The Elton John Band is the band that backs singer, composer and pianist Elton John on both studio and live recordings. The band has gone through several lineup changes, but Nigel Olsson , Davey Johnstone , and Ray Cooper have been members (albeit not continuously) since 1970, 1971 and 1973, respectively. The various lineups of the band have consisted of both British, American, and European musicians. The band is often not recognised as a formal entity, and is instead referred to simply as the Elton John Band.
41-401: The band was originally formed by John in 1970 as a trio, consisting of himself, drummer Olsson, and bassist Dee Murray . They first appeared together on disc with John on the album Tumbleweed Connection , which was released that same year. Over the next few years, guitarist Davey Johnstone and percussionist Cooper also joined the band, forming the band's classic lineup. The critical success of
82-458: A 2011 interview, Olsson, who in 2004 rejoined John as a full-time band member to record Peachtree Road , reflected upon the absence of his longtime bandmate: "I think about him every single day. Brilliant bass player. Wonderful guy. Dear, dear, dear friend. A musical genius across the board." Davey Johnstone believes Murray's musical skills were not fully appreciated, and in March 2011, said he
123-541: A Billboard Music Award in the category Top Rock Tour. The leg in Oceania became the highest-grossing tour of 2020, ending right before the tour was put on hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic . In January 2022, the tour had resumed and the dates for 2020 and 2021 were rescheduled to 2022 and 2023. It was also announced by Olsson that the members of the band would wear masks and have tests every two days during
164-540: A North America tour promoting their last 1970s album, Something Magic , although he never recorded with the group. Between 1978 and 1979, Murray worked as part of Alice Cooper 's backing band. According to music site AllMusic.com , he played on Cooper's hit album From the Inside , and joined Olsson backing The Grateful Dead 's Bob Weir on his solo album Heaven Help the Fool in 1978. Other artists he worked with during
205-773: A better place, no matter if it's through tennis, through music, whatever, to try to help the LGBT community, just help humanity." On 18 October 2023, King competed in the tenth season of The Masked Singer as Royal Hen, singing "Philadelphia Freedom" in an episode that was a tribute to Elton John. Cash Box said that it has "a thumping heartbeat", "big production", "soaring strings and bleating horns". Record World said that "Gene Page charts provide local color for EJ's latest not-available-on-lp smash." The single reached No 2 in New Zealand, No 4 in Australia and No 12 in
246-578: A different sound. This lineup first appeared on disc on the 1975 album Rock of the Westies , but all left the band by either the late 1970s or early 1980s. Olsson rejoined the band in 1980 alongside Murray, who continued to perform with the band until his death in 1992. New musicians that joined the band around this time include Richie Zito , Tim Renwick , Fred Mandel , Charlie Morgan , David Paton , Helena Springs , Jody Linscott , Jonathan Moffett , and Guy Babylon . Of these musicians, Babylon remained
287-530: A member of the band for the longest amount of the time, being in the group from 1988 until his death in 2009, whereas the other members left at some point before the end of the 1980s. Murray died in 1992, having suffered a stroke after battling skin cancer for a number of years. According to Murray's obituary, that March, John and his band performed two tribute concerts at the Grand Ole Opry to raise money to support Murray's family. New musicians that joined
328-414: A member of the band for the longest amount of the time, being in the group from 1988 until his death in 2009, whereas the other members left at some point before the end of the 1980s. John Mahon joined the band in 1997, and Kim Bullard and Matt Bissonette joined in 2009 and 2012, replacing Babylon and Bob Birch, respectively, which alongside John, Olsson, Johnstone, and Cooper, formed the current lineup of
369-590: A percussionist in 1973, though he did not become a full-time member of the band until 2016. The arrival of he and Johnstone in the group formed the classic line-up of the band, which played on the albums Honky Château , Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player , Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy , and went on several world tours. In February 1975,
410-574: A single, as John told journalist Paul Gambaccini . John was looking to honour Billie Jean King , and so asked Taupin to write a song called "Philadelphia Freedom" as a homage to her tennis team, the Philadelphia Freedoms . In His Song: The Musical History of Elton John , Elizabeth Rosenthal recounts that Taupin said, "I can't write a song about tennis", and did not. Taupin maintains that the lyrics bear no relation to tennis, Philadelphia soul , or even flag-waving patriotism. Nonetheless,
