Biography
Who is Elton John?
Early life and real name
Elton John was born as Reginald Kenneth Dwight on March 25, 1947. He grew up in Pinner, United Kingdom, as the eldest child of Stanley Dwight and the only child of Sheila Eileen Farebrother. His father served in the Royal Air Force and initially wanted his son to pursue a traditional career path like banking. However, Elton showed a natural gift for the piano at a very young age, learning to play complex pieces by ear after hearing them just once.
How Elton became famous
In the early 1960s, Elton formed a band called Bluesology and worked as a session musician. He legally changed his name to Elton Hercules John in 1972, taking inspiration from bandmates Elton Dean and Long John Baldry. His career took a key turn in 1967 when he met lyricist Bernie Taupin through an advertisement in a music paper. This partnership led to Elton writing melodies for Taupin's lyrics, a method they used for decades to create numerous hit records.
Career highlights and movies
Beyond his studio albums, Elton found big success in film and theater. He composed the music for the 1994 Disney movie The Lion King and later worked on the stage productions of Aida and Billy Elliot the Musical. In 1997, he released a tribute version of Candle in the Wind for Diana, Princess of Wales, which became the best-selling chart single of all time. His life story was later dramatized in the 2019 biographical film Rocketman.
Family and personal life
Elton John has been open about his personal struggles and successes outside of music. He overcame a severe addiction to drugs and alcohol in the late 1980s and has remained sober since 1990. He is a prominent HIV/AIDS activist and founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992, which has raised hundreds of millions of pounds. He also hosts a famous annual party during the Academy Awards to benefit this cause.
Birthday and age
Elton John was born on March 25, 1947, which makes Elton 79 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Elton shares the date with 58 other famous people.
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