Mic in Elton John on How Beg Gay Affected His Life, Career - Variety

Contents:

• IS ELTON JOHN GAY?
• 'HELLO YELLOW BRICK ROAD' — SF GAY MEN'S CHOS PAYS HOMAGE TO ELTON JOHN AND OZ
• ELTON {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}ELTON JOHN IS A BRISH SGER, PIANIST AND POSER. ALONG WH SELLG MORE THAN 300 LN RERDS, HE HAS FOUND SUCCS ON BROADWAY, POSG THE MIC SRE FOR THE TONY AWARD-WNG H 'BILLY ELLT.'{MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: NOV 5, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1947-){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO IS ELTON JOHN?ELTON JOHN'S UNIQUE BLEND OF POP AND ROCK STYL TURNED HIM TO ONE OF THE 20TH CENTURY'S BIGGT MIC INS. HE WAS MILLY GIFTED OM A YOUNG AGE, AND RELEASED HIS FIRST SELF-TLED AMERIN ALBUM 1970, MAKG HIM A HUGE TERNATNAL STAR. SOME OF HIS CHART-TOPPG HS CLU "CRODILE ROCK," "PHILALPHIA FREEDOM" AND "CANDLE THE WD." HE ALSO FOUND SUCCS ON BROADWAY, POSG THE SRE FOR BILLY ELLT (2008), WHICH WENT ON TO W 10 TONY AWARDS. HE WAS DUCTED TO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME 1994 AND KNIGHTED 1998.EARLY LIFE & CAREER ENGLANDSGER, SONGWRER, POSER AND IN ELTON JOHN WAS BORN REGALD KENH DWIGHT ON MARCH 25, 1947, PNER, MIDDLEX, ENGLAND. HE DISVERED HIS PASSN FOR MIC AT AN EARLY AGE AND TGHT HIMSELF HOW TO PLAY THE PIANO WHEN HE WAS ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD. PROVG TO BE A GREAT TALENT, HE WON A SCHOLARSHIP TO A YOUTH PROGRAM AT THE ROYAL AMY OF MIC LONDON. JOHN HAD A DIFFICULT RELATNSHIP WH HIS FATHER, STANLEY DWIGHT, A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE. HIS PARENTS DIVORCED WHEN HE WAS A TEENAGER, AND HE AND HIS FATHER CLASHED OVER HIS FUTURE. JOHN, PTIVATED BY THE SOUNDS OF EARLY ROCK AND ROLL, WANTED TO PURSUE A REER POP MIC. AND MUCH TO HIS FATHER'S DISMAY, JOHN DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL AT 17 TO FOLLOW HIS DREAM. HE STARTED PLAYG WH A GROUP LLED BLUOLOGY, AND HE BBLED TOGETHER HIS STAGE MONIKER OM THE NAM OF TWO MEMBERS OF THE GROUP.IN 1967 JOHN ANSWERED AN AD FOR A SONGWRER FOR LIBERTY RERDS. HE GOT THE JOB AND SOON TEAMED UP WH LYRICIST {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}BERNIE TP. THE DUO SWCHED TO THE DJM LABEL THE FOLLOWG YEAR, WRG SONGS FOR OTHER ARTISTS. JOHN GOT HIS FIRST BREAK AS A SGER WH HIS 1969 ALBUM EMPTY SKY, FEATURG SONGS BY JOHN AND TP. WHILE THAT RERDG FAILED TO TCH ON, HIS 1970 SELF-TLED EFFORT FEATURED JOHN'S FIRST H, "YOUR SONG." MORE HS SOON FOLLOWED, CLUDG NO. 1 SMASH SUCH AS "CRODILE ROCK," "BENNIE AND THE JETS" AND "ISLAND GIRL." JOHN ENJOYED A SERI OF TOP-SELLG ALBUMS DURG THIS TIME, CLUDG GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD (1973) AND ROCK OF THE WTI (1975).{--DATA-EMBED-DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;CLEAR:BOTH;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;WIDTH:100%;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 20REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 30REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 40.625REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 75REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}} A SPAN{RIGHT:1REM;} IMG{WIDTH:TO;HEIGHT:85VH;} A{DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-LE-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:LE-FLEX;POSN:VAR(--POSN, RELATIVE);} IMG:NOT(.EWCW41W1){DISPLAY:BLOCK;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;-WEBK-ALIGN-SELF:FLEX-START;-MS-FLEX-EM-ALIGN:FLEX-START;ALIGN-SELF:FLEX-START;}{WIDTH:100%;DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-LE-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:LE-FLEX;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 20REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 30REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 40.625REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}{WIDTH:0;M-WIDTH:100%;PADDG-TOP:0.625REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;MARG-BOTTOM:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.4;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTERITALIC,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}ELTON JOHN AND HIS LONG-TERM SONGWRG PARTNER, LYRICIST BERNIE TP, {PADDG-LEFT:0REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;}{PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: TERRY O'NEILL/GETTY IMAGMEMORABLE SONGS & ENERGETIC LIVE PERFORMANCONE OF THE TOP ACTS OF THE 1970S, JOHN BEME EQUALLY FAMO FOR HIS LIVE SHOWS. HE DRSED FABULO, OVER-THE-TOP STUM AND GLASS FOR HIS ELABORATE NCERTS. IN AN TERVIEW WH W, JOHN EXPLAED THAT "I WASN'T A SEX SYMBOL LIKE BOWIE, MARC BOLAN OR FREDDIE MERCURY, SO I DRSED MORE ON THE HUMORO SI, BEE IF I WAS GOG TO BE STUCK AT THE PIANO FOR TWO HOURS, I WAS GOG TO MAKE PEOPLE LOOK AT ME."'DON'T GO BREAKG MY HEART' IN 1976 JOHN H THE TOP OF THE CHARTS AGA WH "DON'T GO BREAKG MY HEART," HIS DUET WH KIKI DEE. HE SOON CID TO TAKE A BREAK OM MIC, FOCG HIS ENERGI ON HIS SOCCER TEAM THAT HE -OWNED ENGLAND. AROUND THIS TIME, JOHN ALSO PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS BISEXUAL (HE LATER ME OUT AS A GAY MAN). AT THE TIME, JOHN WAS RIDICULED AND TNTED FOR HIS SEXUALY. THE NTROVERSY DIED DOWN, AND HE MA A TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO MIC 1979 WH THE ALBUM A SGLE MAN.'LTLE JEANNIE,' 'EMPTY GARN'WHILE NOT PRODUCG SMASH HS THE 1980S, JOHN STILL DID WELL ON THE CHARTS. SOME OF THE MOST MEMORABLE SONGS OM THIS PERD CLU THE BALLADS "LTLE JEANNIE" AND "EMPTY GARN (HEY, HEY JOHNNY)," THE LATTER WRTEN AS A TRIBUTE TO HIS IEND JOHN LENNON OF THE BEATL, WHO HAD BEEN KILLED 1980.'CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT' BRANCHG OUT DIFFERENT DIRECTNS, JOHN TEAMED UP WH LYRICIST TIM RICE FOR SEVERAL PROJECTS. THEY WORKED TOGETHER ON THE SOUNDTRACK FOR THE 1994 ANIMATED H THE LN KG, AND ONE OF THE MOVIE'S SONGS, "CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT," BROUGHT JOHN HIS FIRST AMY AWARD W FOR BT ORIGAL SONG. THE PAIR LATER TED A TONY AWARD FOR BT ORIGAL SRE 2000 FOR THEIR MIL AIDA. JOHN RECEIVED A NUMBER OF HONORS AROUND THIS TIME. IN 1994 HE WAS DUCTED TO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME. QUEEN ELIZABETH II MA JOHN A COMMANR OF THE ORR OF THE BRISH EMPIRE THE FOLLOWG YEAR (THE QUEEN KNIGHTED HIM SEVERAL YEARS LATER, MAKG HIM OFFICIALLY "SIR ELTON JOHN").'CANDLE THE WD 1997' WHILE HE ENJOYED ALL OF THE REGNN AND PRAISE, HE SOON FOUND HIMSELF ROCKED BY GRIEF. DURG THE SUMMER OF 1997, JOHN LOST TWO GOOD IENDS — FASHN SIGNER GIANNI VERSACE AND PRCS DIANA. HE REWORKED ONE OF HIS CLASSIC SONGS, "CANDLE THE WD," AS A TRIBUTE TO PRCS DIANA, WH THE SONG'S PROCEEDS GOG TO A CHARABLE TST TABLISHED HER HONOR. "CANDLE THE WD 1997" PROVED TO BE A TREMENDO SUCCS, SELLG MORE THAN 30 LN PI THAT YEAR.ELTON JOHN PERFORMG AT AN OPEN-AIR NCERT MAY 1974 WATFORD, ENGLAND.PHOTO: ANWAR HSE/GETTY IMAGLATER ALBUMS, BOOKS, BROADWAY, AND MOVIEJOHN NTUED TO RERD NEW MIC LATER HIS EXTENSIVE REER. IN 2006 HE RELEASED THE CAPTA & THE KID, A SEQUEL TO HIS EARLIER TOBGRAPHIL EFFORT CAPTA FANTASTIC AND THE BROWN DIRT COWBOY (1975). HE ALSO TEAMED UP WH LEON RSELL FOR 2010'S THE UNN, WHICH LED TO A JOT TOUR. JOHN LATER RELEASED THE DIVG BOARD (2013), HIS 30TH STUD ALBUM, PRODUCED BY T BONE BURT. IN FEBARY 2016 JOHN RELEASED HIS 33RD STUD ALBUM, WONRFUL CRAZY NIGHT, TO GENERALLY POSIVE REVIEWS. THE ALBUM FEATURED THE ELTON JOHN BAND, WH WHOM HE LAST LLABORATED A PRR. 