Elton John is the stage name of Reginald Kenneth Dwight. He was born on March 25, 1947 in London, England. Elton John started playing the piano at the age of three, and within a year, his mother heard him picking out Winifred Atwell’s "The Skater’s Waltz" by ear. He showed great musical aptitude at school, including the ability to compose melodies, and gained some notoriety by playing like Jerry Lee Lewis at school functions. At the age of 11, he won a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. Elton John released his debut album, Empty Sky in 1969. In his four-decade career, John has sold over 200 million records. He has more than 50 Top 40 hits including seven consecutive No. 1 U.S. albums, 56 Top 40 singles, 16 Top 10, four No. 2 hits, and nine No. 1 hits. He has won five Grammy awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Tony Award. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him #49 on their list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. Elton John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of the top 100 most-frequently-charting artists in the history of the Billboard Hot 100. Elton John was listed at number three, behind only Madonna and The Beatles.
|
