Sir Elton John's Biography
Elton John Facts
Photo of Elton John by David Shankbone (Own work) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Spouse(s) / Partner(s)
He is married to David Furnish.
clear
The son of an RAF trumpeter, Reginald Kenneth Dwight, better known as Elton John, was born in Pinner, England on 25th March 1947.
Elton John started learning the piano at just four and at 11 he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music but left four years later. However in 2003 he received an honorary doctorate. At the ceremony, his mother Sheila Fairbrother said: "I've seen him in a frock before, but I never thought I'd see him in one of these gowns."
His first band was Bluesology. Long John Baldry joined the band which included Elton Dean which led to his stage name, Elton (Hercules) John.
According to a Marquee Club fan website: "In 1975, Elton John dedicated the song "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" to Baldry's encouragement and friendship."
In the mid-sixties, Elton John met Bernie Taupin, an unknown writer from Lincolnshire.
Their first composition Scarecrow attracted little attention but it was to be the start of one of music's most successful partnerships. They went on to produce 23 hit singles, starting with Your Song in 1970, which reached Number 2.
Amongst other songs that became huge seventies hits were, Rocket Man, Daniel, Don't Go Breaking My Heart (with Kiki Dee), Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, and Candle in the Wind. This last song was later to played at Princess Diana's funeral in 1997 and is the best selling single of all time overtaking Bing Crosby's White Christmas.
The BBC article, Sixty things for Sir Elton's 60th, reveals that at the time of Elton John's 60th birthday: "He is at number nine on the all-time US best-seller list, with a total of 69 million albums sold in the US during his career. He is sandwiched between Barbra Streisand at eight and AC/DC at 10."
In 1973 Elton John set up Rocket Records and in 1979 he became the first rock star from the West to perform in Moscow.
He and Taupin went their separate ways in the early eighties, Elton John had relatively little success with a few notable exceptions like Song For Guy. The duo got back together, however and started where they left off with hits like I'm Still Standing from the 1983 album. Too Low For Zero.
His marriage to former German recording engineer, Renate Blauel ended in divorce in 1988. He later revealed his bisexuality and established a long-term partnership with Canadian David Furnish, who used to work in advertising. Furnish made a television profile of Elton for ITV. Called Tantrum and Tiaras it showed Elton's addiction to shopping.
Elton John and David Furnish's wedding took place on 21 December 2005 in Windsor's Guildhall. It was one of England's first gay civil partnerships.
In recent years Elton John's musical output has not been high. That said, he has had a Top 40 single every year from 1970 to 1996 and reached UK Number One in August 2003, with a remix of Are You Ready For Love, originally released in 1979. In 2005 Elton John wrote the music for the critically acclaimed theatrical version of Billy Elliot.
He is now Life President of Watford FC (he had become owner and chairman in 1976, sold most of his shares in 1990, but returned as a director in 1993).
A godfather to the Beckham boys, Elton John is also godfather of Sean Lennon.
He was knighted in 1998.
Elton John came 9th in the Forbes list of the most powerful celebrities 2005.
In February 2010, it was reported that Elton John and David Furnish were to finance and put their names to the production of the play Next Fall on the New York stage.
In February 2010, Sir Elton John told the US magazine Parade that Jesus was a "super-intelligent gay man".
On Christmas Day 2010, Elton John and David Furnish became parents to a son Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John, via a surrogate mother in California.
In July 2012, Sir Elton John had his first UK number one album chart since 1990, with his collaboration with Pnau, entitled Good Morning To The Night.
In January 2013 it was revealed that Sir Elton John and David Furnish had become parents for the second time, after their son Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John had been born to a surrogate mother.
On 21 December 2014, Sir Elton John and David Furnish got married.
In 2016, he released his 32nd studio album Wonderful Crazy Night.
In January 2017, it was revealed that Sir Elton John was to write songs for a stage musical based on The Devil Wears Prada.
In February 2020, he and Bernie Taupin won an Oscar for best original song for (I'm Gonna) Love Me Again from the film based on Sir Elton's life, Rocketman.
In August 2022, Sir Elton recorded a duet with Britney Spears, called Hold Me Closer.
In September 2022, President Biden presented Sir Elton with the National Humanities Medal.