451-656: A tennis match because it was a man's game. The match was held on 20 September 1973 at the Astrodome in Houston , and was telecast worldwide. Though usually cheering from the sidelines at every match, John lost his voice cheering King on from a Los Angeles hotel. The year before the "Battle of the Sexes" match, Congress adopted the Equal Rights Amendment and 1973 saw the decision of Roe v. Wade give women
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#1732788036588492-686: A tribute to the city's love for freedom and its impact on the country. The lyrics are also printed on the walls of the Hard Rock Cafe in Philadelphia. The B-side, " I Saw Her Standing There ", is a live recording of the Elton John Band with John Lennon at Madison Square Garden on 28 November 1974. It was the last of three songs John and Lennon performed together that night; the performance would be Lennon's last concert appearance. Three songs from that collaboration were featured on
533-575: Is now known as a "champion for social change and equal rights". Despite her success in the match and its historical importance, King told eltonjohn.com that they (she and Elton) did not want the song to be about tennis. "It's a feeling", she said. King and John also co-founded the World Team Tennis Smash Hits, a charity function benefitting AIDS charities. King spoke of her work with Elton, saying "We're out there every single day with our energy and we're going to make this world
574-535: The Great Lawn on 13 September 1980, and appeared on The Fox in 1981. Murray went on to contribute all the bass tracks on Jump Up! in 1982 and joined Olsson and guitarist Davey Johnstone for the Jump Up! Tour , followed by albums and tours for Too Low for Zero (1983) and Breaking Hearts (1984). The group then disbanded, reuniting once more to record backing vocals on Reg Strikes Back in 1988. In
615-564: The USSR as a duo, which proved successful. They also performed concerts together a total of 234 times in ten of the years between 1977 and 2012. Murray and Olsson rejoined the band in 1980, starting with 21 at 33 . He and Olsson backed John during his landmark concert in New York City's Central Park before more than 400,000 fans on the Great Lawn on 13 September 1980, and appeared on The Fox in 1981. Murray went on to contribute all
656-705: The number three song for 1975 . The song was dedicated in part to "the Philadelphia sound ", which included the soul music of the Delfonics and the Spinners and the talents of writer-producers Kenny Gamble , Leon Huff , and Thom Bell ; John would work with Bell two years later on an EP that came to be known as The Thom Bell Sessions . "Philadelphia Freedom" plays in Philadelphia 's Franklin Institute IMAX Theater before every show as
697-589: The 1970 studio album Tumbleweed Connection . The following year, they were featured on the live album 17-11-70 . While they were John's constant touring bandmates, his record company initially only allowed them to play on just one track per studio album. This changed with Honky Château in 1972 when John exerted some of his skyrocketing popularity at the time to convince DJM Records to allow Murray and Olsson to also become full-time recording members of his band. Along with new recruit Davey Johnstone on guitar, Murray and Olsson played on John's hit albums, including
738-422: The 1970s and early 1980s include Yvonne Elliman , England Dan & John Ford Coley , Shaun Cassidy , Allan Clarke, Bernie Taupin , Kiki Dee , Stefanie Gaines, Barbi Benton , and Jimmy Webb . Murray and Olsson returned to tour and play sessions with John, starting with 21 at 33 in 1980. He and Olsson backed John during his landmark concert in New York City's Central Park before more than 400,000 fans on
779-459: The 1971 album Madman Across the Water , after which he was invited to join the Elton John Band as a full member Also in 1971. Johnstone's debut album with John as a full-time member of his band was Honky Château , on which he played electric and acoustic guitars, slide guitar, banjo, and mandolin, and also sang backing vocals alongside Murray and Olsson. Ray Cooper began playing with the band as
820-667: The 1975 12" EP Elton John Band featuring John Lennon and the Muscle Shoals Horns ( DJM ). These recordings can also be found on the Lennon box set and the remastered edition of John's Here and There album. Elton John met Billie Jean King in 1973 and, according to reporters for CNN, they have since built a "powerful partnership in philanthropy, raising hundreds of millions of dollars...for equal rights and for HIV/AIDS causes". Upon admiring and meeting King, John asked his long-term writing partner Bernie Taupin to write
