Who is Elton John?
Elton John is a singer and piano player who rose to fame in the 1970s. Today, he is one of the most successful performers of all time, selling more than 250 million albums, with more than 50 songs on the Top 40 radio charts. In 1998, he was knighted by the Queen of England. As an openly gay man, he has served as an active spokesperson and advocate for AIDS prevention since the 1980s. Elton John’s given name was Reginald Kenneth Dwight. He was born in a London suburb in 1947, the son of a military officer and his wife. At a very young age, he began to show evidence of strong musical talent on the piano. He received a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music when he was eleven years old, and grew more interested in rock music during his time there. In 1967, Reginald Dwight changed his name to Elton John, shortly after forming the most important partnership of his life. Answering a newspaper ad, he met lyricist Bernie Taupin. They soon began writing music together, with Taupin in charge
