Who is Elton John?
Born in Pinner, Middlesex, England, Sir Elton Hercules John is one of the most successful singer/songwriters in history. In terms of overall success he is third, behind Madonna and the Beatles, and the most successful solo male artist on the American charts. His tribute to the late Princess Diana, “Candle in the Wind 1997” holds the record for the biggest-selling physical single of all time. He has sold more 300 millions records worldwide and performed in over 80 countries. Some of his most well-known songs include “Tiny Dancer,” “Your Song,” “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” and of course “Rocket Man.”
As well as being an international superstar, Elton John is revered in the musical theater industry as a talented composer, lyricist, and producer. Some of his most notable contributions to Broadway include his compositions for The Lion King and Aida, which won him his first Tony Award. Throughout his career in the musical theater industry, he has composed with lyricists Sir Tim Rice, Lee Hall, Bernie Taupin, and now Jake Shears. In January of this year, he became one of only twenty-one people in the world to have won a coveted EGOT – meaning he has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award – after receiving an Emmy for his Disney+ special “Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium.”
He is known to have varying interests and passions including sports, fashion, and charitable pursuits. This is reflected by Rocket Entertainment which includes Rocket Music, Rocket Stage, Rocket Pictures, and Rocket Sports, all of which were co-founded by Elton John. Elton John’s husband, David Furnish is the co-chief of Rocket Pictures. One of the projects produced by Rocket Pictures was the 2019 biopic about his life titled Rocketman, which starred Taron Egerton. In addition to his professional ambitions, Elton John devotes his energy to several charitable organizations. Some charitable acts of note are his founding of the Elton John AIDS Foundation and his endowment of scholarship funds at the Royal Academy of Music and the Juilliard School of Music.