On 25 June 2023, Sir Elton John headlined at the Glastonbury Festival, It would be the last UK date of his farewell tour.
Back to Top
Elton John started learning the piano at just four and at 11 he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music but left four years later. However in 2003 he received an honorary doctorate. At the ceremony, his mother Sheila Fairbrother said: "I've seen him in a frock before, but I never thought I'd see him in one of these gowns."
His first band was Bluesology. Long John Baldry joined the band which included Elton Dean which led to his stage name, Elton (Hercules) John.
According to a Marquee Club fan website: "In 1975, Elton John dedicated the song "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" to Baldry's encouragement and friendship."
In the mid-sixties, Elton John met Bernie Taupin, an unknown writer from Lincolnshire.
Their first composition Scarecrow attracted little attention but it was to be the start of one of music's most successful partnerships. They went on to produce 23 hit singles, starting with Your Song in 1970, which reached Number 2.
Amongst other songs that became huge seventies hits were, Rocket Man, Daniel, Don't Go Breaking My Heart (with Kiki Dee), Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, and Candle in the Wind. This last song was later to played at Princess Diana's funeral in 1997 and is the best selling single of all time overtaking Bing Crosby's White Christmas.
The BBC article, Sixty things for Sir Elton's 60th, reveals that at the time of Elton John's 60th birthday: "He is at number nine on the all-time US best-seller list, with a total of 69 million albums sold in the US during his career. He is sandwiched between Barbra Streisand at eight and AC/DC at 10."
In 1973 Elton John set up Rocket Records and in 1979 he became the first rock star from the West to perform in Moscow.
He and Taupin went their separate ways in the early eighties, Elton John had relatively little success with a few notable exceptions like Song For Guy. The duo got back together, however and started where they left off with hits like I'm Still Standing from the 1983 album. Too Low For Zero.
His marriage to former German recording engineer, Renate Blauel ended in divorce in 1988. He later revealed his bisexuality and established a long-term partnership with Canadian David Furnish, who used to work in advertising. Furnish made a television profile of Elton for ITV. Called Tantrum and Tiaras it showed Elton's addiction to shopping.
Elton John and David Furnish's wedding took place on 21 December 2005 in Windsor's Guildhall. It was one of England's first gay civil partnerships.
In recent years Elton John's musical output has not been high. That said, he has had a Top 40 single every year from 1970 to 1996 and reached UK Number One in August 2003, with a remix of Are You Ready For Love, originally released in 1979. In 2005 Elton John wrote the music for the critically acclaimed theatrical version of Billy Elliot.
He is now Life President of Watford FC (he had become owner and chairman in 1976, sold most of his shares in 1990, but returned as a director in 1993).
A godfather to the Beckham boys, Elton John is also godfather of Sean Lennon.
He was knighted in 1998.
Elton John came 9th in the Forbes list of the most powerful celebrities 2005.
In February 2010, it was reported that Elton John and David Furnish were to finance and put their names to the production of the play Next Fall on the New York stage.
In February 2010, Sir Elton John told the US magazine Parade that Jesus was a "super-intelligent gay man".
On Christmas Day 2010, Elton John and David Furnish became parents to a son Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John, via a surrogate mother in California.
In July 2012, Sir Elton John had his first UK number one album chart since 1990, with his collaboration with Pnau, entitled Good Morning To The Night.
In January 2013 it was revealed that Sir Elton John and David Furnish had become parents for the second time, after their son Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John had been born to a surrogate mother.
On 21 December 2014, Sir Elton John and David Furnish got married.
In 2016, he released his 32nd studio album Wonderful Crazy Night.
In January 2017, it was revealed that Sir Elton John was to write songs for a stage musical based on The Devil Wears Prada.
In February 2020, he and Bernie Taupin won an Oscar for best original song for (I'm Gonna) Love Me Again from the film based on Sir Elton's life, Rocketman.
In August 2022, Sir Elton recorded a duet with Britney Spears, called Hold Me Closer.
In September 2022, President Biden presented Sir Elton with the National Humanities Medal.
On 25 June 2023, Sir Elton John headlined at the Glastonbury Festival, It would be the last UK date of his farewell tour.
Back to Top
Latest User CommentsAdd your comment
