Elton John

Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is an English singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer. Collaborating with lyricist [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Bernie_Taupin Bernie Taupin] since 1967 on more than 30 albums, John has sold more than 300million records, making him one of the [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_best-selling_music_artists best-selling music artists of all time]. He has more than fifty Top 40 hits in the [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/UK_Singles_Chart UK Singles Chart] and US [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Billboard_Hot_100 Billboard Hot 100], including seven number ones in the UK and nine in the US, as well as seven consecutive number-one albums in the US. His tribute single "[./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Candle_in_the_Wind_1997 Candle in the Wind 1997]", rewritten in dedication to [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Diana,_Princess_of_Wales Diana, Princess of Wales], sold over 33million copies worldwide and is the best-selling single in the history of the UK and US singles charts. See also: Guinness World Records, 2009 Edition, pages 14, 15 & 169 He has also produced records and occasionally acted in films. John owned [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Watford_F.C. Watford F.C.] from 1976 to 1987 and from 1997 to 2002. He is an honorary life president of the club.Raised in the [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Pinner Pinner] area of Greater London, John learned to play piano at an early age, and by 1962 had formed [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Bluesology Bluesology], an R&B band with whom he played until 1967. He met his longtime musical partner Taupin in 1967, after they both answered an advert for songwriters. For two years, they wrote songs for artists including [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Lulu_(singer) Lulu], and John worked as a session musician for artists including [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/The_Hollies the Hollies] and [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/The_Scaffold the Scaffold]. In 1969, John's debut album, [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Empty_Sky Empty Sky], was released. In 1970, his first hit single, "[./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Your_Song Your Song]", from his second album, [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Elton_John_(album) Elton John], became his first top ten in both the UK and the US. His most commercially successful period, 1970–1976, included [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Honky_Ch%C3%A2teau Honky Château] (1972), [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Don't_Shoot_Me_I'm_Only_the_Piano_Player Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player] (1973), [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Goodbye_Yellow_Brick_Road Goodbye Yellow Brick Road] (1973) and his first [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Greatest_Hits_(Elton_John_album) Greatest Hits] compilation — the latter two listed among the [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_best-selling_albums best-selling albums worldwide]. John has also had success in musical films and theatre, composing for [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/The_Lion_King The Lion King] and its [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/The_Lion_King_(musical) stage adaptation], [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Aida_(musical) Aida] and [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Billy_Elliot_the_Musical Billy Elliot the Musical].
John has received five [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Grammy_Award Grammy Awards], five [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Brit_Awards Brit Awards]; including for [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Brit_Award_for_Outstanding_Contribution_to_Music Outstanding Contribution to Music]; two [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Academy_Awards Academy Awards], two [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Golden_Globe_Award Golden Globes], a [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Tony_Award Tony Award], a [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Disney_Legends Disney Legends] Award, and the [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Kennedy_Center_Honors Kennedy Center Honor]. In 2004, [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Rolling_Stone Rolling Stone] ranked him 49th on its list of 100 influential musicians of the rock and roll era. In 2013, [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Billboard_(magazine) Billboard] ranked him the most successful male solo artist on the [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Billboard_Hot_100_chart_achievements_and_milestones#Top_10_artists_of_All-Time_(1958%E2%80%932013) Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists], and third overall, behind [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/The_Beatles the Beatles] and [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Madonna Madonna]. He was inducted into the [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Rock_and_Roll_Hall_of_Fame Rock and Roll Hall of Fame] in 1994 and the [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Songwriters_Hall_of_Fame Songwriters Hall of Fame] in 1992, and is a fellow of the [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/British_Academy_of_Songwriters,_Composers_and_Authors British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors]. He was [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Knight_Bachelor knighted] by Queen [./https://kutx.fandom.com/wiki/Elizabeth_II Elizabeth II] for "services to music and charitable services" in 1998.