861-513: The 1980s, Murray played on numerous Nashville sessions for artists such as Michael Brown, Lewis Storey , Beth Nielsen Chapman , and John Prine , amongst others. Battling skin cancer for a number of years, Murray died in 1992 at the age of 45, in Nashville, Tennessee , after suffering a stroke . According to Murray's obituary, that March, John performed two tribute concerts at the Grand Ole Opry to raise money to support Murray's family. In
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#1732788036588902-405: The band because John wanted to achieve a different sound. He added several new musicians to the band's lineup, including Kenny Passarelli , Caleb Quaye , James Newton Howard , and Cindy Bullens , who first appeared together on disc with John on the album Rock of the Westies , but all left the band by either the late 1970s or early 1980s respectively. In 1979, John and Cooper toured Israel and
943-535: The band in the 1990s included Bob Birch (who remained in the band until his death in 2012) and John Jorgenson (who left the band in 2000). John and his band toured with fellow pianist and musician Billy Joel in 1994 , 1995 , 1998 , 2001 , 2002 , 2003 , 2009 , and 2010 for the Face To Face tours. John Mahon joined the band in 1997, and Kim Bullard and Matt Bissonette joined the band in 2009 and 2012 respectively. John, Olsson, Johnstone and Cooper are
984-556: The band was at its peak in the 1970s, when they released a streak of chart-topping albums in the US and UK, which began with Honky Château (1972) and culminated with Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975). After the release of Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy , John fired Murray and Olsson from the band and added several new musicians to the band's lineup, including Kenny Passarelli , Caleb Quaye , James Newton Howard , and Cindy Bullens , as John wanted to achieve
1025-548: The band. Their most recent album is Wonderful Crazy Night , released in 2016. Since the group's formation, John performed with his band over 4,000 times, beginning with the Elton John 1970 World Tour and concluding with the Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which began in 2018 and concluded in 2023. John and Cooper also toured outside of the band as a duo between 1977 and 2012. The Elton John Band
1066-564: The bass guitar during his high school years: "Someone put this heavy thing over my shoulder and said, 'Here, you play this!'" Murray quickly established a solid reputation on the instrument. In the Classic Albums documentary on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road , producer Gus Dudgeon lauded Murray's musical ability and said he "hadn't heard a bassist quite as good as him". Murray and Olsson joined John as his road sidemen in 1970, and first appeared together on disc with John on "Amoreena" from
1107-476: The bass tracks on Jump Up! in 1982, and joined Olsson and Johnstone for the Jump Up! Tour , followed by albums and tours for Too Low for Zero (1983) and Breaking Hearts (1984), and Reg Strikes Back (1988). New musicians that joined the band around this time include Richie Zito , Tim Renwick , Fred Mandel , Charlie Morgan , David Paton , Helena Springs , Jody Linscott , Jonathan Moffett , and Guy Babylon . Of these new musicians, Babylon remained
1148-514: The final leg of the UK tour would be headlining Glastonbury festival in 2023, saying "There is no more fitting way to say goodbye to my British fans". The tour concluded following a performance at Stockholm on 8 July 2023, and became the highest-grossing concert tour of all time up to that point. John has said that he will now only perform in small venues. Dee Murray David Murray Oates (3 April 1946 – 15 January 1992), known as Dee Murray ,
1189-402: The gender perception of professional tennis with her victory against Bobby Riggs in a highly-publicized ' Battle of the Sexes ' exhibition match." The lyrics of "Philadelphia Freedom" are not explicitly about the match or King, but stem from a love of King and her cause. Prior to their match, Riggs claimed that even as a 55-year-old man, he could still beat a woman (King was 29 at the time) in
1230-543: The lyrics have been interpreted as patriotic and uplifting, and even though it was released in 1975, the song's sentiment, intentionally or not, meshed perfectly with an American music audience gearing up for the country's bicentennial celebration in July 1976. In the US, the song was certified Gold in 1975 and Platinum in 1995 by the Recording Industry Association of America . Billboard ranked it as
1271-497: The lyrics to what became "Philadelphia Freedom" and dedicate it to his friend, King, who was a member of the Philadelphia Freedoms tennis team. The label on the vinyl for this record reads "with Love to B.J.K. and the sound of Philadelphia." At the time, King had just been ranked the "World Number 1 women's player" for the fifth time in the previous seven years. Additionally, one reporter argued that she had "alter[ed]
