125-575: Wonderful Crazy Night is the thirtieth studio album by English musician Elton John . It was released on 5 February 2016. It is John's first album since 2006's The Captain & the Kid to feature the Elton John Band and was written and recorded in 17 days. John's long-standing percussionist, Ray Cooper , makes his first appearance on any of John's albums since Made in England in 1995. This
250-505: A Justice of the Peace . Civil partners of male peers or knights do not receive a courtesy title to which the spouse of a peer or knight would be entitled. Section 37(1) of the Act provides for the making of dissolution, nullity, separation and presumption of death orders. These provisions broadly mirror those governing marriage. No applications for dissolution may be made within one year of
375-723: A Tony Award . He also won two Golden Globes , a Laurence Olivier Award , and the Kennedy Center Honor . He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, and is a fellow of The Ivors Academy . He was appointed Knight Bachelor for services to music and charity in 1998 and was appointed a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour in 2020. Elton John
500-435: A double-barrelled surname . This change can be made after the civil partnership is registered, and authorities will accept a certificate of civil partnership as evidence of name change, e.g. when applying for a passport or a driving licence. In Scotland, names need not be changed to be considered valid ( deeds poll do not exist under Scots law), though some English-based companies may still ask for proof from an official such as
625-845: A UK and US number one that is certified Diamond by the RIAA for US sales of 17 million copies. In 1974, John collaborated with John Lennon on his cover of the Beatles ' " Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds ", the B-side of which was Lennon's "One Day at a Time". It was number 1 for two weeks in the US. In return, John was featured on " Whatever Gets You Thru the Night " on Lennon's album Walls and Bridges . Later that year, in Lennon's last major live performance,
750-565: A change in sex on birth certificates. Under special provisions of the Civil Partnership Act 2004, in such situations a couple may dissolve their marriage and enter into a civil partnership the same day, and under the provision of the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc) Act 2019 a same-sex marriage can be converted to an opposite-sex civil partnership. Alternatively they can stay married or in
875-411: A civil partnership dissolution: the respondent's behaviour, 2 years' separation and consent, 2 years' desertion or 5 years' separation. If the applicant satisfies the court in this respect, the court must make a dissolution order unless it is not convinced by the evidence that the partnership has indeed broken down irretrievably. The MCA section 5 defence is also available. While adultery cannot be cited as
1000-527: A civil partnership if their spouse signs a statutory declaration that they agree to the gender change changing the opposite sex marriage into a same sex marriage or vice versa. Where a same-sex couple has registered an overseas relationship which is specified in Schedule 20 of the Civil Partnership Act, or meet certain general conditions, they are treated as having formed a civil partnership. The requirements can be found in section 212 and sections 215 to 218 of
1125-407: A civil partnership is voidable, applications for nullity orders are subject to the bars of time, knowledge of defect and approbation. A presumption of death order dissolves the partnership on the grounds that one of the partners is presumed to be dead, while a separation order provides for the separation of the parties. These orders are governed by Sections 55 and 56 of the Act and they largely mirror
1250-715: A heavier backbeat. James Newton Howard joined to arrange in the studio and to play keyboards. In June 1975 John introduced the line-up at the London, England, Wembley Stadium . The rock-oriented Rock of the Westies entered the US albums chart at number 1, as had Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy , a previously unattained feat. John's stage wardrobe now included ostrich feathers, $ 5,000 spectacles that spelled his name in lights, and costumes such as
1375-428: A lower register. A disco -influenced album, Victim of Love , was poorly received. In 1979, John and Taupin reunited, though they did not collaborate on a full album until 1983's Too Low For Zero . 21 at 33 , released in 1980, was a significant career boost, aided by his biggest hit in four years, " Little Jeannie " (number 3 US), with the lyrics by Gary Osborne. In May 1979, John played eight concerts in
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#17327979097581500-555: A music publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music for an estimated $ 39 million over 12 years, including the largest cash advance in music publishing history. In April 1992, John appeared at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium , performing " The Show Must Go On " with the remaining members of Queen , and " Bohemian Rhapsody " with Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses and Queen's remaining members. In September, John performed "The One" at
1625-457: A proper framework." The Anglican Church was also among the institutions that supports keeping civil partnerships as a legal option. In 2018, the Church said "We believe that Civil Partnerships still have a place, including for some Christian LGBTI [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex] couples who see them as a way of gaining legal recognition of their relationship." In December 2023,
1750-601: A quartet that was completed by Caleb Quaye and Nigel Olsson . On the advice of music publisher Steve Brown, John and Taupin began writing more complex songs for John to record for DJM. The first was the single " I've Been Loving You " (1968), produced by Caleb Quaye , Bluesology's former guitarist. In 1969, with Quaye, drummer Roger Pope, and bassist Tony Murray, John recorded another single, " Lady Samantha ", and an album, Empty Sky . For their follow-up album, Elton John , John and Taupin enlisted Gus Dudgeon as producer and Paul Buckmaster as musical arranger. Elton John
1875-411: A reason in itself for dissolving a civil partnership, it could be cited as an example of unreasonable behaviour. As with the breakdown of a marriage, the court will have powers to provide financial relief upon dissolution of a Civil Partnership. The court may make Maintenance and lump sum orders, Orders for Sale, Pension Sharing Orders or Property Adjustment Orders. A nullity order is one which annuls
2000-501: A session musician. In 1969, John released his debut album Empty Sky , and a year later formed the Elton John Band , also releasing his first hit single, " Your Song ". John's critical and commercial success was at its peak in the 1970s, when he released a string of chart-topping albums both in the US and UK, which began with Honky Château (1972) and culminated with Rock of the Westies (1975) . His success continued in
