Early Life and Education of Elton John: A Complete Timeline

An overview of the childhood and early education of Elton John, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.

Sir Elton John is a highly successful British singer, songwriter, and pianist renowned for his musical talent, flamboyant performances, and long-standing songwriting partnership with Bernie Taupin. He is an EGOT winner and one of the best-selling music artists in history, with over 300 million records sold worldwide. His impact on the music industry is significant and enduring.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1959: Roy Dwight's FA Cup Final Goal

In 1959, Elton John's paternal cousin Roy Dwight scored for Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup Final before breaking his leg later in the same match.

1975: Part-Owner of Los Angeles Aztecs

From late 1975 to 1976, Elton John was a part-owner of the Los Angeles Aztecs of the North American Soccer League.

1975: Financing Monty Python and the Holy Grail

In 1975, Elton John was among a group of musicians who helped finance the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

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1975: Release of "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy"

In 1975, Elton John's autobiographical album "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy" debuted at number one in the US, remaining there for seven weeks. The album revealed John's personality, with lyrics by Taupin describing their early days in London. The release also signaled the end of the Elton John Band, leading to Olsson and Murray being dismissed.

1976: Part-Owner of Los Angeles Aztecs

From late 1975 to 1976, Elton John was a part-owner of the Los Angeles Aztecs of the North American Soccer League.

1976: Chairman and Director of Watford

In 1976, Elton John became the chairman and director of Watford, a team he has supported since his youth.

1983: Watford finishes runners up

In 1983, under Elton John's chairmanship, Watford Football Club finished as runners-up in the English First Division, marking a significant achievement for the club.

1984: FA Cup Final Appearance

In 1984, Watford Football Club reached the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium during Elton John's tenure as chairman.

1984: Tears at the Cup Final

In 1984, at the Cup Final, Elton John cried when the song 'Abide with Me' was played, as the song evokes his memory of childhood.

1987: Sale of Watford Football Club

In 1987, Elton John sold Watford Football Club to Jack Petchey but remained president of the club.

1991: Becoming a fan of the Atlanta Braves

In 1991, Elton John became a fan of the Atlanta Braves baseball team after moving to Atlanta, Georgia, where he maintains a part-time residence.

1993: 1993 Jaguar XJ220

In June 2001, Elton John sold twenty of his cars, including a 1993 Jaguar XJ220, the most expensive at £234,750.

January 1996: Extravagant Spending

In January 1996, Elton John's spending habits came under scrutiny, revealing an expenditure of over £9.6 million on property between January 1996 and September 1997.

January 1997: 50th Birthday Party

Early in 1997, Elton John held a 50th birthday party, costumed as Louis XIV of France, with 500 friends. He performed with the surviving members of Queen in Paris at the opening night (17 January 1997) of Le Presbytère N'a Rien Perdu De Son Charme Ni Le Jardin De Son Éclat.

September 1997: Extravagant Spending

In September 1997, Elton John's spending habits came under scrutiny, revealing an expenditure of over £9.6 million on property between January 1996 and September 1997.

1998: Freddie Mercury Award at Brit Awards

Elton John met Tony Blair at the Brit Awards 1998, where Blair awarded him the Freddie Mercury Award for his charitable work with the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

2000: Admission of lavish spending

In 2000, Elton John admitted to spending £30 million in under two years, averaging £1.5 million a month.

June 2001: Auction of Cars

In June 2001, Elton John auctioned twenty of his cars at Christie's, including a 1993 Jaguar XJ220 and several Ferraris, Rolls-Royces, and Bentleys, raising nearly £2 million.

2002: Stepping Down as Chairman

In 2002, Elton John stepped down as chairman of Watford Football Club, recognizing the need for a full-time chairman, but he continued as president.

2003: Sale of Holland Park Home Contents

In 2003, Elton John sold the contents of his Holland Park home, expected to fetch £800,000 at Sotheby's, to modernise the decoration and display his contemporary art collection.

2004: Opening of "Elton's Closet"

Since 2004, Elton John has opened a shop called "Elton's Closet" annually, selling his secondhand clothes.

2005: Concert at Vicarage Road

In 2005, Elton John held a concert at Watford's home stadium, Vicarage Road, and donated the proceeds to the club.

2006: Political Views and Declining Support for Labour

In 2006, Elton John identified himself as a Labour supporter and praised Tony Blair, but expressed declining opinions about Blair's leadership and planned to withdraw his support from the Labour Party.

2008: Reaction to Barack Obama's Victory

After senator Barack Obama won the 2008 United States presidential election, Elton John called Obama's victory "incredibly moving."