Elton John Band - Misplaced Pages Continue
1312-538: The milestone album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road , singles, and world tours for several years. In 1975, after recording Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy , Murray and Olsson were released from the band because John wanted to achieve a different sound. Murray and Olsson continued working together as session musicians in Los Angeles . In 1976 they played on Rick Springfield 's fourth album Wait for Night . In 1977, Murray briefly joined Procol Harum on
1353-480: The non-album single " Philadelphia Freedom " was credited to The Elton John Band, along with the single's B-side " I Saw Her Standing There " (recorded live with John Lennon at Madison Square Garden ) and the band's 1974 cover of " Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds " (which also featured Lennon on backing vocals and guitar). After the release of Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy , Murray and Olsson were released from
1394-597: The only members left from the band's classic lineup in the early 1970s. In 2016, this lineup of the band joined John for the Wonderful Crazy Night tour , and two years later for the Farewell Yellow Brick Road concert tour, which was John and his band's final tour consisting of more than 300 concerts worldwide. By the end of the first leg of the tour on 18 March 2019, the Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour grossed over $ 125 million and won
1435-524: The right to choose to have an abortion. King made other steps in feminism in 1973 when she founded the Women's Tennis Association and "convinced the U.S. Open to award female champions the same prize money as men". This set the scene for King's match and victory against Riggs. The win ignited even more advocacy efforts for sexual equality, shattered the stereotype Riggs had presented and, as feminist Gloria Steinem put it, "provided...a morale change". King
1476-486: The tour. Two gigs in Dallas were postponed after John tested positive for COVID-19 and began experiencing mild symptoms from the disease. These Dallas gigs were resumed after John made a full recovery from the virus. John and his band toured across the UK and Europe (including gigs at Liverpool and Watford ) throughout early 2022, and did three consecutive gigs at Dodger Stadium in late 2022. On 2 December 2022 John announced
1517-647: Was an English bass guitarist. He was best known for his long-time collaboration with Elton John as a member of the Elton John Band . Murray was born in Gillingham, Kent , England on 3 April 1946. Before joining Elton John as his touring sidemen, Murray and drummer Nigel Olsson were members of the Spencer Davis Group in 1969. In Murray's musician bio in the programme book for 1982's "Jump Up!" tour , Murray recalled when he first took up
1558-550: Was formed in 1970, and was initially a trio consisting of Elton John on piano and vocals, Dee Murray on bass and backing vocals, and Nigel Olsson on drums and backing vocals. Murray and Olsson first appeared together on disc with John on the song "Amoreena" from the 1970 studio album Tumbleweed Connection . The following year, they were featured on the live album 17-11-70 . Davey Johnstone , who had previously played on John's lyricist Bernie Taupin 's 1971 solo album Taupin , first appeared on disc with John and his band on
1599-471: Was part of the Philadelphia Freedoms professional tennis team. The song features an orchestral arrangement by Gene Page that includes flutes, horns and strings. The song made its album debut on 1977's Elton John's Greatest Hits Volume II . Recorded in the summer of 1974, during breaks between sessions for Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy , the song was at the time the only song Elton John and Bernie Taupin had ever consciously written as
1640-472: Was released as a single on 28 February 1975, credited to the Elton John Band . The song was the fourth of John's six number-one singles in the US during the early and mid-1970s, which saw his recordings dominating the charts. In Canada it was his eighth single to hit the top of the RPM national singles chart. The song was written by John and Taupin as a favour to John's friend, tennis star Billie Jean King , who
1681-538: Was working on a documentary about Murray. With Elton John With Beth Nielsen Chapman With Jimmy Webb With John Prine With Yvonne Elliman With Ronnie Hawkins With Shaun Cassidy With Bernie Taupin With Brian Cadd With England Dan & John Ford Coley Philadelphia Freedom (song) " Philadelphia Freedom " is a song by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin . It