Elton John Page 7

Sir Elton John has revealed he and his mother have ended their bitter nine-year feud after the singer’s recent brush with death that saw him put in intensive care with a bacterial infection he contracted in South America.

Elton John has ended his years long argument with his mum

The superstar singing sensation revealed he and his mother, Sheila Farebrother, were back in touch with a poignant message on Twitter in which he wished her Happy Mother’s Day.

Continue reading: Elton John Ends Nine-Year Feud With His Mum

Elton John has been forced to cancel several of his upcoming Las Vegas performances after being hospitalized following his tour of South America. The singer had to undergo treatment for an illness that could have been lethal after his flight home from Chile ended in disaster.

Elton John at 2017 Vanity Fair Oscar Party

The 70-year-old singer had a number of dates lined up for his Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace entitled 'The Million Dollar Piano', but those will have to be rescheduled as he recovers from his recent hospital stay. He was in intensive care for two days after contracting a potentially life-threatening infection.

Continue reading: Elton John Recovers From A Life-Threatening Infection

Sir Elton John says vinyl ''sounds better'' than CDs and streaming.

The 'Tiny Dancer' hitmaker gushed about his favourite audio format after being named Record Store Day Legend ahead of the annual event on April 22.

Speaking to the BBC, he mused: ''It does sound better. I know people say it doesn't, but it does. I've been around long enough to know. I've been in so many studios, I've made so many records. It just sounds better.''

Continue reading: Sir Elton John Insists Vinyl 'sounds Better' Than CDs And Streaming

Sir Elton John has praised the late George Michael as a ''brilliant songwriter''.

The 69-year-old musician dedicated his selected playlist on his radio show 'Elton John's Rocket Hour Show' on Apple's Beats 1 network on Tuesday (07.02.17), which saw him praise the fellow musician - who passed away in December last year - as a ''good friend'' and vocalist.

Speaking on the programme about the 'Club Tropicana' hitmaker, he said: ''I wanted to do a little tribute to him on the show because not only was he a good friend, but he was probably one of the most brilliant songwriters this country's ever produced, and certainly one of the best vocalists ever. One of the best in the world.''

Continue reading: Sir Elton John Credits The Late George Michael As A 'brilliant Songwriter'

Elton John has been commissioned to write music for a new Broadway adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada, the 2003 best-selling novel that became a surprise movie hit just over ten years ago.

The Grammy-winning pop legend is to work with playwright Paul Rudnick on the production, which has been in the works since 2015 at Fox Stage Productions, a company designed to convert the Fox studios films into stage productions.

The 69 year old singer has plenty of experience with musicals, having worked on Billy Elliot and The Lion King in the past. Rudnick, 59, has helped to produce Jeffrey and I Hate Hamlet.

Continue reading: Elton John To Write Songs For Musical Version Of 'The Devil Wears Prada'

Mariah Carey and Sir Elton John were paid approximately £3.5 million to perform at the wedding of a Russian billionaire businessman’s granddaughter, it has been claimed in new reports.

The two pop icons performed as the highlights of a nine-hour programme of entertainment at the wedding of 19 year olds Irene Kogan and Daniel Kenvey on Saturday (January 14th) held at London’s Landmark hotel. The extravagant, star-studded bill was footed by Irene’s grandfather, Russian business tycoon Valery Kogan.

Continue reading: Mariah Carey And Elton John Paid £3.5 Million To Perform At Russian Wedding

Dame Esther Rantzen has revealed plans to hold a concert in memory of the late George Michael.

The late musician tragically died at his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, on Christmas Day (25.12.16) and to commemorate the star the Childline founder is organising a show with an all-star line up as a tribute to George - who made a number of generous donations over the years - and to coincide with the organisation's 30th anniversary.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Esther said: ''I think it would be wonderful to celebrate him with a tribute concert next year. George helped us to reach out to hundreds of thousands of children through his generosity. I met him a couple of times, he approached us, rather than us going cap in hand to him, but it was an intensely personal gift.''

Continue reading: A Memorial Concert Is Set To Take Place As A Tribute To The Late George Michael

Elton John has hit back at reports he is set to announce his retirement after his 70th birthday next year.

Taking to Instagram, the singer assured fans there were ‘no truth’ to the reports and added that he was looking forward to celebrating 50 years of working with songwriting partner Bernie Taupin.

Continue reading: Elton John Denies Retirement Reports

Elton John will not be performing at president-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, his publicist has confirmed.

The denial comes after a member of the presidential transition team told the BBC’s ‘HARDtalk’ program that Sir Elton would be part of the ceremony on January 20 in Washington.

Elton John will not be performing at the inauguration of Donald Trump

Continue reading: Elton John Will NOT Be Performing At Donald Trump's Inauguration

Leon Russell has died at the age of 74.

The 'Tight Rope' hitmaker - whose real name is Claude Russell Bridges - sadly passed away at his home in Nashville, Tennessee on Sunday (13.11.16).

Leon's wife, Jan Bridges, said in a statement: ''We thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers during this very, very difficult time. My husband passed in his sleep in our Nashville home. He was recovering from heart surgery in July and looked forward to getting back on the road in January. We appreciate everyone's love and support.''

Continue reading: Leon Russell Dies Aged 74

Sir Elton John launched into an expletive-laden rant at security guards at his concert in Leicester this weekend, threatening to walk off stage when personnel started preventing fans from getting out of their seats and dancing.

The veteran star was performing in front of 17,000 fans at Leicestershire County Cricket Ground on Saturday night (June 11th). However, concert-goers observed Elton becoming agitated at what was going on in the front row, as stewards started instructing fans to sit down when they began standing up to dance.

Sir Elton John performing live in 2016

Continue reading: Elton John Launches Sweary Rant At Security Guards During Gig

Elton John has confirmed he will have a role in the upcoming sequel to British spy comedy Kingsman, The Golden Circle. The singer was first rumoured to be appearing in the film last month and his confirmation comes just as shooting on the sequel has begun in London.

Elton John has confirmed he will have a role in sequel, Kingsman: The Golden Circle.

On Instagram John posted a parody poster which featured his iconic star glasses in Union Jack colours, along with the phrase ‘Wednesday night's alright for fighting’, a reference to his 1973 hit ‘Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)’.

Continue reading: Elton John Confirms He Will Star In 'Kingsman: The Golden Circle'

Sir Elton John and Jk Rowling are officially Britain’s most charitable celebrities, according to the Sunday Times’ Giving List. The music icon and the author both gave away a hefty amount of their fortune to charities over the past year to top the list, which also included One Direction and David Beckham.

Elton John has topped the list of Britain’s most charitable celebrities.

The Sunday Times reports that John gave an estimated £26.8m to charity last year, mainly to his Aids foundations in the UK and the US. The singer established the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992 and it is said to have raised over $200m so far to support HIV/AIDS programs around the world.

Continue reading: Elton John And JK Rowling Top List Of Charitable Celebrities

Sir Elton John is reportedly set to make a move to the big screen, with new reports indicating that the pop legend is in talks to star in the forthcoming sequel to Kingsman alongside Taron Egerton.

The Hollywood Reporter suggests that the 69 year old singer could be lined up for a role in Matthew Vaughn’s sequel to the comic-book adaptation original, which became a hit at the end of 2014. However, it isn’t clear exactly what the role would be - i.e. whether he’d be playing a character or starring as himself.

Is Sir Elton John heading for a cameo in the 'Kingsman' sequel?

Continue reading: Sir Elton John In Talks To Star In 'Kingsman' Sequel

Sir Elton John’s legal representatives have strongly denied the claims of sexual harassment made against the singer by a former security guard, slamming the allegations as “patently untrue”.

Jeffrey Wenninger, who used to work for the Los Angeles Police Department and worked off-duty on Sir Elton’s security detail until September 2014, has reportedly filed a lawsuit against the 69 year old pop legend alleging sexual harassment and battery, following repeated instances of groping and inappropriate behaviour.

Sir Elton John with his husband David Furnish in 2015

Continue reading: Sir Elton John's Lawyers Slam Sexual Harassment Allegations As "Patently Untrue"

Sir Elton John has announced that he’s teaming up with the Tate Modern art museum to showcase a selection of images from his private collection of 20th century photography later this year.

The exhibition, to be entitled ‘The Radical Eye’, is to feature more than 150 images from masters of modern photography from the 1920s to the 1950s, such as Man Ray, Alexander Rodchenko and Dorothea Lange.

The Tate Modern says that the selection made available is “unrivalled”, though it constitutes just a scratch on the surface of the singer’s massive collection, reportedly containing more than 7,000 artworks. The catalogue, which he began collecting more than 25 years ago, is “one of the world's greatest private collections of photography” according to the museum.

Continue reading: Sir Elton John Announces Tate Modern Collaboration To Showcase Modern Photography Collection

Elton John delighted fans in LA on Saturday afternoon when he gave a surprise concert in the parking lot of the iconic Tower Records building on Sunset Boulevard. But that’s not all, as the singer also welcomed a very special guest to the stage, Lady GaGa, as the pair raised awareness for the Elton John AIDS foundation.

Continue reading: Elton John And Lady Gaga Team Up For Surprise Charity Concert

They're two of the biggest icons of British music, but Elton John has revealed that he and David Bowie had not been ‘the best of friends’ for decades, after comments made by Bowie in an interview with Rolling Stone in the 70s.

Elton John has revealed a 40 year feud with David Bowie.

Speaking to The Evening Standard Elton said: “David [Bowie] and I were not the best of friends towards the end. We started out being really good friends. We used to hang out together with Marc Bolan, going to gay clubs, but I think we just drifted apart.”

Continue reading: Elton John Reveals 40 Year Feud With David Bowie

Coldplay are this week’s number one in the UK album chart, after a 10 week wait. A Head Full Of Dreams has finally made it to the top spot in the album chart, following the British band’s Superbowl performance last weekend.

Coldplay are at number one with A Head Full Of Dreams.

A Head Full Of Dreams was released on December 4th 2015, when the world was still swept up in Adele fever, with 25 keeping the album off the number one spot. This week’s chart gives the band their seventh UK number one album, with all their studio releases now having hit the top spot.

Continue reading: Coldplay Finally Top UK Album Chart With ‘A Head Full Of Dreams’

James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke is becoming quite popular and celebrities appear to be flocking to join in the fun. This time Sir Elton John himself got into the car groove and had a little singalong with the Late Late Show presenter.

Elton John had a good singalong in James Corden's Carpool Karaoke

Corden picked up the singer - known for his song writing talents and flamboyant fashion style in equal measure - in a rainy Los Angeles and the duo got down to it with fancy feather boas as they belted out hits including Tiny Dancer and the Circle of Life from The Lion King.

Continue reading: Elton John Rocks James Corden's Carpool Karaoke

Sir Elton John has finally ended a bitter feud with his mother Sheila, just a few days after she marked her 90th birthday.

The 68 year old musician, who released his new album Wonderful Crazy Night on Friday (February 5th), announced publicly the same day that he had settled the eight year bad blood between himself and his mother, Sheila Farebrother.

“We are now back in touch,” Sir Elton told the Daily Mirror. “Out of respect for my mother’s privacy, I have always shied away from speaking publicly about our relationship. However, I can say that we are now back in touch and have been so since my mother’s 90th birthday.”

Continue reading: Sir Elton John Settles 8 Year Feud With His Mother

Elton John has revealed how he ended his decade long feud with Madonna, which first began in 2002. The two pop superstars finally buried the hatchet in 2012, after first falling out a decade earlier, when Elton branded Madonna’s ‘Die Another Day’ the 'worst Bond theme ever'.

Elton John has buried the hatchet with Madonna.

Appearing on ‘The Graham Norton Show’ Elton discussed how the two ended their bad blood, after a chance meeting in a restaurant in 2012. “I said something horrible about her that you should never say,” John revealed.

Continue reading: How Elton John Ended His Decade Long Feud With Madonna

Sir Elton John brightened an otherwise gloomy morning slog for commuters at London’s St. Pancras railway station yesterday, as he performed a few songs on a piano that he ended up donating to the station.

Delighted onlookers crowded round as the British pop icon wheeled the piano into the middle of the concourse on Thursday morning (February 4th). He performed a brief medley of some of his best-known songs, including a sing-along-inducing ‘Tiny Dancer’, before signing the piano: “Enjoy this piano. It's a gift. Love, Elton John.”

He captured the moment on Instagram, captioning the photo of his performance: “Surprise!! I popped into St Pancras International to christen the Yamaha piano which I donated to the station. Now everyone can have a play.”

Continue reading: Sir Elton John Surprises London Commuters With Early Morning St. Pancras Performance

Elton John has joined Adele in distancing himself from US republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump by telling him to stop using his music at his political rallies. Trump has played Rocket Man and Tiny Dancer to increase support on his campaign trail.

Elton John has not agreed the use of his music at Donald Trump rallies

But Elton is far from happy with the association, presumably because Trump has said he would "strongly consider" overturning the Supreme Court’s gay marriage ruling.

Continue reading: Elton John Hits Out At Donald Trump Over Use Of His Music At Rallies

Just under a year after Elton John called for a boycott of Dolce & Gabbana over the comments the deign duo made about children born through IVF, the designers have unveiled their new collection which celebrates same-sex couples. The new #DGfamily collection features images of diverse families, appearing on handbags and T-shirts.

Continue reading: Dolce Gabbana's New Collection Celebrates Same Sex-Couples

Sir Elton John has confirmed that he’s working with Lady GaGa on her new album due out later this year, saying that he got involved because he felt her last record Artpop “was not a good album”.

In a new interview on Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 radio station, the 68 year old British pop icon said that he was having a writing session with Gaga this week, and said that the material he’d heard already reminded him of her early hits. She’s also reported to have hired big names such as Mark Ronson, RedOne and even Giorgio Moroder to produce the new album.

Sir Elton John performing in 2015

Continue reading: Sir Elton John Working On Lady Gaga's New Album

Elton John and his long-time civil partner David Furnish have finally taken advantage of the UK's recent equality developments by becoming officially married in a ceremony on Sunday (December 21st 2014).

Elton John and David Furnish wed following new legislation

One of the world's most beloved same-sex couples can now call each other 'husband' following legal proceedings at the weekend, thanks to a reform in the UK over same-sex marriage earlier this year. The rock legend has been in a relationship with filmmaker Furnish for more than twenty years, and in a civil partnership for nine. 

Continue reading: Elton John And David Furnish Finally Tie The Knot

Today’s batch of congratulations goes out to Sir Elton John and David Furnish, who are about to tie the knot today! The pair have entered a civil partnership in 2005 and, judging by Sir Elton’s shiny new Instagram, they could not be happier together.

Congratulations to the happy couple!

Speaking of instagram, the music icon’s profile seems to be dedicated almost exclusively to the couple’s relationship. The very first post, uploaded on Friday, was a photo of the couple’s rose-printed wedding invitations, followed by a play-by-play of the final wedding prep.

Continue reading: Sir Elton John Marries Longtime Partner David Furnish, Instagrams Every Step

Sir Elton John is set to marry his partner David Furnish this weekend in England.

The pop legend’s representative confirmed to Us Magazine late on Wednesday that he and Furnish will take advantage of the UK’s recent legalisation of same-sex marriage, which officially became law in March this year.

Sir Elton John will marry long-term partner David Furnish this weekend

Continue reading: Elton John To Marry Partner David Furnish This Weekend

The line-up for this year's Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival has been announced and looks to be more impressive than ever with Elton John, Kanye West, Lionel Richie, Jack White and Vampire Weekend all gracing the Manchester, Tenn. stages across the four-day celebration. The festival, which will be held from the 12th to the 15th June this year, will serve up an enviable mix of genres.

Elton John Will Lead This Year's Incredible Bonnaroo Festival Line-Up.

Bonnaroo Festival is famous for having provided a stage to one of Kanye West's famous rants last time he played in 2008. The rapper and his fans reacted with outrage when Kanye's originally late night set was shifted to a performance during broad daylight, provoking a classic caps-lock tirade from the short-fused star.

Continue reading: Kanye, Elton, Jack And Lionel: Say Hello To Bonnaroo Festival's Line-Up 2014

Forbes Magazine have released their list of the 25 Highest Paid Musicians of the 2013, taking into account living artists' earnings between June 2012 to June 2013. 

Beyonce Performing at the 'Made in America' Festival

The latest rich list was compiled from sources including Pollstar, the RIAA, Nielsen SoundScan, artists' managers, lawyers and many of the artists themselves. The figures are comprises of concert ticket sales, royalties, publishing, merchandise sales, endorsement deals and other such business ventures.

Continue reading: The Highest Paid Musician 2013: 'Who's That Girl' At The Top?

Tom Hardy will play Sir Elton John in an upcoming biopic about the prolific singer and songwriter's eventful life. Star of The Dark Knight Rises and Inception, Hardy will now feature in Rocketman, a joint production from Focus Features and Rocket Pictures, the movie production company co-owned by Elton and his partner David Furnish.

Hardy will play Elton in Rocketman

Hardy signed on to do the project earlier this week, with his involvement in the film being predicted since the idea of an Elton John biopic was proposed up to two years ago. Academy Award nominee Lee Hall has been working on the project since 2011 and his screenplay is believed to be completed, or at least in the final stages. No other additions to the cast and crew were announced alongside Hardy, although we do already have a director attached to the project; first-timer Michael Gracey.

Continue reading: Tom Hardy Signs On To Star As Elton John In New Biopic

Tom Hardy has officially been announced as the star of Rocketman, the upcoming biopic tracing the life of legendary singer Elton John. The Dark Knight Rises star is the first lead actor to be announced for the picture, which is being directed by Michael Gracey from a screenplay by Lee Hall, with Sir Elton and David Furnish's production company Rocket Pictures co-producing the film.

Hardy will be starring as the gret Sir Elton Johnin the biopic

Filming is due to begin in about a years time, with Variety reporting that cameras will start rolling for the biopic in autumn 2014. No release date has been given. As well as Rocket Pictures, the film will also be co-produced by the newly revamped Focus Features and is also set to receive some financial backing from AI Films. Rocketman therefore marks the first title to be made by Focus since Universal stepped in earlier this month and restructured the company hierarchy, with FilmDistrict’s Peter Schlessel appointed as CEO in order to introduce more mainstream films to the company's resume.