'BILLY ELLTT THE MIL' AND 'ROCKETMAN' ALSO MAND AS A SONGWRER, JOHN WAS STMENTAL BRGG BILLY ELLTT THE MIL TO THE STAGE. THE SHOW, ADAPTED OM THE 2000 FILM, OPENED ON BROADWAY 2008, WHERE QUICKLY BEME A CRIL AND MERCIAL SUCCS. JOHN ALSO WORKED ON THE 2011 ANIMATED FILM GNOMEO & JULIET, SERVG AS A PRODUCER AND A POSER. EVEN WH A TONED-DOWN STAGE PERSONA, JOHN REMAED A VERY POPULAR LIVE ACT. IN 2012, HE PERFORMED WH OZZY OSBOURNE, ERIC CLAPTON, STEVIE WONR, AND PL MCCARTNEY, AMONG OTHERS, CELEBRATN OF QUEEN ELIZABETH'S 60 YEARS ON THE THRONE.AROUND THIS TIME, WAS REVEALED THAT JOHN AND HIS HBAND WERE WORKG ON A BPIC ABOUT THE LEGENDARY MICIAN TLED ROCKETMAN. STARRG TARON EGERTON, THE FILM FALLY REACHED THE FISH LE WH S PREMIERE AT THE MAY 2019 CANN FILM FTIVAL, DRAWG ATTENTN FOR S WHIMSIL MIL SCEN AS WELL AS S UNFLCHG PORTRAYAL OF JOHN'S SEXUALY. THE ARTIST FOLLOWED WH THE PUBLITN OF HIS TOBGRAPHY, ME, LATER THAT YEAR.IN JANUARY 2020, JOHN AND TP CLAIMED THE BT ORIGAL SONG GOLN GLOBE FOR ROCKETMAN'S "(I'M GONNA) LOVE ME AGA." AMAZGLY, WAS THEIR FIRST SHARED AWARD AFTER MORE THAN A HALF-CENTURY OF CREATG SOME OF POPULAR MIC'S BIGGT HS TOGETHER. THE DUO THEN PICKED UP THEIR SEND JOT HONOR, ALSO FOR BT ORIGAL SONG, AT THE AMY AWARDS THE FOLLOWG MONTH.FAREWELL TOURON JANUARY 24, 2018, JOHN ANNOUNCED THAT HE WOULD RETIRE OM THE ROAD AFTER HIS PLANNED FAREWELL YELLOW BRICK ROAD TOUR, SET TO KICK OFF THAT SEPTEMBER. "MY PRRI HAVE CHANGED," HE SAID, CG HIS SIRE TO SPEND MORE TIME WH HIS HBAND, DAVID, AND THEIR KIDS. "IN 2015, DAVID AND I SAT DOWN WH A SCHOOL SCHLE ... I DON’T WANT TO MISS TOO MUCH OF THIS."THAT YEAR ALSO BROUGHT AN END TO HIS LAS VEGAS RINCY, "THE MILLN DOLLAR PIANO," WHICH WRAPPED WH A MAY 17 PERFORMANCE AT CAAR'S PALACE.SUBSTANCE ABE ISSU & ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATNIN 1990, AFTER YEARS OF BATTLG SUBSTANCE ABE ISSU, PARTICULARLY E, WHICH MAY HAVE TRIGGERED SEVERE EPILEPTIC SEIZUR, JOHN WENT TO REHABILATN. THE NEWLY SOBER MIL STAR, LIGHTED AT HIS SEND CHANCE AT LIFE, SOON FOUND HIS OWN CHARABLE ANIZATN TO HELP THE FIGHT AGAST AIDS. ESTABLISHED THE UNED STAT 1992, THE ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATN HAS BROUGHT MORE THAN $400 LN TO SUPPORT HIV/AIDS PROGRAMS AROUND THE WORLD.IN ADDN TO HIS OWN FOUNDATN, JOHN SUPPORTS A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CHARI AND ARTS ANIZATNS, CLUDG THE GLOBE THEATRE AND THE ROYAL AMY OF MIC.IN MARCH 2020, JOHN HOSTED THE IHEART LIVG ROOM CONCERT FOR AMERI TO RAISE FUNDS FOR RONAVIS RELIEF EFFORTS. ALICIA KEYS, DAVE GROHL AND SAM SMH WERE AMONG THE ARTISTS WHO PERFORMED OM THEIR HOM FOR THE BENEF.ELTON JOHN WH HIS HBAND, DAVID FURNISH, AND SONS ZACHARY FURNISH-JOHN AND ELIJAH FURNISH-JOHNWIREIMAGE HBAND AND SONSJOHN MET HIS LONGTIME PARTNER DAVID FURNISH AT A DNER PARTY 1993. THE PAIR GOT MARRIED A CIVIL CEREMONY ON DECEMBER 21, 2005 — THE SAME DAY THE CIVIL PARTNERSHIP ACT 2004 WENT TO EFFECT. WH THE HELP OF A SURROGATE, THE UPLE WELED THEIR FIRST SON, ZACHARY FURNISH-JOHN, DECEMBER 2010, AND WELED THEIR SEND CHILD, ELIJAH JOSEPH DANIEL FURNISH-JOHN, JANUARY 2013. NE YEARS AFTER THEIR CIVIL CEREMONY, ON DECEMBER 21, 2014, THE UPLE WED AFTER LAWS ALLOWG GAY MARRIAGE TOOK EFFECT THE SAME YEAR BRA. JOHN WAS PREVLY MARRIED TO RENATE BLEL OM 1984 TO {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK FACTS
• GAY RIGHTS ARE GOG BACKWARDS THE US, SAYS ELTON JOHN
• ROCKETMAN'S GAY SEX SCENE IS A BIG STEP THE RIGHT DIRECTN
• ‘PHILALPHIA FREEDOM’ ISN’T JT A GAY ANTHEM. IT’S A PRI ANTHEM.
• ELTON JOHN SLAMS VATIN FOR BLSG S ‘ROCKETMAN’ VTMENT BUT NOT GAY MARRIAGE
• ROCKETMAN: ELTON JOHN’S REAL-LIFE ROLLER-COASTER RELATNSHIP WH JOHN REIDTARON EGERTON AND RICHARD MADN PORTRAY JOHN AND REID’S STEAMY ’70S ROMANCE—THE FIRST RELATNSHIP ELTON JOHN HAD WH A MAN.BY JULIE MILLERMAY 31, 2019ELTON JOHN KISSG HIS MANAGER JOHN REID ON CHEEK, 1979.BY RICHARD YOUNG/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEELTON JOHN WOULD NOT SACRIFICE SEX FOR A PG-13 RATG—NOT LIFE, AND NOT ROCKETMAN, THE MIL BPIC STARRG TARON EGERTON. “EVERYONE KNOWS I HAD QUE A LOT OF [SEX AND DGS] DURG THE ’70S AND ’80S,” JOHN EXPLAED THE GUARDIAN THIS MONTH. “SO THERE DIDN’T SEEM TO BE MUCH POT MAKG A MOVIE THAT IMPLIED THAT AFTER EVERY GIG, I’D QUIETLY GONE BACK TO MY HOTEL ROOM WH ONLY A GLASS OF WARM K AND THE GION’S BIBLE FOR PANY.”FOLLOWG LAST YEAR’S BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY—WHICH DOWNPLAYED FREDDIE MERCURY’S NOTORLY PROLIFIC SEX LIFE—ROCKETMAN’S UNAPOLOGETIC LOVE SCENE BETWEEN ELTON JOHN AND HIS FIRST BOYIEND, JOHN REID (RICHARD MADN), LIGHTED CANN FILM FTIVAL DIENCE MEMBERS. AND EVEN THOUGH JOHN AND REID END UP HAVG A NASTY, PUBLIC FALLG-OUT—MORE ON THAT LATER—JOHN HIMSELF WAS THRILLED TO SEE HIS FIRST MAJOR SEXUAL ENUNTER, AT THE AGE OF 23, RE-CREATED ONSCREEN.“I WAS A VIRG UNTIL THEN,” JOHN HAS EXPLAED OF THE 1970 ENUNTER WH REID, WHO WOULD BEE HIS MANAGER. “I WAS SPERATE TO BE LOVED AND SPERATE TO HAVE A TACTILE THEY TEAR THEIR CLOTH OFF THE MOVIE, THAT WAS HOW HAPPENED. IT WAS SAN FRANCIS.... I’M SO GLAD ’S THERE, BEE I AM A GAY MAN AND I DIDN’T WANT TO AIRBSH UNR THE RPET. THIS IS WHO I AM, AND I WAS SO JOYO. WHEN HE IS LYG MY ARMS AND I’M STG BACK WH A SE, I’M THKG, ‘AH, I’M NORMAL, I’VE HAD SEX’.... THAT NIGHT WAS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT PART.”TOM DOYLE, WHO WROTE THE BOOK CAPTA FANTASTIC, ABOUT JOHN’S REER THROUGH THE ’70S, FURTHER EXPLAED: “IT TOOK REID TO NFIRM ELTON’S SEXUAL PROCLIVI. RETURNG OM A HIGHLY SIGNIFINT NIGHT WH THE ST SAN FRANCIS, HE ADMTED TO [MIC PRODUCER] STEVE BROWN, ‘I’M FELY GAY’.... IT WAS WHOLLY LIBERATG FOR ELTON, AT THE RELATIVELY LATE AGE OF TWENTY-THREE, TO FALLY ACCEPT THE TE NATURE OF HIS SEXUALY. BRAVELY, HE DIDN’T ATTEMPT TO KEEP HIDN OM THOSE CLOST TO HIM.”IN REAL LIFE, THE CHEMISTRY HAD NOT BEEN AS IMMEDIATE FOR JOHN AND REID—A