Sir Elton John

Sir Elton John

When you think about the great musicians and composers of our time, Elton John would be one of the first names that come up. With an international impact in pop culture, he has been one of the most influential icons in history and today. The magnitude of his accomplishments and recognitions can only be surpassed by few others. Anyone with access to entertainment has probably heard of Elton John, whether they’ve seen one of his musicals or heard a song on the radio. Elton can only be described as a Jack-of-all-Trades in his profession. With addition to his pop-music career, he is also a musical composer/lyricist, singer, producer and occasional actor. In this paper I will discuss the life of Elton John, his music career, and his impact on Broadway.

Elton was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on March 25th 1947 in Pinner, Middlesex in the Council house of his maternal grandparents. His father and mother, Stanley Dwight and Sheila Eileen, were unmarried at the time. They did not get married until he was 6 years old. They moved into a semi-detached home and he was educated at Pinner Wood Junior School, Reddiford School, and Pinner County Grammar School until he was 17. When he left his schooling he had A level examinations and was trying to pursue a music career. However his father, a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force, wanted him to follow a more conventional career such as banking. Both parents were musically talented. His father played trumpet for the Bob Miller Band in military celebrations. They were avid record buyers, exposing Elton to all the greatest music of the day. He was especially hooked on Rock and Roll, such as Elvis and Bill Haley and His Comets.

He started playing piano when he was 3 and was quickly persuaded to play at family gatherings and parties. He began legitimate lessons at 7 years old and was soon able to compose his own melodies. Not long after that he won the Junior Scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music where he spent just as much time as he did at his Grade Schools. The professors would often attest to him as being a “Model Student” even though he would sometimes skip class because he was so far ahead of his classmates. No doubt though, he was dedicated to his craft.

His mother was strict but very free-spirited. She was the backing to Elton’s lively persona. Elton once said the reason he wears such outlandish costumes and performs in such fantastical ways is because it’s his way of letting go of a restrictive childhood. His parents divorced when he was 15, but his mother married a local painter named Fred Farebrother. He turned out to be a loving and caring father that housed them in an eight unit apartment where Elton would reside until he had 4 simultaneous hits on Americas Top 40 list.

In his teen years he played gigs at pubs and bars. He would play the greatest hits of the day as well as classic drinking songs and some