Continue reading: Tom Hardy Cast As Elton John In New Biopic

Tom Hardy is set to play a different kind of role than audiences have come to expect from him as he has been cast to star in the Elton John biopic called 'Rocketman'.

Tom Hardy will portray Elton John in his biopic 'Rocketman'

Cinemagoers and fans of Hardy are accustomed to the Brit playing domineering figures such as the villainous 'Bane' in 'The Dark Knight Rises' and the cynical bootlegger 'Forrest Bondurant' from the crime movie 'lawless, but now Hardy will sport outrageous costumes as he plays the pop culture icon in a story about his journey to becoming a global superstar.

Continue reading: British Actor Tom Hardy Lands Elton John Lead Role In Biopic 'Rocketman'

The iHeartRadio Music Festival hit the MGM Grand Garden for the 3rd consecutive year on Friday (Sept 20th) to kick-off the 2 day extravaganza.

Elton John received the biggest cheer from the Las vegas crowd

The action-packed first day saw performers such as Chris Brown, Katy Perry and Robin Thicke take to the stage, but the most anticipated performances came from British rock legends ‘Queen’ and another British pop culture icon Elton John.

Continue reading: IHeartRadio Music Festival Hits Las Vegas With The Best Line-Up Yet

Elton John has had a truly remarkable career, one that has lasted more than forty years, seen him break countless records and as he got older, one that has allowed him to settle down and begin a family. In a recent interview with British newspaper The Mirror, Sir Elton discussed his longstanding career, the passion that drives it and why he now feels that it is finally time to settle down and stop his endless touring.

Elton is finally ready to slow down

A noted workaholic, it has taken fatherhood and the recent life-threatening fight with appendicitis to convince the 66-year-old to slow down. The singer decided after his recent health scare that his endless touring was slowly killing him and that it was time to reassess his lifestyle and begin spending more time with his partner of 20 years, David Furnish, and their two sons, Zachary, 2, and Elijah, 9 months.

Continue reading: Elton John Thanks The Joys Of Fatherhood For Inspiring New Album, But Says It's Time To Slow Down

Lady GaGa has left the irritation of Monday's 'Applause' new single leakage behind her and has turned her attention to September, tweeting her excitement for next month's iTunes Festival. The singer announced that she's be gracing Camden's Roundhouse on the 1st September - the first night of the month of free concerts - with the Tweet: "I'M HEADLINING ITUNES FESTIVAL ON SEPT 1 AT ROUNDHOUSE IN LONDON. ONE HOUR OF ALL NEW MUSIC. #UKMonstersGetReady" to make sure all her UK fans knew what awaited them.

Lady Gaga's New Look.

The NY singer called a "911 pop emergency" on Monday after a snippet from the lead single from her upcoming album, Artpop, leaked on the internet. "Little Monsters" rushed to their idol's aide by reporting illegal uploads to record company UMG but the hot new track spread like wildfire across the internet. Gaga made the radical decision to change the single's release date to the 12th Aug, dropping the new track immediately on American radio stations to combat the pirates.

Continue reading: Lady Gaga Promises "One Hour Of All New Music" At ITunes Festival

Adele is apparently set to be the next singer to make the inevitable move in front for the cameras after reportedly being cast in the upcoming action film The Secret Service. The singer has reportedly joined a cast that already includes Samuel L Jackson and Colin Firth and will be flexing her acting chops in a villainous role in the new film.

Does Adele have a few more Oscars coming her way?

The 'Skyfall' singer will reportedly be playing the role of one of the villains in The Secret Service, which is being adapted for the screen from Mark Millar's original manuscript by Vaughn and Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass, X Men: First Class). Her participation in the film hasn't been confirmed just yet, so it is still unknown what role she will be playing, however some reports state that she will only be taking on a cameo role. If so, then this will be much like her last on-screen appearance - on the hit show Ugly Betty - where she also played a cameo role.

Continue reading: Adele Planning Her Move Into Acting: Singer Signs Up For Villainous Role In New Spy Film

Looks like Elton John needed some 'Healing Hands' after the agony of appendicitis. The 66-year-old star underwent surgery in Monaco to remove a decidedly rotten appendix. Speaking to The Sun, the performer told of how he performed 10 shows "in agony" before he eventually saw a doctor. "I was a ticking time bomb. I guess I could have died at any time. I feel so lucky and grateful to be alive," the 'Tiny Dancer' said, as reported by BBC News.

Recuperating: Elton John Is Now Appendix-Less.

The condition, caused by inflammation of the appendix, meant that Elton had to cancel a few summer shows last month, including a headline gig in London's Hyde Park. Posting on his website, Elton thanked fans who've shown him support and understanding throughout his painful condition: "I would like to thank the literally thousands of people who have sent me get well cards and messages over the past two weeks.

Continue reading: Elton John Waves Goodbye To His Appendix After Surgery

Sir Elton John, world-renowned British singer/songwriter, will received the first ever award to commemorate "an artist whose writing, recording and performances have made a lasting impact on UK culture," according to BPI, the music industry's trade body, as reported by BBC News. According to the eccentric superstar's website, Elton will be honoured in an inaugural ceremony in London, filmed by ITV, and will feature live performances of some of his best-loved songs, alongside new material from upcoming album The Diving Board, as well as guest appearances and interviews.

Elton John Will Be Recognised For His Lasting Impact Upon British Music.

The flamboyant star himself commented: "It's a tremendous honour and a real thrill for me to have my work acknowledged in this way, and I'm really looking forward to participating in what promises to be a very special occasion." The 'Rocket Man' ballad-maker has sold over 250 million albums worldwide, with his Princess Diana funeral song, 'Candle in the Wind '97' being the biggest-selling single of all time with 33 million copies sold.

Continue reading: Sir Elton John Will Be First To Receive 'BRITs Icon' Award

Elton John's bout of appendicitis appears to be more serious than first assumed, with the legendary singer-songwriter suggesting he was close to death while performing 10 concerts on his recent European tour. Sir Elton has been forced to postpone a series of summer dates, including at London's Hyde Park this week.

Speaking to tabloid The Sun, Elton explained how he was in "agony" before calling in the doctors, "I was a ticking time bomb. I guess I could have died at any time," he said. In a statement on his official website, the singer said he is on a course of "intensive antibiotics" and is expected to undergo surgery "in the coming weeks."

Fans will be pleased to learn the singer plans to return to touring "starting in early September 2013," though he will concentrate his efforts on making a full recovering for the next month-and-a-half. 

Continue reading: Elton John 'Could Have Died At Any Time' On European Tour

Matthew Morrison has proudly announced his engagement to model Renee Puente after two years of dating.Well, he didn't actually announce it; it was his good friends Elton John and David Furnish who made the revelation right before bursting into a fitting rendition of Elton's 1970 single 'Your Song' at the annual White Tie and Tiara Ball which benefitted his AIDS Foundation charity.

Matthew Morrison [R] and Future Wife Renee Puente [L]

Although we don't yet know just how the 'Glee' star popped the question, we can only assume it was majorly sweet as he didn't struggle listing off his recent romantic endeavours in an interview with the Huffington Post. Asked what is the most romantic thing he's ever done for Renee, he said: 'Hard to pick just one thing. We are really both into horses. Every new city or place we go, we always try to find a place to go horseback riding. One time in particular, after our horseback riding, we went along this beach in Hawaii. I set up this nice little picnic.' Awwwwww! Though given his love of musicals, singing and dancing, we're wondering if he maybe pulled out the big guns with a flash mob?? But then, this guy's way too modest for that.

Continue reading: Matthew Morrison Announces Engagement To His 'Best Friend'

Big week for Elton John – the legendary singer offered Lady GaGa – a close friend of his – the chance to be godmother to his son, Elijah, and he was offered £1m to play at millionaire socialite Tamara Ecclestone’s wedding.

"She's a great role model, she's young, [and] she's been a great godmother to Zachary," John told Extra, as reported by Us Weekly regarding his choice of godmother. "We're all bonkers in this business, but we're human beings at the same time." Added his husband David Furnish: "You learn so much about yourself and about life by seeing children." He’s been less vocal about the alleged £1m offer to play Ecclestone’s wedding. Last night a spokesman for Sir Elton declined to comment on the offer. A source said: “At this point in time there is no agreement. Elton is looking at the dates, but at the moment he’s not sure they will work. No contract has been signed yet. For £1 million plus expenses he can do anything from an hour-and- a-half down to four songs and Happy Birthday. Often you don’t do these things with the whole band. It’s a young crowd, so they’ll want something different.”

Given Ecclestone’s reputation as a spoilt brat, intent on spending as much money as possible on lavish nights out, John might want to steer clear of any association with the socialite. Then again, money talks, and £1m is loads of money.

Continue reading: Elton John News – Singer Offered £1m To Play Tamara Ecclestone's Wedding, Lady Gaga Godmother To Elijah

Lady GaGa has obviously proven herself to be excellent godmother material. After choosing her to be godmother to their first son Zachary, Elton John and David Furnish have asked her to take on the role again, this time for their second son, Elijah, MTV News have reported.

We guess she’ll have a bit of spare time on her hands right now, to dedicate to being a good godmother, as she had to cancel her touring plans in order that she could have a hip operation. Since then, she’s been making a few public appearances, in her specially designed golden wheelchair but other than that, she’s been keeping a pretty low profile by Gaga standards. According to her manager Vincent Herbert, she’s recovering well. He told MTV back in March that she’s ready to get back to working on her forthcoming album which will be entitled ARTPOP. Elton and David’s second son Elijah was born back in January, to the same surrogate mother that gave birth to Zachary, their first son.

Elton and Gaga are rumoured to be working on a duet together. Way back in November 2011, Lady Gaga suggested that she had Elton in mind for a song that she had lined up for the follow up to Born This Way, which she has been working on for some time now. 

Continue reading: Godmother Monster: Elton John Chooses Lady Gaga As Godmother To Elijah

Kaiser Chief frontman Ricky Wilson has had his indie-heart broken by the evil executives at the new Leeds Arena, who have booked Bruce Springsteen and Elton John for shows at the new 13,500 seater venue despite initially confirming the Yorkshire band as an important part of is opening season. The Boss will open the doors of the arena on Wednesday 24, July, before Elton plays on September 4, 2013. The Kaiser Chiefs appear to have been relegated to the third act to play the venue on September 14, 2013, despite believing they would be opening the whole thing.

Ricky Wilson Was Less Than Happy With The Booking of Bruce Springsteen and Elton John

Wilson's band were among the first acts to be announced for the arena, with bassist Simon Rix saying at the time, "Having played everywhere in Leeds from the Duchess (RIP) to Elland Road, we are massively happy that Leeds has built somewhere new for us to play. Looking forward to opening Leeds Arena next year, it's going to be bigger than Ken Bates' legal bill." Now, with marquee acts signed on, Wilson is understandably hacked off. "Really f*cked off with Leeds Arena, they asked us to open the thing then put Elton on the week before and now Bruce," tweeted the singer on Tuesday afternoon (February 19, 2013) before quickly deleting the message. He followed it up by saying, "Thought I better delete that. Just really f**cked off."

Continue reading: Kaiser Chief's Ricky Wilson "F*cked Off" As Leeds Arena Books Bruce Springsteen

It wasn’t only Justin Bieber that the Black Keys had in tears on the evening of the Grammys, it would appear. Mumford & Sons’ bass player Ted Dwayne found himself in tears that night too. Not because either of the Black Keys had been nasty to him but because he’s been a die-hard fan of the band for so long that being sat next to them was a little overwhelming. Not to mention beating his idols to the Album of the Year Grammy.

Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine after their triumph, Dawyne revealed “I remember seeing the Black Keys at a venue twice the size of this dressing room” and added “I was a die-hard fan. It's just so weird being in a category with them. Sitting next to them, these people I've had posters of. I was in tears.” Of course, it wasn’t just the Black Keys that had the British folk band in awe that night. Marcus Mumford told the magazine’s reporter that he was surprised that Jack White was as friendly as he was. And banjo player Winston Marshall was over the moon to meet Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello. “I loved Tom Morello. To have him liking our music – apparently he'd been to our gigs – for me was just f***ing surreal. We talk to these people, and whether it's f***ing Jack White or Elton John, they're just lovely people who love music as much as you do."