STTISH MIC WUNRKD WHO HAD FIRST N TO JOHN, ACRDG TO DOYLE, AT EMI’S LONDON OFFICE, WHERE JOHN WAS “CHEEKILY SCROUNG[G] EE VYL PI OF THE LATT RELEAS.” REID LATER TOLD THE STTISH DAILY MAIL ABOUT HIS FIRST IMPRSN OF JOHN: “I REMEMBER THIS HIP, SHY YOUNG MAN,” HE RELLED. “THERE WAS A GAWKY SWEETNS ABOUT HIM.”AFTER THE SAN FRANCIS TRIP, JOHN AND REID MOVED TO A FLAT LONDON TOGETHER. “HE WAS MY FIRST GREAT LOVE, AND I WAS HIS,” REID SAID. JOHN’S PRODUCER G DUDGEON EXPLAED TO VH1’S BEHD THE MIC THAT THE TWO WERE “ MANY WAYS THE PERFECT [WERE] VERY UP FOR SPENDG MONEY, PARTYG, HAVG A REALLY GOOD TIME.”REID HAD SIGNED ON TO BE JOHN’S MANAGER, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS ADMTEDLY EXPERIENCED THAT AREA OF THE DTRY. ACRDG TO CAPTA FANTASTIC, JOHN’S BOSS AT DJM SAW THE PERK OF THE ARRANGEMENT: “WHO ELSE N WE RELY ON TO GET ELTON OUT OF BED THE MORNG THAN THE GUY HE’S BED WH?” REID WAS NFINT AND HAD KILLER STCTS, HOWEVER: THE FOLLOWG YEAR, HE LNCHED HIS OWN MANAGEMENT PANY, AND WENT ON TO NEGOTIATE UNPRECENTED ALS FOR JOHN. (LATER, THE MANAGER WOULD REPORTEDLY LAMENT HOW EXCSIVE THEY WERE—WONRG WHETHER HE HELPED MAKE THE MIC DTRY “MORE VULGAR.”)BUT BOY, DID JOHN AND REID KNOW HOW TO SPEND MONEY. ACRDG TO A 1974 ROLLG STONE VER STORY, JOHN BOUGHT REID AN APPALOOSA RACEHORSE AND A POWERBOAT FOR HIS 25TH BIRTHDAY. FOR JOHN’S BIRTHDAY, REID SAID HE RECIPROTED BY WALKG TO A PARIS JEWELER AND PICKG OUT THE LARGT EMERALD RG HE ULD FD—ALLEGEDLY WORTH A LN ANCS.GIVEN THAT JOHN AND REID WERE SEPARABLE AND LIVG TOGETHER, THERE WAS PUBLIC SPECULATN ABOUT THE NATURE OF THEIR RELATNSHIP. BUT WHEN JOHN WAS ASKED POT-BLANK BY ROLLG STONE 1974, HE CLAIMED REID WAS “JT MY MANAGER.... I HAVE A CLOSE CIRCLE OF IENDS WHO JT AREN’T THE PUBLIC—SORT OF LIKE ELVIS AND HIS...MOTORBIKE PEOPLE. THEY WERE THE PEOPLE WHO FIRST GAVE BERNIE [TP] AND ME ENURAGEMENT. IT’S VERY MUCH A FAY. THAT’S WHY ’S SO CTUO SOMETIM.”REID WAS FIERCELY LOYAL TO JOHN, BUT ALSO A B OF A HOTHEAD—WH ROLLG STONE VOTG A PARAGRAPH TO REID’S HISTORY OF VLENT ANTICS: “HE TOSSED A GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE AT A MAN FOR NOT HAVG ENOUGH LIQUOR AT A RECEPTN FOR ELTON; SLAPPED A WOMAN JOURNALIST WHO SLD HIM AND REPORTEDLY LLED HIM A ‘POOF’ (MEANG A GAY); AND HE BEAT AND KICKED ANOTHER JOURNALIST WHOM HE SAID HE HEARD HAD THREATENED ELTON.” HE WAS ALSO SENTENCED TO A MONTH PRISON 1974 FOR ASSLTG A JOURNALIST NEW ZEALAND.MOST POPULARWH MATRO, LEONARD BERNSTE’S LEGACY AND LOV FALLY H THE BIG SCREENBY REBEC FORD25 PERFECT TV EPISOS FROM THE LAST 25 YEARSBY HILLARY BISTHE BOOK OF CLARENCE IS A BOMBASTIC JOURNEY BACK TO THE BIBLIL ERABY REBEC FORDJOHN AND REID’S ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP FIZZLED OUT 1975—WH BOTH MEN CLAIMG THE RELATNSHIP END FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. ACRDG TO REID, JOHN “NEVER HAD A SEXUAL ADOLCENCE. HE NEED TO GO OFF AND PLAY THE FIELD.” BUT ACRDG TO CAPTA FANTASTIC, JOHN SAID THAT REID HAD BEEN “MORE UNFAHFUL THAN I LIKED.”THEIR WORKG RELATNSHIP NTUED UNTIL 1998—THE SAME YEAR THAT JOHN’S DORS DISVERED A £20 LN GAP HIS ACUNTS, AND SHORTLY BEFORE JOHN SUED BOTH PRICEWATERHOECOOPERS AND ANDREW HAYDON, THE FORMER MANAGG DIRECTOR OF JOHN REID ENTERPRIS. SPEAKG ABOUT HIS EX, JOHN SAID, “I TSTED HIM...I NEVER THOUGHT HE WOULD BETRAY ME, BUT HE HAS BETRAYED ME.” WHILE REID SETTLED WH JOHN OUT OF URT, A HIGH-URT HEARG EXAMED JOHN’S EXCSIVE SPENDG OVER THE YEARS—WH A JUDGE ULTIMATELY SIDG WH PRICEWATERHOECOOPERS AND HAYDON.“SIR ELTON’S DIFFERENCE TO THE TAILS OF FANCIAL AND BS MATTERS WAS FOR A LONG TIME POUND BY THE FACT THAT HE HAD SER PROBLEMS WH ALHOL AND DG ABE,” THE JUDGE TERMED, ACRDG TO THE GUARDIAN. DURG THE LEAD-UP TO THE JUDGMENT, THE URT HEARD HOW JOHN SPENT NEARLY £40 LN DURG A 20-MONTH PERD, AND £293,000 ON FLOWERS ALONE. REID ALLEGED, MEANWHILE, THAT LIVG WH JOHN WAS LIKE “TRYG TO HOLD BACK A VAST LEAPS STYLE WERE EXHSTG. HE WOULD GO OUT ONE DAY WH BROWN HAIR AND RETURN THE NEXT WH PK. ONE DAY HE DROVE OFF HIS ESRT, AND I SAID WASN’T VERY ROCK AND ROLL. HE RETURNED THAT AFTERNOON WH A PURPLE ASTON MART.” (IN ROCKETMAN, SHOPPG IS THE ONE ADDICTN JOHN PS TO HAVG NOT OVERE.)RICHARD MADN HAS SAID THAT, WHILE PREPARG TO PLAY REID, HE REACHED OUT TO VAR IENDS OF THE NOW-RETIRED MANAGER—CLUDG DONATELLA VERSACE. (MADN TOLD ELLE THAT THE SIGNER TOLD HIM, “THE THG ABOUT JOHN REID WAS THAT HE WAS NEVER WRONG.”) BUT REID, WHO IS REPORTEDLY LIVG ATRALIA UNR THE RADAR THE DAYS, REMAS SOMETHG OF AN ENIGMA TO MADN.SPEAKG TO THE SYDNEY MORNG HERALD, MADN EXPLAED: “EVERYONE HAS A VERY DIFFERENT TAKE AND A VERY DIFFERENT STORY ABOUT HIM.... YOU’VE GOT SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED OF HIM, BEE HE’S THIS MAN WHO LOV TO FIRE PEOPLE AND THERE’S THIS FORCE, AND THEN OTHER PEOPLE SAYG HE IS THE MOST FUN PERSON YOU ULD POSSIBLY GET, AND IF YOU GET A NIGHT OUT WH JOHN REID, YOU’RE GOG TO HAVE THE BT TIME.” THE NTRADICTORY REPORTS, MADN EXPLAED, “GAVE ME LIBERTY TO PLAY LOTS OF DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF HIM. THIS MAN THAT PEOPLE LOVE BEG AROUND, BUT ALSO THIS MAN THAT PEOPLE ARE ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED OF; I GOT TO PLAY WH THE SPECTM OF THAT BEE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT ANECDOT I GOT.”IN AN INTERVIEW NVERSATN WH JOHN, MADN SAID, “THERE’S LOTS ABOUT JOHN REID THAT’S NOT VERY LIKABLE. IT WAS REALLY FUN TO PLAY WH THAT AND BE A CUNT SOMETIM.” JOHN ADD, OF THE TASK OF PORTRAYG HIS EX: “YOU HAVE TO BE BOTH TENR AND A BASTARD.”MOST POPULARWH MATRO, LEONARD BERNSTE’S LEGACY AND LOV FALLY H THE BIG SCREENBY REBEC FORD25 PERFECT TV EPISOS FROM THE LAST 25 YEARSBY HILLARY BISTHE BOOK OF CLARENCE IS A BOMBASTIC JOURNEY BACK TO THE BIBLIL ERABY REBEC FORDIN SPE OF THE RELATNSHIP’S UPS AND DOWNS, REID HAS SEEMED REMORSEFUL ABOUT S CLIMACTIC FAL ACT. “IT’S VERY SAD THAT THE LONG RELATNSHIP I HAD WH ELTON HAS END THIS WAY,” REID TOLD THE GUARDIAN 2001, SHORTLY AFTER THE URT LG. “I FEEL THAT THE QUTN MARK THAT HAS BEEN HANGG OVER MY TEGRY FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS HAS BEEN REMOVED, AND THAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THG TO ME THIS SE. IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE E TO TRIAL. IT WAS ILL ADVISED.” IN THE YEARS SCE, REID APPEARED BRIEFLY AS A JUDGE ON THE X FACTOR ATRALIA, AND TOLD IENDS OF A PLAN TO WRE A MEMOIR. SEVERAL YEARS BACK, ACRDG TO THE STTISH DAILY MAIL, REID EVEN MA MENTS SUGGTG HE MIGHT BE OPEN TO A RENCILIATN WH JOHN. “I’M FOND OF ELTON, AND PROUD OF THE WORK I DID WH HIM,” HE SAID. “ONE DAY I’LL BUMP TO HIM AND THERE MAY BE HUGS AND KISS. OR MAYBE NOT.”JULIE MILLER

IS ELTON JOHN GAY?

In an exclive terview wh Variety at last month’s Cann Film Ftival, jt hours before the world premiere of his long--the-works bpic “Rocketman, ” John spoke ndidly about the “privilege” of beg a gay entertaer. I’ve been very privileged bee I’m a bs that kd of accepts gay people.

But 1992, at age 45, he was quoted the same magaze sayg he was “que fortable beg gay.

'HELLO YELLOW BRICK ROAD' — SF GAY MEN'S CHOS PAYS HOMAGE TO ELTON JOHN AND OZ

Now 72, John tells Variety that he was 23 when he actually realized he was gay.

Acrdg to “Rocketman, ” she told her son he would never be tly loved bee he was gay.

ELTON {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}ELTON JOHN IS A BRISH SGER, PIANIST AND POSER. ALONG WH SELLG MORE THAN 300 LN RERDS, HE HAS FOUND SUCCS ON BROADWAY, POSG THE MIC SRE FOR THE TONY AWARD-WNG H 'BILLY ELLT.'{MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: NOV 5, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1947-){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO IS ELTON JOHN?ELTON JOHN'S UNIQUE BLEND OF POP AND ROCK STYL TURNED HIM TO ONE OF THE 20TH CENTURY'S BIGGT MIC INS. HE WAS MILLY GIFTED OM A YOUNG AGE, AND RELEASED HIS FIRST SELF-TLED AMERIN ALBUM 1970, MAKG HIM A HUGE TERNATNAL STAR. SOME OF HIS CHART-TOPPG HS CLU "CRODILE ROCK," "PHILALPHIA FREEDOM" AND "CANDLE THE WD." HE ALSO FOUND SUCCS ON BROADWAY, POSG THE SRE FOR BILLY ELLT (2008), WHICH WENT ON TO W 10 TONY AWARDS. HE WAS DUCTED TO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME 1994 AND KNIGHTED 1998.EARLY LIFE & CAREER ENGLANDSGER, SONGWRER, POSER AND IN ELTON JOHN WAS BORN REGALD KENH DWIGHT ON MARCH 25, 1947, PNER, MIDDLEX, ENGLAND. HE DISVERED HIS PASSN FOR MIC AT AN EARLY AGE AND TGHT HIMSELF HOW TO PLAY THE PIANO WHEN HE WAS ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD. PROVG TO BE A GREAT TALENT, HE WON A SCHOLARSHIP TO A YOUTH PROGRAM AT THE ROYAL AMY OF MIC LONDON. JOHN HAD A DIFFICULT RELATNSHIP WH HIS FATHER, STANLEY DWIGHT, A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE. HIS PARENTS DIVORCED WHEN HE WAS A TEENAGER, AND HE AND HIS FATHER CLASHED OVER HIS FUTURE. JOHN, PTIVATED BY THE SOUNDS OF EARLY ROCK AND ROLL, WANTED TO PURSUE A REER POP MIC. AND MUCH TO HIS FATHER'S DISMAY, JOHN DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL AT 17 TO FOLLOW HIS DREAM. HE STARTED PLAYG WH A GROUP LLED BLUOLOGY, AND HE BBLED TOGETHER HIS STAGE MONIKER OM THE NAM OF TWO MEMBERS OF THE GROUP.IN 1967 JOHN ANSWERED AN AD FOR A SONGWRER FOR LIBERTY RERDS. HE GOT THE JOB AND SOON TEAMED UP WH LYRICIST {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}BERNIE TP. THE DUO SWCHED TO THE DJM LABEL THE FOLLOWG YEAR, WRG SONGS FOR OTHER ARTISTS. JOHN GOT HIS FIRST BREAK AS A SGER WH HIS 1969 ALBUM EMPTY SKY, FEATURG SONGS BY JOHN AND TP. WHILE THAT RERDG FAILED TO TCH ON, HIS 1970 SELF-TLED EFFORT FEATURED JOHN'S FIRST H, "YOUR SONG." MORE HS SOON FOLLOWED, CLUDG NO. 1 SMASH SUCH AS "CRODILE ROCK," "BENNIE AND THE JETS" AND "ISLAND GIRL." JOHN ENJOYED A SERI OF TOP-SELLG ALBUMS DURG THIS TIME, CLUDG GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD (1973) AND ROCK OF THE WTI (1975).{--DATA-EMBED-DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;CLEAR:BOTH;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;WIDTH:100%;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 20REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 30REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 40.625REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 75REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}} A SPAN{RIGHT:1REM;} IMG{WIDTH:TO;HEIGHT:85VH;} A{DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-LE-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:LE-FLEX;POSN:VAR(--POSN, RELATIVE);} IMG:NOT(.EWCW41W1){DISPLAY:BLOCK;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;-WEBK-ALIGN-SELF:FLEX-START;-MS-FLEX-EM-ALIGN:FLEX-START;ALIGN-SELF:FLEX-START;}{WIDTH:100%;DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-LE-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:LE-FLEX;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 20REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 30REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 40.625REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}{WIDTH:0;M-WIDTH:100%;PADDG-TOP:0.625REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;MARG-BOTTOM:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.4;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTERITALIC,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}ELTON JOHN AND HIS LONG-TERM SONGWRG PARTNER, LYRICIST BERNIE TP, {PADDG-LEFT:0REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;}{PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: TERRY O'NEILL/GETTY IMAGMEMORABLE SONGS & ENERGETIC LIVE PERFORMANCONE OF THE TOP ACTS OF THE 1970S, JOHN BEME EQUALLY FAMO FOR HIS LIVE SHOWS. HE DRSED FABULO, OVER-THE-TOP STUM AND GLASS FOR HIS ELABORATE NCERTS. IN AN TERVIEW WH W, JOHN EXPLAED THAT "I WASN'T A SEX SYMBOL LIKE BOWIE, MARC BOLAN OR FREDDIE MERCURY, SO I DRSED MORE ON THE HUMORO SI, BEE IF I WAS GOG TO BE STUCK AT THE PIANO FOR TWO HOURS, I WAS GOG TO MAKE PEOPLE LOOK AT ME."'DON'T GO BREAKG MY HEART' IN 1976 JOHN H THE TOP OF THE CHARTS AGA WH "DON'T GO BREAKG MY HEART," HIS DUET WH KIKI DEE. HE SOON CID TO TAKE A BREAK OM MIC, FOCG HIS ENERGI ON HIS SOCCER TEAM THAT HE -OWNED ENGLAND. AROUND THIS TIME, JOHN ALSO PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS BISEXUAL (HE LATER ME OUT AS A GAY MAN). AT THE TIME, JOHN WAS RIDICULED AND TNTED FOR HIS SEXUALY. THE NTROVERSY DIED DOWN, AND HE MA A TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO MIC 1979 WH THE ALBUM A SGLE MAN.'LTLE JEANNIE,' 'EMPTY GARN'WHILE NOT PRODUCG SMASH HS THE 1980S, JOHN STILL DID WELL ON THE CHARTS. SOME OF THE MOST MEMORABLE SONGS OM THIS PERD CLU THE BALLADS "LTLE JEANNIE" AND "EMPTY GARN (HEY, HEY JOHNNY)," THE LATTER WRTEN AS A TRIBUTE TO HIS IEND JOHN LENNON OF THE BEATL, WHO HAD BEEN KILLED 1980.'CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT' BRANCHG OUT DIFFERENT DIRECTNS, JOHN TEAMED UP WH LYRICIST TIM RICE FOR SEVERAL PROJECTS. THEY WORKED TOGETHER ON THE SOUNDTRACK FOR THE 1994 ANIMATED H THE LN KG, AND ONE OF THE MOVIE'S SONGS, "CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT," BROUGHT JOHN HIS FIRST AMY AWARD W FOR BT ORIGAL SONG. THE PAIR LATER TED A TONY AWARD FOR BT ORIGAL SRE 2000 FOR THEIR MIL AIDA. JOHN RECEIVED A NUMBER OF HONORS AROUND THIS TIME. IN 1994 HE WAS DUCTED TO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME. QUEEN ELIZABETH II MA JOHN A COMMANR OF THE ORR OF THE BRISH EMPIRE THE FOLLOWG YEAR (THE QUEEN KNIGHTED HIM SEVERAL YEARS LATER, MAKG HIM OFFICIALLY "SIR ELTON JOHN").'CANDLE THE WD 1997' WHILE HE ENJOYED ALL OF THE REGNN AND PRAISE, HE SOON FOUND HIMSELF ROCKED BY GRIEF. DURG THE SUMMER OF 1997, JOHN LOST TWO GOOD IENDS — FASHN SIGNER GIANNI VERSACE AND PRCS DIANA. HE REWORKED ONE OF HIS CLASSIC SONGS, "CANDLE THE WD," AS A TRIBUTE TO PRCS DIANA, WH THE SONG'S PROCEEDS GOG TO A CHARABLE TST TABLISHED HER HONOR. "CANDLE THE WD 1997" PROVED TO BE A TREMENDO SUCCS, SELLG MORE THAN 30 LN PI THAT YEAR.ELTON JOHN PERFORMG AT AN OPEN-AIR NCERT MAY 1974 WATFORD, ENGLAND.PHOTO: ANWAR HSE/GETTY IMAGLATER ALBUMS, BOOKS, BROADWAY, AND MOVIEJOHN NTUED TO RERD NEW MIC LATER HIS EXTENSIVE REER. IN 2006 HE RELEASED THE CAPTA & THE KID, A SEQUEL TO HIS EARLIER TOBGRAPHIL EFFORT CAPTA FANTASTIC AND THE BROWN DIRT COWBOY (1975). HE ALSO TEAMED UP WH LEON RSELL FOR 2010'S THE UNN, WHICH LED TO A JOT TOUR. JOHN LATER RELEASED THE DIVG BOARD (2013), HIS 30TH STUD ALBUM, PRODUCED BY T BONE BURT. IN FEBARY 2016 JOHN RELEASED HIS 33RD STUD ALBUM, WONRFUL CRAZY NIGHT, TO GENERALLY POSIVE REVIEWS. THE ALBUM FEATURED THE ELTON JOHN BAND, WH WHOM HE LAST LLABORATED A PRR. 'BILLY ELLTT THE MIL' AND 'ROCKETMAN' ALSO MAND AS A SONGWRER, JOHN WAS STMENTAL BRGG BILLY ELLTT THE MIL TO THE STAGE. THE SHOW, ADAPTED OM THE 2000 FILM, OPENED ON BROADWAY 2008, WHERE QUICKLY BEME A CRIL AND MERCIAL SUCCS. JOHN ALSO WORKED ON THE 2011 ANIMATED FILM GNOMEO & JULIET, SERVG AS A PRODUCER AND A POSER. EVEN WH A TONED-DOWN STAGE PERSONA, JOHN REMAED A VERY POPULAR LIVE ACT. IN 2012, HE PERFORMED WH OZZY OSBOURNE, ERIC CLAPTON, STEVIE WONR, AND PL MCCARTNEY, AMONG OTHERS, CELEBRATN OF QUEEN ELIZABETH'S 60 YEARS ON THE THRONE.AROUND THIS TIME, WAS REVEALED THAT JOHN AND HIS HBAND WERE WORKG ON A BPIC ABOUT THE LEGENDARY MICIAN TLED ROCKETMAN. STARRG TARON EGERTON, THE FILM FALLY REACHED THE FISH LE WH S PREMIERE AT THE MAY 2019 CANN FILM FTIVAL, DRAWG ATTENTN FOR S WHIMSIL MIL SCEN AS WELL AS S UNFLCHG PORTRAYAL OF JOHN'S SEXUALY. THE ARTIST FOLLOWED WH THE PUBLITN OF HIS TOBGRAPHY, ME, LATER THAT YEAR.IN JANUARY 2020, JOHN AND TP CLAIMED THE BT ORIGAL SONG GOLN GLOBE FOR ROCKETMAN'S "(I'M GONNA) LOVE ME AGA." AMAZGLY, WAS THEIR FIRST SHARED AWARD AFTER MORE THAN A HALF-CENTURY OF CREATG SOME OF POPULAR MIC'S BIGGT HS TOGETHER. THE DUO THEN PICKED UP THEIR SEND JOT HONOR, ALSO FOR BT ORIGAL SONG, AT THE AMY AWARDS THE FOLLOWG MONTH.FAREWELL TOURON JANUARY 24, 2018, JOHN ANNOUNCED THAT HE WOULD RETIRE OM THE ROAD AFTER HIS PLANNED FAREWELL YELLOW BRICK ROAD TOUR, SET TO KICK OFF THAT SEPTEMBER. "MY PRRI HAVE CHANGED," HE SAID, CG HIS SIRE TO SPEND MORE TIME WH HIS HBAND, DAVID, AND THEIR KIDS. "IN 2015, DAVID AND I SAT DOWN WH A SCHOOL SCHLE ... I DON’T WANT TO MISS TOO MUCH OF THIS."THAT YEAR ALSO BROUGHT AN END TO HIS LAS VEGAS RINCY, "THE MILLN DOLLAR PIANO," WHICH WRAPPED WH A MAY 17 PERFORMANCE AT CAAR'S PALACE.SUBSTANCE ABE ISSU & ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATNIN 1990, AFTER YEARS OF BATTLG SUBSTANCE ABE ISSU, PARTICULARLY E, WHICH MAY HAVE TRIGGERED SEVERE EPILEPTIC SEIZUR, JOHN WENT TO REHABILATN. THE NEWLY SOBER MIL STAR, LIGHTED AT HIS SEND CHANCE AT LIFE, SOON FOUND HIS OWN CHARABLE ANIZATN TO HELP THE FIGHT AGAST AIDS. ESTABLISHED THE UNED STAT 1992, THE ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATN HAS BROUGHT MORE THAN $400 LN TO SUPPORT HIV/AIDS PROGRAMS AROUND THE WORLD.IN ADDN TO HIS OWN FOUNDATN, JOHN SUPPORTS A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CHARI AND ARTS ANIZATNS, CLUDG THE GLOBE THEATRE AND THE ROYAL AMY OF MIC.IN MARCH 2020, JOHN HOSTED THE IHEART LIVG ROOM CONCERT FOR AMERI TO RAISE FUNDS FOR RONAVIS RELIEF EFFORTS. ALICIA KEYS, DAVE GROHL AND SAM SMH WERE AMONG THE ARTISTS WHO PERFORMED OM THEIR HOM FOR THE BENEF.ELTON JOHN WH HIS HBAND, DAVID FURNISH, AND SONS ZACHARY FURNISH-JOHN AND ELIJAH FURNISH-JOHNWIREIMAGE HBAND AND SONSJOHN MET HIS LONGTIME PARTNER DAVID FURNISH AT A DNER PARTY 1993. THE PAIR GOT MARRIED A CIVIL CEREMONY ON DECEMBER 21, 2005 — THE SAME DAY THE CIVIL PARTNERSHIP ACT 2004 WENT TO EFFECT. WH THE HELP OF A SURROGATE, THE UPLE WELED THEIR FIRST SON, ZACHARY FURNISH-JOHN, DECEMBER 2010, AND WELED THEIR SEND CHILD, ELIJAH JOSEPH DANIEL FURNISH-JOHN, JANUARY 2013. NE YEARS AFTER THEIR CIVIL CEREMONY, ON DECEMBER 21, 2014, THE UPLE WED AFTER LAWS ALLOWG GAY MARRIAGE TOOK EFFECT THE SAME YEAR BRA. JOHN WAS PREVLY MARRIED TO RENATE BLEL OM 1984 TO {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK FACTS