2125-469: A short-lived group called the Corvettes rounded out his time. Although normal-sighted as a teenager, John began wearing horn-rimmed glasses to imitate Buddy Holly . In 1962, John and some friends formed a band called Bluesology . By day, he ran errands for a music publishing company; he divided his nights between solo gigs at a London hotel bar and working with Bluesology. By the mid-1960s, Bluesology
2250-623: A significant, lasting impact on the music industry . His songwriting partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin is one of the most successful in history. John was raised in Pinner and learned to play piano at an early age, winning a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music , where he studied for five years. He formed the blues band Bluesology in 1962, but left in 1967 to embark on a solo career and met Taupin that same year. For two years, they wrote songs for other artists, and John worked as
2375-648: A singer. The album soon became his first hit album, reaching number four on the US Billboard 200 and number five on the UK Albums Chart . Backed by former Spencer Davis Group drummer Nigel Olsson and bassist Dee Murray , John's first American concert took place at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, California on 25 August 1970, and was a success. The concept album Tumbleweed Connection
2500-481: A stepparent under Section 75 of the Act. They may also apply for residence or contact orders. Further, the right to apply for financial provision for children under schedule 1 of the 1989 act was extended to civil partners. Adoption provisions were amended to treat civil partners the same as married couples in Britain, although this does not apply to Northern Ireland at 18 November 2011. The Northern Ireland Adoption law
2625-575: A trumpet player with the Bob Millar Band, a semi-professional big band that played at military dances. The Dwights were keen record buyers, exposing John to the popular singers and musicians of the day. John started playing his grandmother's piano as a young boy, and within a year his mother heard him picking out Waldteufel 's "The Skater's Waltz " by ear. After performing at parties and family gatherings, at age seven he began formal piano lessons. He showed musical aptitude at school, including
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#17327979097582750-412: A void or voidable civil partnership. Section 49 of the Act provides that a civil partnership is void on grounds of ineligibility to register, if the parties: disregarded certain requirements as to the formation of the partnership, where any party is a minor, where any person whose consent is required (e.g. a parent) has forbidden the formation of the partnership and the court has not given its consent. Where
2875-471: A work by French ballet legend Maurice Béjart that draws upon the AIDS crisis and the deaths of Freddie Mercury and the company's principal dancer, Jorge Donn . Later in 1997, two close friends died: designer Gianni Versace was murdered on 15 July, and Diana, Princess of Wales died in a Paris car crash on 31 August. In early September, John asked Taupin to revise the lyrics of their 1973 song "Candle in
3000-422: Is Kim Bullard 's first appearance on keyboards, replacing Guy Babylon , and Matt Bissonette replaced Bob Birch on bass. The album debuted at number eight on the U.S Billboard 200 with sales of 58,000 album-equivalent units sold. Wonderful Crazy Night received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic , which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics,
3125-463: Is also held in the highest regard critically. In the three-year span from 1972 to 1975, John saw seven consecutive albums reach number one in the US, something that had not been accomplished before. All six of his albums to make Rolling Stone ' s 2003 list of " The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time " are from this period, with Goodbye Yellow Brick Road ranked highest at number 91. Between 1972 and 1976 he also had six singles reach number one on
3250-733: Is due to go to the judicial review in December 2011. The Act also amended other areas to equalise the position of civil partners. Such areas included matters relating to housing, tenancies and the Fatal Accidents Act 1976. Applicable parts of the Family Law Act 1996 were also amended. There is no requirement that either party must change their surname upon entering a civil partnership. However, many couples wish to follow marital traditions and seek to change their surname to that of either partner, or combine their names to make
3375-643: Is prohibited for civil partnerships to include any readings, music or symbols that are religious. It was originally prohibited for the ceremonies to take place in religious venues. On 17 February 2011, the UK government announced that, as the result of the passing of the Equality Act 2010 , it would bring forward the necessary measures to remove the latter restriction in England and Wales , although religious venues would not be compelled to offer civil partnerships. This
3500-488: Is the first single certified Diamond in the US where it sold over 11 million copies. The 2009 Guinness World Records states it is "the biggest-selling single since UK and US singles charts began in the 1950s, having accumulated worldwide sales of 33 million copies". The song's proceeds of approximately £55 million were donated to Diana's charities via the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund . It won
3625-549: The 11 September attacks , John appeared at the Concert for New York City , performing "I Want Love" as well as "Your Song" as a duet with Billy Joel . In August 2003, John's fifth UK number one single, " Are You Ready for Love ", topped the charts. Returning to musical theatre, John composed music for a West End theatre production of Billy Elliot the Musical in 2005 with playwright Lee Hall . John had been moved to write
3750-452: The 1992 MTV Video Music Awards and closed the ceremony performing " November Rain " with Guns N' Roses. In 1993, he released Duets , which featured collaborations with 15 artists, including Tammy Wynette and RuPaul . This included a new collaboration with Kiki Dee, " True Love ", which reached the Top 10 of the UK charts. In the same year, The Bunbury Tails , a multi-artist charity album,
3875-474: The Billboard Hot 100. In November 1977, John announced he was retiring from performing; Taupin began collaborating with others. Now producing only one album a year, John issued A Single Man in 1978 with a new lyricist, Gary Osborne ; the album produced no singles that made the top 20 in the US, but the two singles from the album released in the UK, " Part-Time Love " and " Song for Guy ", both made
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4000-619: The Civil Partnership Act 2004 . In Scotland the centuries-old system of minimum legal rights to a deceased estate for a widowed spouse were expressly extended to civil partners by section 131 of Act. In any dispute between civil partners as to title or possession of property, either partner may apply to the Court, which can then make any order in relation to the property, including an order to sell such property. Contributions by either partner to property improvement are recognised if