Mumford And Sons won the Album of the Year Grammy for Babel, their sophomore release. 

Continue reading: Why Did The Black Keys Make Mumford And Sons Cry At The Grammys?

Katy Perry's Grammys Dress Caused Quite A Stir

It's safe to say Katy Perry stole the entire show at the Grammy awards on Sunday evening (February 10, 2013) in a mint green Gucci dress that featured a rather revealing keyhole cut-out. It quickly caused excitement on Twitter, with fans of the star lauding her daring choice of dress. It wasn't just her followers who noticed either, with various amusing photographs of celebrities in awe of Perry's, ugh, assets, circulating online today.

Elton John, of all people, was caught out cheekily eyeing up Perry's dress, while television star Ellen Degeneres made a joke of the elephant in the room, staring intently at Perry's chest as her girlfriend Portia De Rossi looked on. "I was inspired by Priscilla Presley in the Seventies... Married to Elvis Presley, of course," Perry told Ryan Seacrest of her Grammys dress. Seacrest himself joked that he had luckily had plenty of practice at staying focused when at eye level. One man who did manage to keep his eyes on the ball was Perry's boyfriend John Mayer, who was photographed staring straight into Katy's eyes when the pair were snapped taking their seats. The 35-year-old blues guitarist admitted that he's been thinking about marrying Perry, 28, sometime in the future. When asked whether a wedding would be a possibility, Mayer said, "Of course. I mean, I'm still the kid from Connecticut. That's what you do," according to the Daily Mail.

Continue reading: Katy Perry Ignores Grammys Dress Code In Flesh Baring Dress (Pictures)

Frank Ocean appeared at the pre-Grammy party in Los Angeles on Friday, where he admitted to being incredibly nervous about the coming awards themselves, Billboard reports.

Performing a 6 song set at the Ace Museum in Los Angeles, Frank Ocean told the audience: "So it's officially Grammy weekend, which is probably not a big deal for everyone... But it makes me nervous as f**k." With 6 nominations including for Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Best New Artist Ocean's got nothing to be nervous about. Especially with Channel Orange being such a strong contender. 

Esteemed guests to the show included Busy Phillipps, Alan Cummings, Ashley Benson and Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda, and were all equal to the average joes in the audience, as they were treated to renditions of  "Crack Rock," "Monks", "American Wedding", "Sierra Leone," "Thinkin' Bout You," and "Pyramids."

Continue reading: Biting His Nails? Frank Ocean Admits To Being Very Nervous Ahead Of Grammy Awards

Sting, Alabama Shakes, Neil Young, Elton John Mumford & Sons and John Legend all paid tribute to Bruce Springsteen as he was named Musicares Person of the Year for 2013 at last night's pre-Grammy award show. 

The event recognises a star's philanthropic work as well as their efforts as an artist, something that "The Boss" - as Springsteen has become known - can't separate. "Whatever philanthropy I've ever done usually involved playing the guitar," he said. "I was going to play the guitar anyway." In attendance were some previous honourees: Natalie Cole, Tony Bennett and Bonnie Raitt. Springsteen is a deserving honoree "because he lives his life in such an exemplary way," Raitt said before the gala. "He's committed to his art. He's a good family man. He's a real inspiration for how to give back. I couldn't fault him in any aspect of his life."

Springsteen said of receiving the award, "It's kind of a freaky experience. This is the huge Italian wedding Patti and I never had. I had one of the loveliest nights of my life ...John Legend made me sound like Gershwin. Neil Young made me sound like the Sex Pistols. What a night." He also talked about the power and magic of music, adding, "The Taliban will never win, not now or ever, by banning music and dancing. The minute you do that, you label yourself a tyrant and your cruel days are numbered."

Annually, the Grammys is one of the biggest events for music across America and in Europe. In fact, it has dubbed itself 'music's biggest night'. Celebrating the best in pop, hiphop, soul, R&B and much of what comes in between, it never fails to be a veritable who's who from the Spotify playlists of the masses. And this year will be no different. Not only are the nominees ones to look out for, absences are worthy of note, as are this year's presenters and some very special performances.

As Yahoo report, this year's presenters include Grammy royalty, Prince, Beyonce, and Jennifer Lopez, all of whom have been nominated or won Grammys before.  

In terms of performances to look forward to, this year we have some unusual and largely unexpected pair ups. Elton John and Ed Sheeran will take to the stage together. An unusual pairing, they're both Brits with unusual song writing talent. While John is a true showman and is well known for his intereSting outfits and outrageous glasses, Sheeran is distinctly more low key. We're not sure how this is going to work, but we're guessing it'll be great. Bruno Mars, Sting and Rihanna will all also perform together, as will Alicia Keys and Maroon 5, and Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert. 

Continue reading: 55th Grammys Preview: 'Music's Biggest Night' Wont Fail To Impress

Here at Contactmusic, we’re already taking bets on how many punters at Bestival will be dressing up as Elton John on fancy dress day. Or possibly for the whole weekend. If you’re planning on going to the festival, on the Isle of Wight this summer, you’d better get your outrageous glasses purchased now, because they’re sure to run out pretty soon. Apparently, it was the power of fancy dress that lured Elton to the festival. “I’ve heard that the Bestival audience comes in fancy dress and I can’t wait to see that, they must all look amazing from the stage.”

Elton’s appearance is a serious coup for the festival, which is curated by Radio One DJ Rob da Bank. He admits “I haven't played any of the major festivals in the UK in recent years,” so the chance to catch him at a relatively small (though influential) affair on the ever-expanding UK festival circuit will be a treat. “When the opportunity to play Bestival came up I was very interested,” Elton told The Guardian. "Bestival seems to be more of a people's festival, not too big, and very friendly - I like the idea of that.” Whether or not Elton’s planning on wearing fancy dress too, remains to be seen.

The second of the festival’s headliners to be announced is the US rapper Snoop Lion (the artist formerly known as Snoop Dogg, that is), another rarity on the UK’s outdoor gig scene. The event takes place on September 5-8, 2013. Snoop will headline the Saturday night and Elton takes the iconic closing slot on the Sunday. 

