putin contacted John on September 24, 2015, and extended an invitation to a later meeting to discuss LGBT rights in Russia. Putin called John only a few days after two pranksters posed as Putin and his spokesperson on the phone, forcing John to appreciate Putin for the call on his Instagram account mistakenly.

When the UK's 2016 EU vote was taking place, John said on Instagram that he would be casting a "keep vote" to "create bridges, not barriers," with the statement "I'm voting to stay. #StrongerInEurope". He claimed that the Brexit decision and how it was managed in 2019 had caused him to feel humiliated. During Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign in 2016, John performed at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

John drew headlines for the Armenia-Azerbaijani war in Nagorno-Karabakh in October 2020.

In a post on Instagram, he stated, "The warmth and compassion I saw from the Armenian people during my vacation there in May 2018 left me speechless. An unjustified Turkish/Azerbaijani assault is being directed at Armenia and Artsakh. "Targeting of civilians results in unnecessary fatalities on both sides."

Wealth

John acknowledged spending £30 million in less than two years-an average of £1.5 million per month-in the year 2000. From January 1996 to September 1997, he invested more than £9.6 million in real estate and £293,000 in florals. John sold twenty of his automobiles at Christie's in June 2001, claiming that he never got the opportunity to use them because he travelled so much. Nearly £2 million was raised from the sale, which featured multiple Ferraris, Rolls-Royces, and Bentleys in addition to the most costly vehicle, a 1993 Jaguar XJ220 priced at £234,750. To update the interior design and showcase some of his collection of paintings and sculptures, John auctioned the furnishings of his Holland Park home around 2003. The sale was anticipated to bring in £800,000 at Sotheby's. Since 2004, John has created an establishment named "Elton's Closet" each year, where he auctions his used clothing.

John was mentioned in the Pandora Papers in October 2021, which made claims about covert monetary operations involving public figures, including politicians and prominent individuals, attempting to avoid paying their taxes by utilising tax shelters.

Philanthropy

Since 1986, John has participated in charitable fundraising activities, earning him a reputation for being a generous man. John established the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992 after losing two friends to HIV/AIDS in one year. Since then, it has raised more than $600 million to fund initiatives to combat the disease in fifty-five countries.

John received two awards from Queen Elizabeth II for his charitable work: a knighthood in 1998 and a membership in the Order of Companions of Honor in 2020.

AIDS Foundation

According to John, who believes it is a blessing that he did not get HIV during the 1980s when he engaged in risky unprotected intercourse, he took those chances. He collaborated with Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder to create the single "That's What Friends Are For" in 1986. The American Foundation for AIDS Research received the proceeds from selling the song. Following the passing of his companions, Freddie Mercury and Ryan White, in 1991 and 1990, respectively, John became more directly connected with AIDS organisations, contributing significant sums of money and leveraging his celebrity to increase public understanding of the illness. In 1992, he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation as a nonprofit organisation to support initiatives for HIV/AIDS awareness, the eradication of bias and prejudice against those who are affected by the disease, and the provision of assistance to those who are infected with the virus or who are at risk of getting it. He's still really passionate about this foundation.

The Grammy Award for Best Pop Song by a Duo or Group with Singers went to the track. In April 1990, at the funeral of Ryan White, a young haemophiliac he had known, John sang his 1968 song "Skyline Pigeon," which he had written. John organises an annual White Tie & Tiara Ball based on his property in Old Windsor, Berkshire, to collect donations for his AIDS foundation. A lot of famous people are welcomed to this event. On June 28, 2007, the White Tie & Tiara Ball was held in its ninth year. The truffle soufflé, surf and turf, and giant knickerbocker splendour ice cream were all on the list. Stephen Fry presided over the following auction. The charitable foundation received £800,000 from the sale of a Rolls Royce "Phantom" drophead coupe and £3.5 million overall thanks to the sale of paintings by Tracey Emin.

He started throwing his yearly Academy Award Party in 1993, and it has since grown to be one of the most well-known Oscar celebrations in the Hollywood movie industry and has raised more than US$200 million. The Elton John Charitable Trust, established in 2007 by John and his partner David Furnish, has provided funding to over a hundred nonprofits. John founded the Elton John Sports Fund in 2014 to assist people with the expense of participating in more than fifty sports and preparing for them.

Other Charity Work

John played "I'm Still Standing" to help people during COVID-19. Later, Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey joined John in singing "Delilah" and "Big Spender," respectively. Sarah, Duchess of York, Elizabeth Hurley, George Michael, and John (who sang "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me") were among the 2011 participants. An auction collected an additional £5 million for John's charity, bringing the total amount raised by balls to £45 million.

Honours and awards

John received the Person of the Year award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in 2000 in recognition of his humanitarian efforts. Later that same year, John collaborated with lyricist Tim Rice to compose songs for the motion pictures The Road to El Dorado and the Broadway production of Aida, which earned a Tony Award. In addition, John sued

PriceWaterhouseCoopers and his former manager for $29 million because they had defrauded him of money. An accounting department is a corporation hired to confirm and compute business activities.

In February 2001, John received a Grammy Award for Aida by Elton John and Tim Rice, which earned the best-performing arts CD. He collaborated with the rap musician Eminem (1972-) for a performance at the awards ceremony, infuriating homosexual rights activists who had attacked Eminem for his anti-gay songs. John produced Tracks from the West Coast later that same year, hailed as a comeback to his "1970s sound", and received positive reviews.