Elton John is a highly acclaimed British singer, songwriter, and pianist who has had a significant impact on popular music.
He was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in 1947 and was a child prodigy on the piano, winning a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at age 11.
John formed the blues band Bluesology in the 1960s before embarking on a solo career and meeting his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin in 1967.
He has continued to record and perform over the decades, with over 50 top-40 hits in the UK and US.
John has also found success in musical films and theatre, composing music for works like The Lion King and Billy Elliot the Musical.
Siblings
John has four half-brothers who are all estranged from him.
They are Stan Dwight, who works in the music industry as an accountant, plays piano, and lives in Surrey, England with his family and Robert Dwight, the Head of Public Relations for the UK national lottery operator Camelot, who lives in Kent.
Others are Geoff Dwight, who lives a “Bohemian existence” in Ruthin, north Wales, making a living from odd jobs, selling firewood, building Celtic harps and yurts, and organizing music festivals and has publicly criticized John’s portrayal of their father in the biopic, Rocketman.
He also has a sibling, Simon Dwight, who serves in a senior role for a civil engineering firm and lives in Cardiff.
John never developed a close relationship with these half-brothers, who were born from his father’s second marriage after his parents divorced.
He did not attend his father’s funeral in 1991, which marked the beginning of his estrangement from his half-siblings.
Career
John began his musical journey in the late 1960s.
He formed the blues band Bluesology in 1962, but left in 1967 to embark on a solo career and met his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin that same year.
For two years, they wrote songs for other artists, and John worked as a session musician.
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In 1969, John released his debut album, Empty Sky, and a year later formed the Elton John Band, also releasing his first hit single, Your Song.
His critical success peaked in the 1970s, when he released a string of chart-topping albums in both the US and UK, beginning with Honky Château and culminating with Rock of the Westies.
John’s success continued through the 1980s and 1990s, with several hit singles and albums in both decades.
He has also found success in musical films and theatre, composing music for works like The Lion King, Aida and Billy Elliot the Musical.
In 2018, John kicked off his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which is scheduled to run until 2023 and has become the highest-grossing concert tour of all time.
However, the search results indicate that he has no plans to stop making music entirely, stating “I’m not stopping music. I will hopefully be making more records, writing more music.”
Throughout his career, John has achieved numerous accolades, including 13 Ivor Novello Awards, 11 Grammy nominations (with 5 wins), induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II.
He is considered one of the most highly acclaimed and successful solo artists of all time.
Awards
John has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his illustrious career, making him one of the most decorated artists in the music industry.
Some of his notable awards include five Grammy Awards, five Brit Awards (including for Outstanding Contribution to Music), two Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, a Tony Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, a Disney Legend Award, the Kennedy Center Honor, a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998 and membership in the Order of the Companions of Honour by King Charles III in 2020.
Additionally, John achieved the prestigious EGOT status at the 75th Emmy Awards in January 2024, a rare accomplishment recognizing individuals who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award.
His impact on the music industry is further highlighted by selling over 300 million records worldwide, having more than fifty Top 40 hits, and receiving accolades like being ranked as the top solo artist in US chart history by Billboard.
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