CELEBRITY INTERVIEW
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50 PLUS MAGAZINE
THE ROCKET MAN ROCKS ON NOT many British singers can claim a box-office smash hit film about their lives and No.1 hits in the 1980s, ‘90s and 2000s but Elton John can. Sir Elton Hercules John, to give him his full name (although he was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight), is that rarity in the pop music world: a star who has endured and whose fan base traverses all ages and types. He’s now 74, still successful, still productive and happy with the person he acknowledges he is. But it wasn’t always that way. As anyone who has seen his autobiographical film Rocket Man knows, as a youngster he was not always happy with who he was and the life he led. Music probably saved him so it’s no surprise to learn that he started playing the piano at the age of four. He was raised in Pinner in London and both his parents were interested in music. As a result, they exposed young Reggie to the popular singers of the day. When he first heard rock ‘n roll, he was hooked. He had regular piano lessons and music swiftly became the most important force in his life. He was educated locally and, at the age of 15 was hired as a pianist at a nearby pub. At 17, he left school and his A level studies for a career in music.
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He and some friends started a band called Bluesology which proved successful, backing touring American soul and R & B musicians like the Isley Brothers. In 1966, the band became singer Long John Baldry’s supporting band. In 1967, Reggie answered an advert in the New Musical Express by Liberty Records looking for new talent. He was given some lyrics by Bernie Taupin, who had also answered the advert, and so began a fruitful partnership that resulted in countless hit songs. Six months later, Reggie changed his name to Elton John and the duo joined Dick James’s DJM Records as staff songwriters in 1968. Over the next two years, they wrote material for artists including Lulu and Roger Cook. Unlike most collaborations, Bernie would write a batch of lyrics and give it to Elton to provide the music, resulting in many haunting, memorable songs. For their second album, thanks in no small way to Elton’s rich falsetto voice, they created Your Song which reached No.7 in the UK singles’ chart and No.8 in the US. The album named Elton John reached No.4 in the US Billboard 200 and No.5 in the UK albums’ chart.
