According to Forbes, Sir Elton Hercules John grossed $204 million performing 102 live shows during a 12 month period ending in 2012. Born on March 25, 1947, he is 65 years old and still going strong. Aside from a passion for music, this talented musician is also a philanthropist with ten godchildren.
Sir Elton John started playing piano at the age of three. He was a quick learner and use to play at parties. At the age of seven, he started taking formal piano lessons. He showed a great aptitude for music by composing melodies and gained popularity in his school by playing certain famous classic melodies. At the age of 11, he won a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music by playing the famous four-page piece by Handel.
For the next five years, he went to an academy in London to attend the Saturday classes. He was a part of the choir there and enjoyed playing Chopin and Bach, but was never a keen classical student. With the help of his parents, he started playing music in a nearby club, where he used to play all the famous masterpieces, as well as songs that he wrote.
The Journey
In 1964, Elton and his friends decided to form a band named Bluesology. He spent his nights performing solo gigs at the London hotel bar and working with Bluesology. In 1966, the band turned into the supporting band of Long John Baldry and played almost 16 times at the Marquee Club.
Elton was one of the highest paid musicians in the early seventies and has been described as the king of disco and pop music. Elton’s first album Empty Sky was released in 1969. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (his 7th studio album) was released in 1973 and is widely regarded as his best album. The album remained #1 on several charts for two months. The song “Bennie and the Jets” is still a favorite for fans. He released five more albums since the album that put him in charts. He also has many solo albums to prove his standings in the world of music.
In 1987, he won the award of Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for “That’s What Friends Are For”, performed by Dionne Warwick and Friends. This made him one of the most wanted artists of the century. At a young age, he started earning critical acclaim by the titans of the industry.
In 1991, he received another award for the Best Instrumental Composition for “Basque”, performed by James Galway. The composition became a classic of the era. By this time, he had over 22 solo studio albums and 1 soundtrack.
In 1994, Elton composed and won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”, a song featured in the popular animation The Lion King. The movie is still cherished by many and Elton is praised for his work even after all these years.
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for “Candle in the Wind 1997” was another feather in the hat for the talented musician. This was followed by the Grammy Legend Award in the year 1999 and Best Musical Show Album for Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida in the year 2001.
With six Grammy awards, a total of 30 solo studio albums, and 8 soundtracks, Elton John is deserving of being one of the highest paid musicians. His music and songs are timeless.