4125-885: The Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards in 1998. The song " Something About the Way You Look Tonight " was released as a double A-side . On 15 September 1997, John appeared at the Music for Montserrat charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall , London, England, performing three songs solo ("Your Song", "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" and "Live Like Horses") before finishing with " Hey Jude " alongside Paul McCartney , Eric Clapton, Phil Collins , Mark Knopfler and Sting . Two months later he performed on
4250-467: The Hammersmith Odeon on 24 December 1982; and introduced George Michael , still then of Wham! , to sing "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". John also recorded material with Millie Jackson in 1985. Towards the end of the year, John released " Nikita " from the album Ice on Fire , which had a music video directed by Ken Russell . The song reached number three in the UK and number seven in
4375-678: The Hollywood film industry. John was the chairman and director of Watford Football Club from 1976 to 1987, and again from 1997 to 2002, and is an honorary life president of the club. From the late 1970s to the late 1980s, John developed a severe addiction to drugs and alcohol, but has been clean and sober since 1990. In 2005, he entered a civil partnership with his long-term partner, the Canadian filmmaker David Furnish . They married in 2014, when same-sex marriage became legal in England and Wales. John has had more than fifty top-40 hits on
4500-558: The London Underground . Several instructors have attested that he was a "model student", and during the last few years he took lessons from a private tutor in addition to his classes at the Academy. He left the Academy before taking the final exams. John's mother, though strict with her son, was more vivacious than her husband, and something of a free spirit. With Stanley Dwight uninterested in his son and often absent, John
4625-699: The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 legalised same-sex marriage in England and Wales in March 2014, civil partnerships remained available to same-sex couples and granted those couples in a civil partnership the ability to convert their civil partnership into a marriage. The equivalent Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 does not grant that ability to couples in Scotland, but includes provisions for its later introduction, and does permit those already in civil partnership to marry without first dissolving
4750-645: The Scottish Parliament in February 2014, the Government of Scotland has yet to decide whether or not to open civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples. Other aspects of Scotland's Marriage and Civil Partnership Act which legalised same-sex marriage in Scotland and relate to civil partnership include: The Gender Recognition Act 2004 allows transgender people to obtain legal recognition for their 'acquired gender' allowing individuals to obtain
4875-587: The Statue of Liberty , Donald Duck , and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart . In 1975, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . The album features his fifth US number one single, " Island Girl ". To celebrate five years since he had first appeared at the venue, in 1975, John played a two-night, four-show stand at the Troubadour . With seating limited to under 500 per show, the chance to purchase tickets
5000-772: The Tony Award for Best Musical , in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, Chicago, Illinois, Toronto, Ontario, Seoul, South Korea, the Netherlands and São Paulo, Brazil, etc.), grossed over $ 800 million worldwide and won over 80 theatre awards internationally. John's only theatrical project with Taupin is Lestat , based on Anne Rice 's The Vampire Chronicles . It received negative reviews from critics and closed in May 2006 after 39 performances. John featured on rapper Tupac Shakur 's posthumous single " Ghetto Gospel ", which topped
5125-485: The UK Singles Chart and US Billboard Hot 100 , including nine number ones in both countries, as well as seven consecutive number-one albums in the US. He has sold over 300 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time . He is the most successful solo artist in the history of the US Billboard charts . His tribute single to Diana, Princess of Wales , " Candle in
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5250-406: The 1975 film adaptation of the rock opera Tommy , and to perform the song " Pinball Wizard ". Drawing on power chords , John's version was recorded and used in the movie. The song charted at number 7 in the UK. John, who had adopted a glam aesthetic on stage, would later state glam rock icon Marc Bolan "had a great effect on me." The 1975 autobiographical album Captain Fantastic and
5375-441: The 1980s and 1990s, having several hit singles and albums in both decades, and he has continued to record new music since. John has also had success in musical films and theatre, composing music for The Lion King (1994), Aida (2000), and Billy Elliot the Musical (2005). John's final tour, Farewell Yellow Brick Road (2018–2023), became the highest-grossing tour ever at the time. His life and career were dramatised in
5500-500: The 2019 biopic Rocketman . John is an HIV/AIDS charity fundraiser and has been involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s. He established the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992, which has raised over £300 million since its inception, and a year later he began hosting his annual AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Party , which has since become one of the biggest high-profile Oscar parties in
5625-465: The Academy in central London, and he has said he enjoyed playing Frédéric Chopin and Johann Sebastian Bach and singing in the choir during Saturday classes, but that he was not otherwise a diligent classical student. "I kind of resented going to the Academy," he said. "I was one of those children who could just about get away without practising and still pass, scrape through the grades." He has said that he would sometimes skip classes and ride around on
5750-599: The Act relates to England and Wales, Part 3 to Scotland and Part 4 to Northern Ireland. A civil partnership is formed once both individuals have signed the civil partnership document in the presence of a registrar and two witnesses. Under the standard procedure, before registration, each party will usually have to give notice to the appropriate authority. Each party must have resided in the British jurisdiction in which they intend to register ( England and Wales or Northern Ireland ) for at least seven days immediately preceding
5875-502: The Act. For an overseas relationship to meet the general conditions it must, under the law of the country or territory in which it was formed: The position of civil partners in relation to financial arrangements mirrors that of spouses. For instance, Section 11 of the Married Women's Property Act 1882 applies to civil partnerships; thus, money payable to a surviving partner under a policy of life assurance no longer forms part of