“It’s wonrful to be gay. I love beg gay. “And I thk I wouldn’t have had the life I’ve had if I hadn’t been gay.

“Don’t let anybody torture you for beg gay or for your sexualy. “There are so many wonrful diverse people the world — straight people, gay people [and] transgenr people. People who should know better plac of rponsibily [and] attack gay people, transgenr people … they claim to be close to God, [but] they uldn’t be further away om God if they tried.

GAY RIGHTS ARE GOG BACKWARDS THE US, SAYS ELTON JOHN

Growg up a time where queer ( his time was “homosexual, ” then “gay, ” then “LGBT” and now we’ve land at “queer”) was nsired a mental disorr by the DSM-II (the Amerin classifitn of mental disorrs), John had ltle to no affirmatns.

ROCKETMAN'S GAY SEX SCENE IS A BIG STEP THE RIGHT DIRECTN

John officially me out as bisexual a Rollg Stone terview 1976 and publicly said he was “fortable beg gay” by 1988. And even allegedly progrsive New York Cy, the reportedly only black-owned gay bar Harlem had s rabow flags set on fire this week.

As I wrote June 2016 for, when Tmp was mpaigng – and wng – on as much hate as possible, I was keenly aware as a black gay man there is a possibily of the threat of vlence. "There’s a law now that, if you vis a doctor Florida, they n refe to treat you if you’re gay, which I fd jt unbelievable. “It’s a growg swell of anger and homophobia that’s around Ameri.

‘PHILALPHIA FREEDOM’ ISN’T JT A GAY ANTHEM. IT’S A PRI ANTHEM.

”The mician also weighed on a recent sndal volvg Brish news anchor Phillip Schofield, llg the public rponse to "totally homophobic. Gay Awakeng.

“Twelve months after John Baldry [a queer mician who worked wh Elton the ’60s group Bluology] had dnkenly announced that I was gay to everyone wh earshot at the Bag O’ Nails, I cid he was right…. Y, apparently Elton and John Waters’ me/drag mic pneer Dive were pals back the day, and they tried to get to the now-funct New York Cy gay bar Cris Dis together.