Continue reading: Bestival 2013: Will Elton John Or Snoop Lion (Snoop Dogg) Wear Fancy Dress?

It's only just dawned upon us; Elton John is perfect for Bestival. He's lively, energetic, plays crowd-pleasing songs and loves to dress up in funny costumes. That's basically the manifesto of Bestival!

So when our initial and unfounded surprise subsided, we settled down to the notion that Mr. John might well put on one of the best nights at Bestival. And not just over the special weekend in September, but ever. "I am known for doing festivals - I played my first festival 47 years ago!" replied Elton to The Guardian's accusation that he wasn't exactly known for frequenting the festival circuit. "That was the sixth National Jazz and Blues festival at Windsor in the summer of 1966, when I was keyboard player in a band called Bluesology." And as to whether the 65-year-old musician will dress up, well, you just have to look at his character, and realise he's got serial history in donning some pretty silly outfits. "I've heard that the Bestival audience comes in fancy dress and I can't wait to see that," he explained, "They must all look amazing from the stage. Wearing fancy dress makes us all feel less inhibited so I think it's a great way to enjoy live music."

Bestival will take place between 5-8 September at the Robin Hill Country Park on the Isle of Wight.

Elton John and David Furnish entered a civil partnership way back in 2005, and had already been together by then since 1993. Five years after their low key ceremony in Berkshire, they opted to start having children, choosing the option of a surrogate mother over adoption. Their first child Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John was born in December 2010, and now, two years later, they have welcomed their second son, Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John, to the world. 

Elton broke the news to Hello Magazine. "Both of us have longed to have children, but the reality that we now have two sons is almost unbelievable," he told the paper. "The birth of our second son completes our family in a most precious and perfect way. It is difficult to fully express how we are feeling at this time; we are just overwhelmed with happiness and excitement." 

The couple wanted Zachary to have a sibling, because "it's difficult to be an only child," they said, also because of the added difficulties of having famous parents. 

Continue reading: Elton John And David Furnish Welcome Son Number Two For 'Perfect' Family

Big ups to Elton John and his husband David Furnish who have welcome their second child into the family, with the news that Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John was born via surrogate last Friday (January 11).

The pair, who were originally married back in 2005 after 12 years together, had their first son Zachary in December 2010, again via surrogate. Speaking to Hello! Magazine, the pair enthused that they’d always wanted more than just one child and, in a statement, said: "Both of us have longed to have children, but the reality that we now have two sons is almost unbelievable. The birth of our second son completes our family in a most precious and perfect way. It is difficult to fully express how we are feeling at this time; we are just overwhelmed with happiness and excitement."

It was widely rumoured that the pair were going to be parents for the second time last week, however at the time it was swiftly denied by their camp. Clearly, though, they were just readying themselves to break the news at the appropriate time, with Furnish additionally posting a link to the Hello! article on his official website.

Continue reading: Sir Elton John And David Furnish Parents For The Second Time: What's The Name?

Elton John and David Furnish were so happy with their first son, baby Zachary, that they went back to the woman who gave birth to him and asked for a second one! The New York Post have reported that Elton, 65 and David, 50, were “over the moon” that their new arrival was on its way and have confirmed that the surrogate mother was the same one they used to bring Zachary into the world just over two years ago.

The identity of the surrogate mother is unknown, though it’s known she lives in California. We don’t know much about the second baby to enter the John-Furnish family household, though you can be certain of one thing: it will be both very well looked after and - if recent photos of Zachary looking dapper in a miniature suit are anything to go by – very well dressed. A spokesperson for Elton, Fran Curtis, would neither confirm or deny the news and said “We never discuss our clients' personal lives." Elton revealed last year that he and David were keen for Zachary to have a little brother or sister and revealed “At what stage we don’t know. But we definitely will. I don’t want him to be an only child.”

This week, we also learned that Rosie O’Donnell and her wife Michelle Rounds have adopted a baby girl named Dakota. It’s their first child together, though Rosie has four children (three adopted) with a former partner.

All eyes will be on Bruce Springsteen during Grammy’s week, as the New Jersey rocker will be the recipient of the MusiCares Person of the Year award. To celebrate the honour, a Bruce Springsteen tribute concert will take place in Los Angeles on February 8, 2013, featuring some of the biggest names in rock and pop and hosted by Jon Stewart.

The event, which is already sold out, will feature musical highlights such as Elton John, Kenny Chesney and Mumford And Sons. A whole host of musicians of varying genres and eras have been included in the line-up. Patti Smith, with whom Bruce co-wrote the hit ‘Because The Night’ will be there, as will Faith Hill, Emmylou Harris, as well as Alabama Shakes, Eddie Vedder and Neil Young. Proceeds for the concert will go to MusiCares, an organisation set up to provide support for struggling musicians in financial, medical and personal need.

The annual MusiCares Person of the Year award is attributed to a star whose artistic accomplishments are as worthy of merit as their philanthropic work. Previous winners of the award include Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin, Paul McCartney and Bono.

TV commercials have always been a time for fresh, new and unheard song covers to emerge as well as the old classics especially during the holiday season, just to make the product invoke that little bit of nostalgia to fuel the Christmas shopping fever. 

This year is no different as we have, of course, rising star Gabrielle Aplin with her stunning rendition of Frankie Goes To Hollywood's 1984 hit 'Power of Love' recorded for John Lewis' new seasonal advert. It has already reached number one in the UK and is set to also feature on her upcoming debut album 'English Rain'. In fact, people have loved it so much that Twinings tea have also snapped up the tune for their advert which will no doubt help Aplin's career skyrocket over the coming months. 

Continue reading: The Power Of Song: Songs From Some Of The Biggest British Christmas Adverts In 2012

When we say 'in' music, we mean musicians, but Dr Dre is the richest of them all, according to Forbes. Sure you might have been searching Gangnam Style or bopping away to Bieber over the last year, but it's Dre on the top of the list that matters (to some).