6000-529: The Atlanta, Georgia, Alliance Theatre and went on to Chicago, Illinois and eventually Broadway in New York City. John released a live compilation album, Elton John One Night Only – The Greatest Hits , featuring songs from his show at Madison Square Garden in New York City that same year. A concept album of songs from the musical Aida , Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida , was also released and featured
6125-648: The BBC's Children in Need charity single " Perfect Day ", which reached number one in the UK. John appeared as himself in the Spice Girls film Spice World , released in December 1997. The Lion King musical debuted on Broadway in 1997 and the West End theatre in 1999. In 2014, it had grossed over $ 6 billion and became the top-earning title in box-office history for both stage productions and films, surpassing
6250-520: The British Embassy in France listed 28 such places as being authorised to hold civil partnerships. For such registrations, at least one partner must be a British citizen. Overseas couples wishing to register their partnership in the UK must reside in the country for seven days prior to application for the partnership, and wait a further fifteen days before the civil partnership may be formed. It
6375-611: The Brown Dirt Cowboy debuted at number one in the US, the first album to do so, and stayed there for seven weeks. John revealed his previously ambiguous personality on the album, with Taupin's lyrics describing their early days as struggling songwriters and musicians in London. The lyrics and accompanying photo booklet are infused with a specific sense of place and time that is otherwise rare in his music. The hit single from this album, " Someone Saved My Life Tonight ", captured an early turning point in John's life. The album's release signalled
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#17327979097586500-544: The Church authorised blessings for same-sex couples following a civil partnership or marriage during ordinary church services. The first official blessings for same-sex couples in a civil partnership, or civil marriage, took place on 17 December 2023. Informal prayers may also be said with couples as the Chancellor of the Diocese of London explained, "There is no prohibition on prayers' being said in church or there being
6625-517: The Church of England and many Christian denominations. Opposite-sex couples have been able to enter into civil partnerships in England and Wales since 2 December 2019. Similar reforms have been in place in Northern Ireland since 13 January 2020. In Scotland , legislation to allow opposite-sex civil partnerships passed the Scottish Parliament on 23 June 2020. These changes extend the legal recognition of relationships granted under
6750-614: The Civil Partnership Act 2004, allowing couples irrespective of sex to obtain essentially the same rights and responsibilities as civil marriage . Civil partners are entitled to the same property rights as married couples, the same exemption as married couples on inheritance tax , social security and pension benefits, and also the ability to obtain parental responsibility for a partner's children, as well as responsibility for reasonable maintenance of one's partner and their children, tenancy rights, full life insurance recognition, next of kin rights in hospitals, and others. When
6875-546: The Elton John Band, and joined by Richie Zito on lead guitar, Tim Renwick on rhythm guitar, and James Newton Howard on keyboards, John performed a free concert to an estimated 400,000 fans on The Great Lawn in Central Park in New York City. He played part of the set dressed as Donald Duck . The album Jump Up! was released in 1982, the biggest hit from which was " Blue Eyes ". With original band members Johnstone, Murray and Olsson together again, John returned to
7000-527: The English and Welsh Consultation due to begin in March 2012, the Consultation for Scotland dealt with the issue of same-sex marriage in a religious context. On 10 December 2011, The Scotsman newspaper reported that some 50,000 responses had been received and that a government spokesperson stated that an analysis would be published in the spring of 2012. Despite the legalisation of same-sex marriage by
7125-662: The John duets " Written in the Stars " with LeAnn Rimes , and "I Know the Truth" with Janet Jackson . By this time, John disliked appearing in his own music videos; the video for " This Train Don't Stop There Anymore " featured Justin Timberlake portraying a young John, and the video for " I Want Love " featured Robert Downey, Jr. lip-syncing the song. At the 2001 Grammy Awards , John performed " Stan " with Eminem . One month after
7250-553: The Rain " as a song and dance act with Elton playing piano. Kubrick's Clockwork Orange film had recently featured that song. Plus I designed crazy, over-the-top costumes and giant stage sets – known as 'Legstravaganzas'. Elton loved all of it." The pop album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player came out at the start of 1973 and reached number one in the UK, the US, and Australia, among other countries. The album produced
7375-700: The Soviet Union ; four dates in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) and four in Moscow. At the same time, John collaborated with the French couple France Gall and Michel Berger on the songs "Donner pour donner" and "Les Aveux", released together in 1980 as a single. John's 1981 album The Fox was recorded during the same sessions as 21 at 33 and included collaborations with Tom Robinson and Judie Tzuke . On 13 September 1980, with Olsson and Murray back in
7500-401: The UK and topping the charts in the US, Canada and Australia. Reportedly recorded in two weeks between live appearances, it featured " The Bitch Is Back " and " Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me ". " Step into Christmas " was released as a stand-alone single in November 1973, and appears in the album's 1995 remastered reissue. Pete Townshend of the Who asked John to play the "Local Lad" in
7625-408: The UK charts in July 2005. In October 2003, John announced that he had signed an exclusive agreement to perform 75 shows over three years at Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada. The show, The Red Piano , was a multimedia concert featuring massive props and video montages created by David LaChapelle . Effectively, he and Celine Dion shared performances at Caesars Palace throughout
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#17327979097587750-467: The US by MCA and initially by Island in the UK), and signed acts to it—notably Neil Sedaka (John sang background vocals on Sedaka's " Bad Blood ") and Kiki Dee , in whom he took a personal interest. Instead of releasing his own records on Rocket, he signed an $ 8 million contract with MCA. When the contract was signed in 1974, MCA reportedly took out a $ 25 million insurance policy on John's life. In 1974, MCA released Elton John's Greatest Hits ,
