Elton John: A Rock and Roll Legend

Elton John has had one of the most long and successful careers in the history of rock and roll. He has sold over 250 million records worldwide. In 1998 he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II to become: "Sir Elton Hercules John." He taught himself how to play the piano at the tender, young age of four and he had a great aptitude for music starting when he was a young child. His parents were, also, both musically inclined. Elton John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in Middlesex, England on March 25, 1947 to Stanley and Sheila Dwight. He had a difficult relationship with the father and they clashed over his future. Elton John's desire was to pursue a career in pop music, which he did. His parents divorced when he was still a teenager. Elton John was just fourteen years old at the time of his parents' divorce. He won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London when he was eleven years old. He attended the Academy on week-ends.

Elton John and his friend, lyricist Bernie Taupin are songwriters who have been working together for many years to create the many famous hits of Elton John. Elton and Bernie, also, wrote songs for other artists and for themselves, as well. They wrote many, many hits together that are still popular today and forever. Elton John was inducted into "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" in 1994. John's career spans four decades and is still going strong. He has endured throughout the years, in spite of cocaine and alcohol abuse in the past, to become sober and in better health that he's in today. Elton John suffered from drug addictions and alcohol abuse and he, also, suffered from an eating disorder called Bulimia throughout his career. He is 65 years old.

Elton John's greatest hits include: "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Bennie and the Jets, Candle in the Wind and Candle in the Wind 97, Your Song, and Rocket Man" and more. Elton John wore such outrageous, flashy costumes and spectacles on stage, that he became a superstar, and he was extremely flamboyant that he was sort of like Liberace. Elton John was married to Renate Blauel in 1984. The marriage only lasted for four years, and then they were divorced. Elton John realized that he was homosexual before he married Renate. He had come out saying that he was bi-sexual, but he knew that he was homosexual. Elton John had a long time companion named David Furnish. They joined together in a civil partnership on December 21, 2005. They joined together in a ceremony soon after it became legal for two people of the same sex to form such a partnership in England. They have two young sons: Zachery and Elijah.

Elton John became involved in the fight against AIDS in the late 1980's. He had lost many dear friends to the AIDS virus, so he made a decision to do something about it. At the time, he felt that not enough was being done to combat the virus, so he helped raise funds to help the victims of AIDS. He raised money for research and to provide support, which was vital for the people, who were infected with the HIV/AIDS virus. He founded "The Elton John AIDS Foundation" (The EJAF Foundation) in 1992. The EJAF Foundation is one of the world's leading nonprofit organizations that is innovative in the fight against AIDS. The foundation supports HIV prevention, elimination of the stigma associated with AIDS, and, also, gives support and direct care to people living with the HIV/AIDS virus.

Elton John takes his two boys with him when he's on tour, but when the two boys are old enough to start school, he plans on making changes to his touring schedules, so that he can spend more time with them. Elton John doesn't want to spend a lot of time away from his sons. Also, Elton John has a new album coming out entitled: "The Diving Board", which is set to be released: September 16, 2013. The album will invoke memories of the albums of the early 1970's, which established Elton John's career in that time period. The lead song on the album is called: "Home Again", which had been released in June 2013.