ELTON JOHN SLAMS VATIN FOR BLSG S ‘ROCKETMAN’ VTMENT BUT NOT GAY MARRIAGE

Y, a gay bar (wh a NSFW name) said ‘sashay away’ to two inic LGBTQ figur at the same time. Elton, who would later specify that he intifi as gay, also explas labelg himself bisexual at the time.

Fightg Tabloid Homophobia. Tabloid Sun – which has a troublg history of homophobia, havg n a 1989 headle that rrectly promised “Straight Sex Cannot Give You AIDS—Official” – went after Elton 1987, allegg he was part of an y wh male prostut at the home of Rod Stewart’s former manager. Dpe that trma, Elton nclus that episo wh characteristic w: “Gay man sucks penis: It’s not exactly a Pulzer-wng sop.

ROCKETMAN: ELTON JOHN’S REAL-LIFE ROLLER-COASTER RELATNSHIP WH JOHN REIDTARON EGERTON AND RICHARD MADN PORTRAY JOHN AND REID’S STEAMY ’70S ROMANCE—THE FIRST RELATNSHIP ELTON JOHN HAD WH A MAN.BY JULIE MILLERMAY 31, 2019ELTON JOHN KISSG HIS MANAGER JOHN REID ON CHEEK, 1979.BY RICHARD YOUNG/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEELTON JOHN WOULD NOT SACRIFICE SEX FOR A PG-13 RATG—NOT LIFE, AND NOT ROCKETMAN, THE MIL BPIC STARRG TARON EGERTON. “EVERYONE KNOWS I HAD QUE A LOT OF [SEX AND DGS] DURG THE ’70S AND ’80S,” JOHN EXPLAED THE GUARDIAN THIS MONTH. “SO THERE DIDN’T SEEM TO BE MUCH POT MAKG A MOVIE THAT IMPLIED THAT AFTER EVERY GIG, I’D QUIETLY GONE BACK TO MY HOTEL ROOM WH ONLY A GLASS OF WARM K AND THE GION’S BIBLE FOR PANY.”FOLLOWG LAST YEAR’S BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY—WHICH DOWNPLAYED FREDDIE MERCURY’S NOTORLY PROLIFIC SEX LIFE—ROCKETMAN’S UNAPOLOGETIC LOVE SCENE BETWEEN ELTON JOHN AND HIS FIRST BOYIEND, JOHN REID (RICHARD MADN), LIGHTED CANN FILM FTIVAL DIENCE MEMBERS. AND EVEN THOUGH JOHN AND REID END UP HAVG A NASTY, PUBLIC FALLG-OUT—MORE ON THAT LATER—JOHN HIMSELF WAS THRILLED TO SEE HIS FIRST MAJOR SEXUAL ENUNTER, AT THE AGE OF 23, RE-CREATED ONSCREEN.“I WAS A VIRG UNTIL THEN,” JOHN HAS EXPLAED OF THE 1970 ENUNTER WH REID, WHO WOULD BEE HIS MANAGER. “I WAS SPERATE TO BE LOVED AND SPERATE TO HAVE A TACTILE THEY TEAR THEIR CLOTH OFF THE MOVIE, THAT WAS HOW HAPPENED. IT WAS SAN FRANCIS.... I’M SO GLAD ’S THERE, BEE I AM A GAY MAN AND I DIDN’T WANT TO AIRBSH UNR THE RPET. THIS IS WHO I AM, AND I WAS SO JOYO. WHEN HE IS LYG MY ARMS AND I’M STG BACK WH A SE, I’M THKG, ‘AH, I’M NORMAL, I’VE HAD SEX’.... THAT NIGHT WAS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT PART.”TOM DOYLE, WHO WROTE THE BOOK CAPTA FANTASTIC, ABOUT JOHN’S REER THROUGH THE ’70S, FURTHER EXPLAED: “IT TOOK REID TO NFIRM ELTON’S SEXUAL PROCLIVI. RETURNG OM A HIGHLY SIGNIFINT NIGHT WH THE ST SAN FRANCIS, HE ADMTED TO [MIC PRODUCER] STEVE BROWN, ‘I’M FELY GAY’.... IT WAS WHOLLY LIBERATG FOR ELTON, AT THE RELATIVELY LATE AGE OF TWENTY-THREE, TO FALLY ACCEPT THE TE NATURE OF HIS SEXUALY. BRAVELY, HE DIDN’T ATTEMPT TO KEEP HIDN OM THOSE CLOST TO HIM.”IN REAL LIFE, THE CHEMISTRY HAD NOT BEEN AS IMMEDIATE FOR JOHN AND REID—A STTISH MIC WUNRKD WHO HAD FIRST N TO JOHN, ACRDG TO DOYLE, AT EMI’S LONDON OFFICE, WHERE JOHN WAS “CHEEKILY SCROUNG[G] EE VYL PI OF THE LATT RELEAS.” REID LATER TOLD THE STTISH DAILY MAIL ABOUT HIS FIRST IMPRSN OF JOHN: “I REMEMBER THIS HIP, SHY YOUNG MAN,” HE RELLED. “THERE WAS A GAWKY SWEETNS ABOUT HIM.”AFTER THE SAN FRANCIS TRIP, JOHN AND REID MOVED TO A FLAT LONDON TOGETHER. “HE WAS MY FIRST GREAT LOVE, AND I WAS HIS,” REID SAID. JOHN’S PRODUCER G DUDGEON EXPLAED TO VH1’S BEHD THE MIC THAT THE TWO WERE “ MANY WAYS THE PERFECT [WERE] VERY UP FOR SPENDG MONEY, PARTYG, HAVG A REALLY GOOD TIME.”REID HAD SIGNED ON TO BE JOHN’S MANAGER, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS ADMTEDLY EXPERIENCED THAT AREA OF THE DTRY. ACRDG TO CAPTA FANTASTIC, JOHN’S BOSS AT DJM SAW THE PERK OF THE ARRANGEMENT: “WHO ELSE N WE RELY ON TO GET ELTON OUT OF BED THE MORNG THAN THE GUY HE’S BED WH?” REID WAS NFINT AND HAD KILLER STCTS, HOWEVER: THE FOLLOWG YEAR, HE LNCHED HIS OWN MANAGEMENT PANY, AND WENT ON TO NEGOTIATE UNPRECENTED ALS FOR JOHN. (LATER, THE MANAGER WOULD REPORTEDLY LAMENT HOW EXCSIVE THEY WERE—WONRG WHETHER HE HELPED MAKE THE MIC DTRY “MORE VULGAR.”)BUT BOY, DID JOHN AND REID KNOW HOW TO SPEND MONEY. ACRDG TO A 1974 ROLLG STONE VER STORY, JOHN BOUGHT REID AN APPALOOSA RACEHORSE AND A POWERBOAT FOR HIS 25TH BIRTHDAY. FOR JOHN’S BIRTHDAY, REID SAID HE RECIPROTED BY WALKG TO A PARIS JEWELER AND PICKG OUT THE LARGT EMERALD RG HE ULD FD—ALLEGEDLY WORTH A LN ANCS.GIVEN THAT JOHN AND REID WERE SEPARABLE AND LIVG TOGETHER, THERE WAS PUBLIC SPECULATN ABOUT THE NATURE OF THEIR RELATNSHIP. BUT WHEN JOHN WAS ASKED POT-BLANK BY ROLLG STONE 1974, HE CLAIMED REID WAS “JT MY MANAGER.... I HAVE A CLOSE CIRCLE OF IENDS WHO JT AREN’T THE PUBLIC—SORT OF LIKE ELVIS AND HIS...MOTORBIKE PEOPLE. THEY WERE THE PEOPLE WHO FIRST GAVE BERNIE [TP] AND ME ENURAGEMENT. IT’S VERY MUCH A FAY. THAT’S WHY ’S SO CTUO SOMETIM.”REID WAS FIERCELY LOYAL TO JOHN, BUT ALSO A B OF A HOTHEAD—WH ROLLG STONE VOTG A PARAGRAPH TO REID’S HISTORY OF VLENT ANTICS: “HE TOSSED A GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE AT A MAN FOR NOT HAVG ENOUGH LIQUOR AT A RECEPTN FOR ELTON; SLAPPED A WOMAN JOURNALIST WHO SLD HIM AND REPORTEDLY LLED HIM A ‘POOF’ (MEANG A