7875-399: The US. John's highest-charting single of the decade was a collaboration with Dionne Warwick , Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder called " That's What Friends Are For ". It reached number one in the US at the beginning of 1986; credited as Dionne and Friends, the song raised funds for HIV/AIDS research . In the same year, a live orchestral version of "Candle in the Wind" reached number six in
8000-430: The US. He also played piano on two tracks on the heavy metal band Saxon 's album Rock the Nations . In 1988, he performed five sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden in New York, giving him 26 for his career. Netting over $ 20 million, 2,000 items of John's memorabilia were auctioned off at Sotheby's in London. He also released " I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That " from the album Reg Strikes Back ,
8125-409: The United Kingdom is a form of civil union between couples open to both same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples. It was introduced via the Civil Partnership Act 2004 by the Labour government. The Act initially permitted only same-sex couples to form civil partnerships, but the law was expanded to include opposite-sex couples in 2019. Civil partnerships were introduced for same-sex couples under
8250-402: The United Kingdom ruled that restricting civil partnerships to same-sex couples was incompatible with the rights guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights as enacted in Schedule 1 to the Human Rights Act 1998. The UK Government was obliged to change the law to allow opposite-sex couples in England and Wales to enter into civil partnerships. This change was unsuccessfully opposed by
8375-405: The Wind 1997 ", a rewritten version of his 1974 single , sold over 33 million copies worldwide and is the best-selling chart single of all time . In 2021, he became the first solo artist with UK top 10 singles across six decades. Among John's numerous awards , he is one of 19 entertainers to win the EGOT , which includes an Emmy Award , five Grammy Awards , two Academy Awards , and
8500-413: The Wind" to honour Diana, and Taupin agreed. On 6 September 1997, John performed " Candle in the Wind 1997 " live for the only time at Diana's funeral in Westminster Abbey . The song became the fastest- and biggest-selling single of all time, eventually selling over 33 million copies globally. The best-selling single in UK chart history, and the best-selling single in Billboard history, it
8625-422: The ability to compose melodies, and gained some notoriety by playing like Jerry Lee Lewis at school functions. At age 11, he won a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music . According to one of his instructors, John promptly played back, like a "gramophone record", a four-page piece by George Frideric Handel after hearing it for the first time. For the next five years, John attended Saturday classes at
8750-484: The aircast, not just the 40 minutes selected by Dick James Music. John and Taupin wrote the soundtrack to the 1971 film Friends and the album Madman Across the Water , which reached number eight in the US and included the hit songs " Levon " and the album's opening track, " Tiny Dancer ". In 1972, Davey Johnstone joined the Elton John Band on guitar and backing vocals. Released in 1972, Honky Château became John's first US number one album, spending five weeks at
8875-430: The album received an average score of 70, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", based on 17 reviews. All tracks are written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight ; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. Acclaimed by critics and musicians, particularly for his work during the 1970s, his music and showmanship have had
9000-567: The award for " Can You Feel the Love Tonight ". Both that and " Circle of Life " became hits. "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" also won the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 37th Annual Grammy Awards . The soundtrack for The Lion King remained at the top of the Billboard 200 for nine weeks. On 10 November 1999, the RIAA certified The Lion King " Diamond " for selling 15 million copies. In 1994, John
9125-597: The chart on both sides of the Atlantic, remaining at number one for two months. It also temporarily established John as a glam rock star. It contained the US number 1 " Bennie and the Jets ", along with the hits " Goodbye Yellow Brick Road ", " Candle in the Wind ", " Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting " and " Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding ". John formed his own label, The Rocket Record Company (distributed in
9250-643: The charts with the 1983 album Too Low for Zero , which included the singles " I'm Still Standing " (No. 4 UK) and " I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues ", the latter of which featured Stevie Wonder on harmonica and reached number four in the US and number five in the UK. In October 1983, John caused controversy when he broke the United Nations' cultural boycott on apartheid -era South Africa by performing at Sun City . He married his close friend and sound engineer, Renate Blauel, on Valentine's Day 1984;
9375-566: The contributions are substantial and in actual money or money's worth. When dealing with an application for dissolution, nullity or separation where there is a child in the family, the Court must consider if it should exercise its powers under the Children Act 1989. Section 75 amends the definition of 'a child of the family' accordingly. Other amendments were also made to equalise the position of civil partners with that of spouses. Civil partners are able to acquire parental responsibilities as
9500-680: The deceased partner's estate. The laws governing wills, administration of estates and family provisions also apply to civil partners as to spouses; thus, provisions governing financial relief under Part 2 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (MCA) and the Domestic Proceedings and Magistrates' Court Act 1978 also apply to civil partnerships. Tax exemptions available to spouses under s.18 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984 are available to civil partners under
9625-467: The end of the Elton John Band, as an unhappy and overworked John dismissed Olsson and Murray. According to Circus , a spokesman for John's manager John Reid said the decision was reached mutually via phone while John was in Australia promoting Tommy . Davey Johnstone and Ray Cooper were retained, Quaye and Roger Pope returned, and the new bassist was Kenny Passarelli; this rhythm section provided
9750-405: The end of this Parliament. We will be working closely with all those who have an interest in the area to understand their views ahead of the formal consultation." The consultation will only cover civil marriage for same sex couples – not religious marriage. It falls within the respective jurisdictions of the Scottish Parliament and Northern Ireland Assembly to decide whether or not to remove
9875-561: The fight against AIDS. And also his bravery in exposing all the triumphs and tragedies of his personal life." — Axl Rose speech inducting Elton John into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Along with Tim Rice , John wrote the songs for the 1994 Disney animated film The Lion King . At the 67th Academy Awards , three of the five nominees for the Academy Award for Best Original Song were from The Lion King soundtrack . John won
