Elton John was born in 1947, in Pinner, Middlesex. He is one of the most well known and successful artists with a huge career in music. His real name is Reginald Kenneth Dwight and he followed his studies until he became 17 and decided to dedicate in music.
He had already started playing at a pub as a pianist at the age of 15, when he created with his friends his first band, named Bluesology, a band that used to support R&B and soul musicians, such as Long John Baldry. He worked with Bernie Taupin, writing songs for other artists and in 1968, along with Caleb Quaye from Bluesology and two other musicians recorded his first two albums, "Empty Sky" and "Elton John", that came out in 1969 and 1970 respectively, by DJM Records. The homonymous album was very well received, including the hit "Your Song", while his first and also successful live concert took part in the summer of 1970 in Los Angeles.
The next two hit albums were "Tumbleweed Connection" in 1970, an album with country and western-Americana content, and "17-11-70", his first live album, followed by "Madman Across the Water", in 1971. His six album, "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player", came out in 1973 and is regarded as a pop-rock album. The song "Crocodile Rock", became Elton John's first that reached no. 1 on the Billboard 100 in the USA. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" was another album that became an instant success in October of the same year. Despite the formation of "The Rocket Record Company" by John, the compilation album "Elton John's Greatest Hits", which became Diamond later in the USA, was released by MCA records, after a big contract. Later, he recorded with John Lennon "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", a Beatle's cover.
He has toured all over the world, he has appeared in many live shows and special events and he has released dozens of albums with so many hits, especially in the decades of 70's and 80's, including collaboration albums, soundtracks and other projects. Elton John also has played himself (apart from the musical drama "Tommy" and the animated musical "The Road to El Dorado") in more than 10 films, including two autobiographies. He has won 5 BRIT Awards, 5 Grammy Awards, 10 Ivor Novello Awards, 1 Academy Award for "Best Original Song" (for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight") and many other prizes. His most-selling song and best in the history of the U.S.A. and the U.K. is the second version of "Candle in the Wind", that came out in 1997, dedicated to Princess Diana. He also became a "Sir" in 1998.
Elton John
