Elton John

One of the most commercially successful entertainers of the last 30 years, pop singer Elton John was born Reginald Dwight on March 25, 1947 to a middle-class family living in Pinner, England. His mother encouraged him to play piano as a toddler, and by age 11 Dwight won a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music. While at school he performed with a succession of small-time rock bands, including the Corvettes, and the more successful R&B group Bluesology. Dropping out shortly before graduation, John toured England with Bluesology backing bigger-name blues performers; he also played piano in hotels and worked for a music publisher. In 1967 Dwight met lyricist Bernard Taupin through a newspaper ad, and the duo became a professional songwriting team for Dick James' new label DJM, cranking out up to 10 songs a day. Taking the stage name Elton "Hercules" John from the first names of Bluesology's vocalist Elton Dean and saxophonist "Long" John Baldry, Dwight embarked on a solo career in mid-1968, performing songs he had written with Taupin.

Working with producer Gus Dudgeon, John and Taupin released a new album for MCA Records in 1970, Elton John. Thanks to critical praise and the U.S. success of the Top 10 single "Your Song," John found himself quite popular in America, touring the country for the first time later that year. His 1971 follow-up, the concept album Tumbleweed Connection, was another big hit, reaching the Top 10. The prolific pair put together several more albums during 1971-72, culminating in 1972's Honky Chateau, John's first No. 1 album. Its big single, "Rocket Man," inaugurated a string of hits for the singer-pianist, who scored 16 consecutive Top 20 hits between late 1972 and mid-1976, releasing up to three albums a year. Hits like "The Bitch Is Back," "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting," "Bernie and the Jets," "Yellow Brick Road," "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me," "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" and "Crocodile Rock" became pop classics, turning Elton John into a bona fide superstar. He appeared on the cover of Time, performed for more than 100,000 people in Los Angeles, dueted with John Lennon in New York and appeared in the movie Tommy.

John's live shows became known for their flamboyance and energy -- the singer would appear on stage wearing feather boas, garish sunglasses, platform shoes, and multi-colored hair. 1975's Captain Fantastic became the first album ever to debut at No. 1. In 1977 John announced that he would no longer perform live, due to exhaustion, and would limit his record output. More importantly, he and Bernard Taupin ceased working together, with John bringing in other songwriters and Taupin penning lyrics for other artists. Elton John began a comeback tour in 1979, without his usual backup band. The extensive world tour passed through Russia, among other stops, making John the first Western artist to tour the Communist U.S.S.R.

In 1980 John and Taupin reunited for 21 at 33, spawning the Top 10 hit "Little Jeanie." Switching from MCA to Geffen, John continued releasing gold records, occasionally scoring hits like 1983's "I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues" and 1984's "Sad Songs (Say So Much)," but moved from rock/pop to a more mellow adult contemporary sound. He also took an interest in AIDS research, befriending teenage AIDS victim Ryan White and forming the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1991; he also announced that he would donate all future royalties from his singles to AIDS charities.

John mounted another comeback with 1992's The One, which went double platinum. That same year he and Taupin signed a publishing deal with Warner/Chappel Music for nearly $40 million. In 1994 Elton John scored his biggest hit in years with "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from The Lion King soundtrack, winning five Grammy nominations and three Oscar nominations. That same year, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Elton John released the album The Big Picture in September 1997. Earlier that month, he captured the hearts of millions when he sang a re-written version of "Candle in the Wind" at the funeral of Princess Diana. A recording of the song, released as "Candle in the Wind 1997" became the first single to outsell Bing Crosby's "White Christmas." All proceeds from the sale of the single were donated to the Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.

In 2000, John played a two night stand at Madison Square Garden which was recorded for a live album, At Last -- One Night Only, released in November of the same year. His latest, Songs From The West Coast, came out in 2001.

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