10000-736: The following day. The first partnership registered after the normal waiting period was held in Belfast on 19 December 2005. The first partnerships formed in Great Britain, after the waiting period, should have occurred on 21 December, but due to a misinterpretation of the rules, the first in Scotland were held on 20 December. The first civil partnerships in England and Wales were formed on 21 December 2005, with Westminster , Hampshire , The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea , Hammersmith and Fulham and Brighton & Hove conducting
10125-490: The formation of the civil partnership, except in Scotland. Like marriage, irretrievable breakdown is the only ground on which the court may make a dissolution order. Also, Section 44 provides that the Court may not make such an order unless the applicant satisfies as to certain facts which are the same as those for divorce under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (MCA), except that adultery cannot be relied on for
10250-617: The giving of notice, and there will, in most cases, be a fifteen-day waiting period after notice is given. A civil partnership in Wales ( Welsh : Partneriaeth Sifil ) may be conducted either in English or – provided that both registering parties, the registrar and witnesses are able to understand and write in the Welsh language – in Welsh. Civil partnership documents issued in Wales (regardless of
10375-517: The government announced today. As part of its commitment to advancing equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals the government announced in February this year its intention to look at how legislation could develop on equal civil marriage. Minister for Equalities Lynne Featherstone said: "I am delighted to confirm that early next year, this government will begin a formal consultation on equal civil marriage for same-sex couples. This would allow us to make any legislative changes before
10500-411: The guidelines, "The House of Bishops does not regard entering into a civil partnership as intrinsically incompatible with holy orders, provided the person concerned is willing to give assurances to his or her bishop that the relationship is consistent with the standards for the clergy...The House of Bishops considers it would be a matter of social injustice to exclude from ministry those who are faithful to
10625-463: The hit song " The One ". It was his first album recorded entirely sober. As John recalled in 2020, "I was used to making records under the haze of alcohol or drugs, and here I was, 100% sober, so it was tough. But I managed to come up with a good song, which was the title of the record." He also released " Runaway Train ", a duet he recorded with his longtime friend Eric Clapton , with whom he played on Clapton's World Tour . John and Taupin then signed
10750-503: The hits " Crocodile Rock ", his first US Billboard Hot 100 number one, and " Daniel ", which reached number two in the US and number four in the UK. The album and "Crocodile Rock" were respectively the first album and single on the consolidated MCA Records label in the US, replacing MCA's other labels, including Uni. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road , a double-album released in October 1973, gained instant critical acclaim and topped
10875-533: The largest numbers. Civil partnerships were introduced to allow same-sex couples almost identical advantages to marriage without using the word, and were designed to sidestep opposition from Christian churches, especially the Church of England and Catholic Church , which regarded the initiative as undermining conventional marriage. On 17 February 2011, the UK Government announced its intention to remove
11000-600: The legal barrier to civil partnerships being registered on religious premises by implementing section 202 of the Equality Act 2010 , and ran a consultation on this proposal from 31 March to 23 June 2011, and published a summary of its findings on 4 November 2011. The Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Approved Premises) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 came into force in December 2011. This voluntary provision allowed religious organisations that wish to do so to host civil partnership registrations on their religious premises. Faith groups which have applied to have their premises approved for
11125-496: The lyrics if he could not come up with anything quickly. For two years they wrote easy-listening tunes for James to peddle to singers. Their early output included a contender for the UK entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 1969 , for Lulu, called "I Can't Go On (Living Without You)". It came sixth of six songs. In 1969, John provided piano for Roger Hodgson on his first released single, "Mr. Boyd" by Argosy,
11250-400: The marriage lasted three years. In 1984, he released Breaking Hearts , which featured the song " Sad Songs (Say So Much) ", a number five hit in the US and number seven in the UK. In 1985, John was one of the many performers at Live Aid , held at Wembley Stadium . He played "Bennie and the Jets" and "Rocket Man"; then "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" with Kiki Dee for the first time since
11375-630: The musical after seeing the 2000 British coming-of-age film Billy Elliot , saying of the titular character, "he's like me". Opening to strong reviews, the show won four Laurence Olivier Awards , including Best New Musical . The 12th-longest-running musical in West End history , the London production, which featured Tom Holland as Billy for two years, ran through April 2016, with 4,566 performances. As of December 2015, Billy Elliot has been seen by over 5.25 million people in London and nearly 11 million people worldwide (on Broadway where it won
11500-591: The mutual civil partnership; it is not possible to have both. When same-sex marriage became legal in Northern Ireland on 13 January 2020, couples married elsewhere were legally recognised as married in Northern Ireland. Couples in Northern Ireland have been allowed to convert their civil partnerships into marriages since 7 December 2020. A civil partnership is a relationship between two people, formed when they register as civil partners of each other, which ends only on death, dissolution or annulment. Part 2 of
11625-431: The name of a horse in British sitcom Steptoe and Son , of which John was a big fan. The team of John and Taupin joined Dick James 's DJM Records as staff songwriters in 1968, and over the next two years wrote material for various artists, among them Roger Cook and Lulu . Taupin would write a batch of lyrics in under an hour and give it to John, who would write music for each of them in half an hour, disposing of
11750-406: The notice first being given. Specific registration procedures apply to certain special circumstances, e.g. concerning the housebound, detained persons and those seriously ill and in danger of death. Each party to the civil partnership must be at least 16 years of age. Anyone below 18 years of age will usually need parental consent, except in Scotland where such consent is not required. Furthermore,
