Elton John

Table of Contents

Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images

Elton John performing at the funeral of Princess Diana

Read Next

the Beatles. Publicity still from Help! (1965) directed by Richard Lester starring The Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr) a British musical quartet. film rock music movie

What's the Difference Between Tempo and Rhythm?

Woman Playing a Theorbo to Two Men, oil on canvas by Gerard Terborch, 1667-1668. (Baroque Art)

What’s That Sound?: 8 Intriguing Early Musical Instruments

The last big concert of Jimi Hendrix before he died in London was in Germany on the isle of Fehmarn 6th of September 1970. The festival was called Love-and-Peace-Festival.

Is 27 an Especially Deadly Age for Musicians?

Giant portrait of late Chinese chairman Mao Zedong hung over the Forbidden City. Imperial palace complex at the heart of Beijing (Peking), China. Palace Museum, north of Tiananmen Square. UNESCO World Heritage site.

Behind the Scenes: 7 Historical Figures in Beatles Lyrics

Old broken disused piano with damaged keys

Is the Piano a Percussion or a Stringed Instrument?

Discover

Neon sign of the word BAR hanging in a bar that serves alcoholic drinks. Alcohol drinking

Pro and Con: Lowering the Drinking Age

Flags That Look Alike

Young boys working in a thread spinning mill in Macon, Georgia, 1909. Boys are so small they have to climb onto the spinning frame to reach and fix broken threads and put back empty bobbins. Child labor. Industrial revolution

The Rise of the Machines: Pros and Cons of the Industrial Revolution

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart rehearsing his 12th Mass with singer and musician. (Austrian composer. (Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

7 Famous Child Prodigies

The Colosseum, Rome, Italy. Giant amphitheatre built in Rome under the Flavian emperors. (ancient architecture; architectural ruins)

New Seven Wonders of the World

Thanksgiving Celebration Traditional Dinner Setting Food Concept

Why Is Thanksgiving in the U.S. Celebrated on a Thursday?

9 of the World’s Deadliest Spiders

Elton John

British musician

Also known as: Reginald Kenneth Dwight, Sir Elton Hercules John

Written by Stephen Holden

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Nov 7, 2024 • Article History

Quick Facts

In full:: Sir Elton Hercules John

Original name:: Reginald Kenneth Dwight

Born:: March 25, 1947, Pinner, Middlesex, England

Also Known As:: Reginald Kenneth Dwight; Sir Elton Hercules John

Awards And Honors:: EGOT; Emmy Award (2024); Kennedy Center Honors (2004); Grammy Award (2000); Grammy Award (1997); Academy Award (1995); Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (1994); Grammy Award (1994); Grammy Award (1991); Grammy Award (1986)

See all related content

News •

Quincy Jones remembered by entertainment industry heavyweights as stars reflect on his legacy • Nov. 5, 2024, 6:09 AM ET (ABC News (Australia))

Michigan's Star 105.7 radio station kicks off 24/7 Christmas music series • Nov. 2, 2024, 2:25 AM ET (CBS)

Elton John (born March 25, 1947, Pinner, Middlesex, England) is a British singer, composer, and pianist who was one of the most popular entertainers of the late 20th century. He fused as many strands of popular music and stylistic showmanship as Elvis Presley in a concert and recording career that included the sale of hundreds of millions of records. A child prodigy on the piano, John was awarded a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at 11. Gravitating toward pop after discovering rhythm and blues, he joined Bluesology, later John Baldry’s backing band, in the mid-1960s. He met his ...(100 of 910 words)

Access the full article

Trust your source with Britannica Premium

• 7-Day Free Trial
• No Ads
• Unlimited Access

Unlock Article