He is kind of cheating though, as not all of his money comes from his musical talents; his popular Beats headphones franchise has seen him glean $100m in pre-tax PROFIT, which added to his extensive back catalogue of hip hop, and the fact he was probably the biggest rap artists through the 90's, it's not hard to see how Dre ended up atop the rich list. Last year's highest-paid musicians U2 dropped to #4 this year, with combined earnings of $78 million from their three-year 360 tour. 1990s British boy band Take That, who's finances were boosted by their reformation in 2005, rounded out the top five with $69 million, earned from an eight-date tour at London's Wembley Stadium, which became the highest-grossing single stadium tour to date.

The  top 10 is dominated by some contemporary artists, but only one's that have been contemporary for ages; veteran musicians if you will. Pink Floyd's bassist and singer Roger Waters coming in at No. 2 with earnings of $88 million from his lucrative The Wall Live tour, and British singer Elton John at No. 3 with $80 million.

Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney are amongst the artists to have songs inducted into the Grammy Museum’s Hall of Fame in 2013. Dylan has ‘the Times They Are A Changin’’ up for the honour and Macca has ‘Band on the Run’ on the list.

In a statement from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, reported by the Sacramento Bee, Neil Portnow said “With the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame celebrating 40 years, it's especially important to note that these entries continue the tradition of inducting a wide variety of recordings that have inspired and influenced both fans and music makers for generations. Memorable for being both culturally and historically significant, we are proud to add them to our growing catalog of outstanding recordings that have become part of our musical, social and cultural history.”

One stipulation of being entered onto the list is that the song must have been recorded at least 25 years ago and have had lasting significance. Also on the list of inductees are Whitney Houston and Elton John’s self-titled albums, Billy Joel’s ‘Piano Man,’ recordings by James Brown, Richard Pryor and Little Richard, amongst others. Next year’s Grammy awards will be broadcast on February 10, 2013 at 8pm ET/PT on the CBS Network, they are amongst the most highly regarded awards in the music industry. This years awards were marked with a tribute to the late Whitney Houston, who died just the day before the ceremony. 

Continue reading: Bob Dylan And Paul McCartney Songs Among Grammy Hall Of Fame List

Sir Elton John and David Furnish have got another bun in the (surrogate) oven, with the couple expecting baby number two through the same surrogate who gave birth to their son Zachary nearly two years ago.

Apparently the twosome might not be waiting too long at all for their next child, with reports emerging that the surrogate is already months into the pregnancy. A source in close contact with the pair revealed that the mother-to-be who gave birth to Zach is in fact “several months” into her pregnancy already.

John and Furnish had originally recruited the surrogate via the Center for Surrogate Parenting in Encino, California, and having been so pleased with Zachary (who wouldn't be) the two were determined to have the same mother carry their child again. The same source revealed that “Elton and David love this lady like a sister and they feel indebted to her for life. Naturally she has been well rewarded, but her identity will never be revealed.”

Continue reading: Sir Elton John And David Furnish Expecting Baby Number Two

Elton John has topped a list of 123 songs to have sold over a million copies in Britain, AFP reports. The list was compiled to mark the 60th anniversary of the existence of the singles charts and Elton John’s double A side ‘Something About The Way You Look Tonight’ and ‘Candle In The Wind 1997’ triumphed. The double a-side single was released in 1997, after John re-wrote Candle in the Wind for Princess Diana’s funeral. The release spent five weeks at number one in Britain, selling 4.9 million copies.

In second place was the 1984 charity Band Aid single, ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ which shifted 3.69 million copies. In 1975, Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ sold 2.36 million. A statement from the Official Charts Company read “It is apt that, as we prepare to celebrate 60 years of the official singles chart in the UK, we do so at a time of unprecedented demand for the single, with this year set to be the biggest year on record for sales of this format.” the company’s managing director Martin Talbot then added “This demand is also translating in to the largest number of million-sellers we have seen -- this is truly the era of the super hit.”

The current decade is on course to become the most successful in history, in terms of breaking the million-seller mark, with 10 tracks already having broken a million, in less than three years.

Holly Valance is going to have all the stops pulled out for her by her billionaire fiancé over a lavish three-day ceremony this weekend that'll see the pair get married. The actress and singer revealed earlier this year that she was delaying plans to marry her partner, British property tycoon Nick Candy, so that they could enjoy summertime in the UK, which was playing host to the Olympics as well as Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.

With the decidedly not sunny British summer finished with though, the couple are now finally ready to walk down the aisle and will be exchange vows in a black-tie ceremony at a beachfront location in Malibu, California on Saturday (September 29th). The celebrations will kick off with a reception dinner for friends and family on the Friday night (September 27th), with a "recovery" barbecue planned for Sunday (September 30th), suggesting that it's going to be a rather heavy weekend of festivities.

Simon Cowell and Sir Elton John are reportedly among the stars said to have received hand-delivered invitations, in which the bride and groom nicknamed themselves "Valandy". Candy proposed to Valance on a beach last December, getting down on bended knee in front of a display which read "Will You Marry Me" in flames.

Andy Williams songs will be played on record players across the globe today, after the effortlessly smooth crooner – best known for his track ‘Moon River’ – died on Wednesday, aged 84.

Williams soothing voice, boyish looks and easy-going demeanour ensured he outlasted many of the rock-stars of the 60’s and 70’s, as well as contemporaries such as Frank Sinatra and Perry Como. For a man who became a major star in the same year as Elvis Presley, Williams enjoyed an astonishing career and remained on the charts well into the 1970s, while continuing to perform into the 1980s at the Moon River Theater that he built in Branson. However, Williams’ television career was equally as commendable and his eponymous show lasted from 1962 until 1971, winning three Emmys along the way. It was on that show that Williams introduced the world to The Osmonds (their young sibling, a certain Donny, made his debut on the show when just 6-years-old). He also booked rock and soul acts, including The Beach Boys, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson and Elton John. His attitude to fame was perhaps summed up when he mused “I guess I've never really been aggressive, although almost everybody else in show business fights and gouges and knees to get where they want to be…My trouble is, I'm not constructed temperamentally along those lines,” according to the Chicago Tribune.

Williams never entertained the possibility of retirement and told the Associated Press in 2001, “I'll keep going until I get to the point where I can't get out on stage.” He is survived by his wife Debbie and three children.