11875-609: The original studio album of Randy Newman 's musical Faust . A duet with Luciano Pavarotti , " Live Like Horses ", reached number nine in the UK in December 1996. A compilation album, Love Songs , was released in 1996. Early in 1997, 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 ,
12000-468: The outset of this consultation. We tend towards the view that religious ceremonies for civil partnerships should no longer be prohibited and that same sex marriage should be introduced so that same sex couples have the option of getting married if that is how they wish to demonstrate their commitment to each other. We also believe that no religious body or its celebrants should be required to carry out same sex marriages or civil partnership ceremonies." Unlike
12125-416: The pair performed these two number-one hits, along with the Beatles' " I Saw Her Standing There ", at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Lennon made the rare stage appearance with John and his band to keep the promise he had made that he would appear on stage with him if "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night" became a US number-one single. Caribou was released in 1974, becoming John's third number one in
12250-580: The parties to the proposed partnership must not be within the prohibited degrees of relationship specified in part 1 of schedule 1, paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Act (paragraph 3 was not brought into force following a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights against similar provisions for marriage). Any party who is already in a marriage or a civil partnership is ineligible to register. Where permitted, civil partnerships may be registered at British embassies or consulates-general. As of October 2009,
12375-493: The position for married couples. The contracts of marriage and civil partnerships are very similar though there are some technical differences: venereal disease is a ground for annulment of marriage, but not civil partnership; adultery is a ground for divorce, but not dissolution of civil union; and titles may not be inherited or passed to partners of a civil partnership. Where laws differ for wife and husband, both partners are generally treated like opposite-sex couples. Otherwise,
12500-498: The record previously held by Andrew Lloyd Webber 's 1986 musical The Phantom of the Opera . In addition to The Lion King , John composed music for Disney's musical production Aida in 1999 with lyricist Tim Rice , for which they received the Tony Award for Best Original Score at the 54th Tony Awards , and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards . The musical had its world premiere at
12625-401: The registering language) follow a standardised bilingual English and Welsh format. In Scotland there is no minimum residence requirement to contract a valid partnership. During the waiting period, the proposed partnership is publicised and anyone may make a formal objection. If there is such an objection, the proposed civil partnership cannot be formed unless the objection is withdrawn or if
12750-417: The registration authority is satisfied that the objection ought not to prevent the formation of the civil partnership. Provided no objection has been recorded, or any recorded objections have been cleared, the registration authority must issue a civil partnership schedule at the request of either party upon the expiration of the waiting period. The civil partnership must then be registered within twelve months of
12875-500: The registration of civil partnerships include the Society of Friends (Quakers) , Spiritualists , Unitarians , and United Reformed Church . The first civil partnership to be registered in a place of worship in the UK was at Ullet Road Unitarian Church , Liverpool , on 6 May 2012. As the established church in England, the Church of England has discussed and established guidelines for clergy entering into civil partnerships. Within
13000-508: The restrictions in the areas of civil partnerships and marriage. From September to December 2011, the Scottish Government held a consultation on not only removing religious prohibitions for civil partnerships but also legalising same-sex marriage within that country. In the foreword to the consultation document, Deputy First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon stated "The Scottish Government is choosing to make its initial views clear at
13125-402: The rules for pensions, survivor benefits, annulment and dissolution are very similar. The first civil partnership formed under the Civil Partnership Act 2004 took place at 11:00 GMT on 5 December 2005 between Matthew Roche and Christopher Cramp at St Barnabas Hospice, Worthing , West Sussex. The statutory 15-day waiting period was waived as Roche was suffering from a terminal illness: he died
13250-477: The same ad. John wrote music for the lyrics and then sent it to Taupin, which began their decades-long partnership that still continues . When the two first met in 1967, they recorded the first John/Taupin song, "Scarecrow". Six months later, John began going by the name Elton John in homage to two members of Bluesology: saxophonist Elton Dean and vocalist Long John Baldry . He legally changed his name to Elton Hercules John on 7 January 1972. "Hercules" came from
13375-462: The single reaching number two in the US in 1988. His albums continued to sell, but of those released in the latter half of the 1980s, only Reg Strikes Back (number 16, 1988) placed in the top 20 in the US. In 1990, John achieved his first solo UK number one hit single, with " Sacrifice " (coupled with " Healing Hands ") from the previous year's album Sleeping with the Past ; it stayed at
13500-585: The songs that launched his career as a rock star; he lived there until he had four albums simultaneously in the American Top 40. At age 15, with his mother's and stepfather's help, John was hired as a pianist at a nearby pub, the Northwood Hills Hotel, playing Thursday to Sunday nights. Known simply as "Reggie", he played a range of popular standards, including songs by Jim Reeves and Ray Charles , as well as his own songs. A stint with
13625-616: The teaching of the Church, and who decide to register a civil partnership." In 2010, the General Synod extended pension and employee rights to clergy who have entered in a same-sex civil partnership. In 2013, the church ruled that priests in civil partnerships could become bishops. Speaking on its support for partnerships, the church has communicated that "The Church of England recognises that same-sex relationships often embody fidelity and mutuality. Civil partnerships enable these Christian virtues to be recognised socially and legally in
13750-532: The terms of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 . Before this, an informal London Partnership Register had been set up in 2001 by then- Mayor of London Ken Livingstone but without any legal recognition. In February 2018, the United Kingdom and Scottish governments began reviewing civil partnerships, potentially to expand them to include opposite-sex couples. In June 2018, the Supreme Court of
