In 1972, Davey Johnstone joined the Elton John Band on guitar and backing vocals.
Prvi ameriški koncert Eltona Johna, na katerem sta ga spremljala bivši bobnar skupine Spencer Davis Group, Nigel Olsson, in basist Dee Murray, ki so ga organizirali v areni The Troubadour v Los Angelesu avgusta 1970, je požel ogromno uspeha.