GAY); AND HE BEAT AND KICKED ANOTHER JOURNALIST WHOM HE SAID HE HEARD HAD THREATENED ELTON.” HE WAS ALSO SENTENCED TO A MONTH PRISON 1974 FOR ASSLTG A JOURNALIST NEW ZEALAND.MOST POPULARWH MATRO, LEONARD BERNSTE’S LEGACY AND LOV FALLY H THE BIG SCREENBY REBEC FORD25 PERFECT TV EPISOS FROM THE LAST 25 YEARSBY HILLARY BISTHE BOOK OF CLARENCE IS A BOMBASTIC JOURNEY BACK TO THE BIBLIL ERABY REBEC FORDJOHN AND REID’S ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP FIZZLED OUT 1975—WH BOTH MEN CLAIMG THE RELATNSHIP END FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. ACRDG TO REID, JOHN “NEVER HAD A SEXUAL ADOLCENCE. HE NEED TO GO OFF AND PLAY THE FIELD.” BUT ACRDG TO CAPTA FANTASTIC, JOHN SAID THAT REID HAD BEEN “MORE UNFAHFUL THAN I LIKED.”THEIR WORKG RELATNSHIP NTUED UNTIL 1998—THE SAME YEAR THAT JOHN’S DORS DISVERED A £20 LN GAP HIS ACUNTS, AND SHORTLY BEFORE JOHN SUED BOTH PRICEWATERHOECOOPERS AND ANDREW HAYDON, THE FORMER MANAGG DIRECTOR OF JOHN REID ENTERPRIS. SPEAKG ABOUT HIS EX, JOHN SAID, “I TSTED HIM...I NEVER THOUGHT HE WOULD BETRAY ME, BUT HE HAS BETRAYED ME.” WHILE REID SETTLED WH JOHN OUT OF URT, A HIGH-URT HEARG EXAMED JOHN’S EXCSIVE SPENDG OVER THE YEARS—WH A JUDGE ULTIMATELY SIDG WH PRICEWATERHOECOOPERS AND HAYDON.“SIR ELTON’S DIFFERENCE TO THE TAILS OF FANCIAL AND BS MATTERS WAS FOR A LONG TIME POUND BY THE FACT THAT HE HAD SER PROBLEMS WH ALHOL AND DG ABE,” THE JUDGE TERMED, ACRDG TO THE GUARDIAN. DURG THE LEAD-UP TO THE JUDGMENT, THE URT HEARD HOW JOHN SPENT NEARLY £40 LN DURG A 20-MONTH PERD, AND £293,000 ON FLOWERS ALONE. REID ALLEGED, MEANWHILE, THAT LIVG WH JOHN WAS LIKE “TRYG TO HOLD BACK A VAST LEAPS STYLE WERE EXHSTG. HE WOULD GO OUT ONE DAY WH BROWN HAIR AND RETURN THE NEXT WH PK. ONE DAY HE DROVE OFF HIS ESRT, AND I SAID WASN’T VERY ROCK AND ROLL. HE RETURNED THAT AFTERNOON WH A PURPLE ASTON MART.” (IN ROCKETMAN, SHOPPG IS THE ONE ADDICTN JOHN PS TO HAVG NOT OVERE.)RICHARD MADN HAS SAID THAT, WHILE PREPARG TO PLAY REID, HE REACHED OUT TO VAR IENDS OF THE NOW-RETIRED MANAGER—CLUDG DONATELLA VERSACE. (MADN TOLD ELLE THAT THE SIGNER TOLD HIM, “THE THG ABOUT JOHN REID WAS THAT HE WAS NEVER WRONG.”) BUT REID, WHO IS REPORTEDLY LIVG ATRALIA UNR THE RADAR THE DAYS, REMAS SOMETHG OF AN ENIGMA TO MADN.SPEAKG TO THE SYDNEY MORNG HERALD, MADN EXPLAED: “EVERYONE HAS A VERY DIFFERENT TAKE AND A VERY DIFFERENT STORY ABOUT HIM.... YOU’VE GOT SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED OF HIM, BEE HE’S THIS MAN WHO LOV TO FIRE PEOPLE AND THERE’S THIS FORCE, AND THEN OTHER PEOPLE SAYG HE IS THE MOST FUN PERSON YOU ULD POSSIBLY GET, AND IF YOU GET A NIGHT OUT WH JOHN REID, YOU’RE GOG TO HAVE THE BT TIME.” THE NTRADICTORY REPORTS, MADN EXPLAED, “GAVE ME LIBERTY TO PLAY LOTS OF DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF HIM. THIS MAN THAT PEOPLE LOVE BEG AROUND, BUT ALSO THIS MAN THAT PEOPLE ARE ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED OF; I GOT TO PLAY WH THE SPECTM OF THAT BEE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT ANECDOT I GOT.”IN AN INTERVIEW NVERSATN WH JOHN, MADN SAID, “THERE’S LOTS ABOUT JOHN REID THAT’S NOT VERY LIKABLE. IT WAS REALLY FUN TO PLAY WH THAT AND BE A CUNT SOMETIM.” JOHN ADD, OF THE TASK OF PORTRAYG HIS EX: “YOU HAVE TO BE BOTH TENR AND A BASTARD.”MOST POPULARWH MATRO, LEONARD BERNSTE’S LEGACY AND LOV FALLY H THE BIG SCREENBY REBEC FORD25 PERFECT TV EPISOS FROM THE LAST 25 YEARSBY HILLARY BISTHE BOOK OF CLARENCE IS A BOMBASTIC JOURNEY BACK TO THE BIBLIL ERABY REBEC FORDIN SPE OF THE RELATNSHIP’S UPS AND DOWNS, REID HAS SEEMED REMORSEFUL ABOUT S CLIMACTIC FAL ACT. “IT’S VERY SAD THAT THE LONG RELATNSHIP I HAD WH ELTON HAS END THIS WAY,” REID TOLD THE GUARDIAN 2001, SHORTLY AFTER THE URT LG. “I FEEL THAT THE QUTN MARK THAT HAS BEEN HANGG OVER MY TEGRY FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS HAS BEEN REMOVED, AND THAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THG TO ME THIS SE. IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE E TO TRIAL. IT WAS ILL ADVISED.” IN THE YEARS SCE, REID APPEARED BRIEFLY AS A JUDGE ON THE X FACTOR ATRALIA, AND TOLD IENDS OF A PLAN TO WRE A MEMOIR. SEVERAL YEARS BACK, ACRDG TO THE STTISH DAILY MAIL, REID EVEN MA MENTS SUGGTG HE MIGHT BE OPEN TO A RENCILIATN WH JOHN. “I’M FOND OF ELTON, AND PROUD OF THE WORK I DID WH HIM,” HE SAID. “ONE DAY I’LL BUMP TO HIM AND THERE MAY BE HUGS AND KISS. OR MAYBE NOT.”JULIE MILLER

While future hband David Furnish wasn’t terted at first (“he’d heard a lot of gossip on the London gay scene about the advisabily of havg anythg whatsoever to do wh Elton John, ” he wr), they started datg 1993 and entered to a civil partnership 2005, the first day beme legal the U. Elton has taken some flack over the years for performg wh Axl Rose (Guns N’ Ros’ “One In a Milln” has homophobic lyrics) and Emem, who’s dropped the homophobic f-word more than a few tim. I didn’t thk eher of them were actually homophob and more than I thought Stg was actually gog out wh a prostute lled Roxanne, or Johnny Cash actually shot a man Reno jt to watch him die.

In the first of a two-part terview wh TODAY's Matt Ler, Elton John discsed why he waed to reveal to the public that he was gay.