13875-496: The top 20 there, with the latter reaching the top 5. In 1979, accompanied by Ray Cooper , John became one of the first Western artists to tour the Soviet Union and Israel. John returned to the US top ten with " Mama Can't Buy You Love " (number 9), a song MCA rejected in 1977, recorded with Philadelphia soul producer Thom Bell . John said Bell was the first person to give him voice lessons and encouraged him to sing in
14000-663: The top of the Billboard 200 , and began a streak of seven consecutive US number-one albums. The album reached number two in the UK, and spawned the hit singles " Rocket Man " and " Honky Cat ". In 1972 John performed at the Royal Variety Performance , where he was upstaged by the dancing of Larry Smith , the drummer with the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band . Smith was invited to join John's second US tour; Smith later said: "I suggested adding in various other bizarre elements like me doing " Singin' in
14125-495: The top spot for five weeks. The following year, "Basque" won the Grammy for Best Instrumental , and a guest concert appearance at Wembley Arena John made on George Michael 's cover of " Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me " was released as a single and topped the charts in both the UK and the US. At the 1991 Brit Awards in London, John won Best British Male. In 1992, John released the US number 8 album The One , featuring
14250-620: The year at the first annual Rock Music Awards in Santa Monica, California. In May 1976, the live album Here and There was released, followed in October by the album Blue Moves , which contained the single " Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word ". His biggest success in 1976 was " Don't Go Breaking My Heart ", a duet with Kiki Dee that topped a number of charts, including the UK, the US, Australia, France and Canada. Besides being John's most commercially successful period, 1970–1976
14375-526: The year; while one performed, the other rested. The first of these shows took place on 13 February 2004. In February 2006, John and Dion sang together at the venue to raise money for Harrah's Entertainment Inc. workers affected by the 2005 hurricanes, performing "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" and "Saturday Night's Alright (for Fighting)". Civil partnership in the United Kingdom Recognized Civil partnership in
14500-520: Was 17, when he left just before his A-Level examinations to pursue a career in music. When John began to consider a career in music seriously, his father, who served in the Royal Air Force , tried to steer him toward a more conventional career, such as banking. John has said that his wild stage costumes and performances were his way of letting go after a restrictive childhood. Both his parents were musically inclined, his father having been
14625-828: Was backing touring American soul and R&B musicians such as the Isley Brothers , Major Lance and Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles . In 1966, the band became Long John Baldry 's supporting band and played 16 times at the Marquee Club . In 1967, John answered an advertisement in the British music paper New Musical Express , placed by Ray Williams , then the A&;R manager for Liberty Records . At their first meeting, Williams gave John an unopened envelope of lyrics written by Bernie Taupin , who had answered
14750-614: Was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947 in Pinner , Middlesex (now part of the London Borough of Harrow ), the eldest child of Stanley Dwight (1925–1991) and only child of Sheila Eileen (née Harris; 1925–2017). He was raised in a council house in Pinner by his maternal grandparents. His parents married in 1945, when the family moved to a nearby semi-detached house. He was educated at Pinner Wood Junior School, Reddiford School and Pinner County Grammar School , until he
14875-542: Was determined by a postcard lottery, with each winner allowed two tickets. Everyone who attended the performances received a hardbound "yearbook" of the band's history. That year, he also played piano on Kevin Ayers 's Sweet Deceiver and was among the first and few white artists to appear on the African-American television series Soul Train . On 9 August 1975, John was named the outstanding rock personality of
15000-574: Was implemented by The Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Approved Premises) (Amendment) Regulations 2011. The first civil partnership to be registered in a place of worship in the UK was at Ullet Road Unitarian Church in Liverpool on 6 May 2012. On 26 September 2011, the Home Office published the following statement on its website: A public consultation to consider how to make civil marriage available to same-sex couples will begin in March 2012,
15125-515: Was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Guns N' Roses ' frontman Axl Rose . In 1995, he released the album Made in England (number 3). The title track is an autobiographical recounting of parts of his life. The album also featured the single " Believe ". John performed "Believe" at the 1995 Brit Awards and won the Outstanding Contribution to Music prize. In September 1995, he appeared as Angel Rick on
15250-531: Was raised primarily by his mother and maternal grandmother. When his father was home, the Dwights had vehement arguments that greatly distressed John. When he was 14, they divorced. His mother then married a local painter, Fred Farebrother, a caring and supportive stepfather whom John affectionately called "Derf" ("Fred" backward). They moved into flat No. 3A in an eight-unit apartment building called Frome Court, not far from both previous homes. There John wrote
15375-527: Was released in April 1970 on DJM Records/ Pye Records in the UK and Uni Records in the US, and established the formula for subsequent albums: gospel-chorded rockers and poignant ballads. The album's first single, " Border Song ", peaked at 92 on the Billboard Hot 100 . The second, " Your Song ", reached number seven in the UK Singles Chart and number eight in the US, becoming John's first hit single as
15500-453: Was released in October 1970 and reached number two in the UK and number five in the US. The live album 17-11-70 (titled 11–17–70 in the US) was recorded at a live show aired from A&R Studios on WABC-FM in New York City. Sales of the live album took a blow in the US when an east-coast bootlegger released the performance several weeks before the official album, including all 60 minutes of
15625-715: Was released, which was the soundtrack to the British animated television series of the same name. "Up The Revolution" was John's track, alongside contributions from George Harrison , the Bee Gees and Eric Clapton. The album was issued briefly, and only in the UK. "For myself as well as for many others no one has been there more for inspiration than Elton John. When we talk of great rock duos like Jimmy Page and Robert Plant , John (Lennon) and Paul (McCartney) , Mick (Jagger) and Keith (Richards) , I like to think of Elton John and Bernie Taupin. Also tonight I think that Elton should be honoured for his great work and contribution in
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