Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight) is an English pop/rock singer, composer and pianist.
In a career spanning five decades, Elton John has sold more than 250 million records, making him one of the most successful musicians of all time. Elton was one of the dominant commercial forces in the rock world during the 1970s.
His success had a profound impact on popular music, and contributed to the continued popularity of the piano in rock and roll. Key musical elements in Elton's success included his melodic gifts matched with the contributions of his most significant lyricist partner Bernie Taupin, his rich tenor and gospel-chorded piano, aggressive string arrangements, and his flamboyant fashion sense and on-stage showmanship. He has also successfully diversified his talents into co-writing a number of Broadway and West End musical theatre productions including The Lion King, Aida and Billy Elliot, as well as the less successful Lestat. He continues to be a major public figure, and has been heavily involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and was knighted in 1998, and has remained an enduringly successful artist. Elton continues to be a champion for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender social movements.
Elton has had a complicated personal history in both his sexual orientation, as well as personal battles with drugs, depression, bulimia and spending.In a 1976 Rolling Stone interview he announced that he was bisexual. He stated his belief that everyone is bisexual to a degree.
Elton married German recording engineer Renate Blauel on Valentine's Day, 1984, but they divorced four years later. He later renounced his bisexuality and came out as a homosexual instead.
He met his partner David Furnish, a former advertising executive and now film maker, in 1993. Furnish helped John overcome his drug addiction. On 21 December 2005, they entered into a civil partnership. A low-key ceremony with only their parents in attendance was held at the Guildhall, Windsor, followed by a lavish party at their Berkshire mansion.
Their son Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John was born 25 December 2010 in California via a surrogate. Ingrid Sischy (and her partner Sandy Brant) and Lady Gaga were named Zachary's godmothers respectively. Elton himself has many godchildren. These include Sean Ono Lennon, Elizabeth Hurley's son Damian Charles and David and Victoria Beckham's son Brooklyn.
Within the music industry, Elton is sometimes known as 'Sharon', a nickname originally given to him by good friend Rod Stewart. In return, Elton calls Rod 'Phyllis'.
In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him as the most successful male solo artist on 'The Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists' (Third overall, behind only The Beatles and Madonna).