2009: "Floating Voter" Description

In 2009, despite being called one of the Labour Party's most stalwart supporters, The Daily Telegraph described Elton John as a "floating voter."

2010: Concert at Vicarage Road

In 2010, Elton John held a concert at Watford's home stadium, Vicarage Road, and donated the proceeds to the club.

2013: Resistance to Boycott Russia

In 2013, Elton John resisted calls to boycott Russia in protest at the Russian gay propaganda law, but told fans at a Moscow concert that the laws were "inhumane and isolating."

January 2014: Putin's Comments on Elton John

In January 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke of Elton John in an attempt to show that there was no discrimination against gays in Russia, calling him "an extraordinary person" and saying that millions of Russians love him.

December 2014: Opening of "Sir Elton John stand"

On December 13, 2014, Elton John appeared at Watford's Vicarage Road with his husband and sons for the opening of the "Sir Elton John stand", calling the occasion "one of the greatest days of my life".

May 2015: Meeting with President Obama at the White House

In May 2015, Elton John met President Barack Obama at the White House.

September 2015: Putin's Call and Invitation to Meet

On September 24, 2015, it was reported that Vladimir Putin called Elton John and invited him to meet in the future to discuss LGBT rights in Russia.

2016: Support for Hillary Clinton's Campaign

During the 2016 presidential election, Elton John supported Hillary Clinton's campaign, performing at her fundraiser concert at Radio City Music Hall, New York City, and praising her as "the only choice" America had.

2016: Support for Remaining in the European Union

In 2016, Elton John announced his intention to vote Remain during the UK's European Union referendum, sharing an image with the words "build bridges not walls" on Instagram.

January 2017: Declining Invitation to Trump's Inauguration

In January 2017, Elton John declined an invitation to attend Donald Trump's inauguration, citing his British nationality as a reason and wishing Trump success with his presidency.

September 2017: Trump's Reference to "Rocket Man"

In September 2017, during Trump's first address to the United Nations, Donald Trump referred to North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un as "Little Rocket Man."

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2017: Biden's Book Mention of "Crocodile Rock"

In 2017, Joe Biden said in his book Promise Me, Dad that he sang "Crocodile Rock" to his son Beau when he was a child, and again when he was dying of cancer.

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May 2018: Visit to Armenia

In May 2018, Elton John visited Armenia and was overwhelmed by the kindness and humanity shown to him by the Armenian people.

2019: Ashamed of Brexit Vote Handling

In 2019, Elton John said that the Brexit vote and the way it had been handled had made him ashamed.

October 2020: Attention to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

In October 2020, Elton John called attention to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in his Instagram post.

2021: Requests to meet with Boris Johnson Ignored

In 2021, Elton John said that his requests to meet with Boris Johnson regarding Brexit and touring visas for musicians were ignored.

March 2022: Performance at Shane Warne's memorial

In March 2022, Elton John performed "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" at the memorial service for Australian cricketer Shane Warne.

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December 2022: Leaving Twitter

On December 9, 2022, Elton John left Twitter, following changes to its rules made by new owner Elon Musk, citing concerns about misinformation.

2022: National Humanities Medal

In 2022, after Elton John performed at the White House, President Joe Biden presented him with the National Humanities Medal.

June 2023: Comments on Phillip Schofield's Affair

On June 20, 2023, Elton John said the reaction to Phillip Schofield's secret affair with a younger colleague was "totally homophobic."

July 2023: Evidence at Kevin Spacey's Trial

On July 17, 2023, Elton John gave evidence as a defense witness at Kevin Spacey's sexual assault trial.

2023: Eradication of AIDS

In 2023, Elton John addressed a cross-party gathering of politicians at Westminster and said that the winner of the next general election could help to eradicate AIDS worldwide by the end of the decade.

December 2024: Opposition to Marijuana Legalization

In December 2024, Elton John made public his opposition to marijuana legalization, describing the legalization of marijuana in Canada and parts of the United States as "one of the greatest mistakes of our time."

2024: Assistance at Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center Opening

During the 2024 United States presidential election, Elton John assisted Joe Biden at the opening of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center in New York.

2024: Public Support for the Labour Party

In 2024, Elton John returned to publicly supporting Labour at the general election, endorsing the party's leader Keir Starmer to become prime minister.

2025: Betrayal by the Labour Government

In 2025, Elton John said he felt "incredibly betrayed" by the Labour government over plans to exempt technology firms from copyright laws, criticizing Keir Starmer and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle.