Elton John isn’t actually Elton John

Elton John isn’t actually Elton John… he’s Reginald Dwight.

1979: He was the first Western rock star to perform in Israel and the USSR.
He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1996 and awarded Knighthood of the British Empire in the 1998 Queen's New Years Honors List for his services to music and fund-raising for AIDS charities.
Grammy award winning singer.
9/5/97: Performed a new version of "Candle in the Wind", in tribute to Princess Diana at her funeral, with new lyrics specially written by Bernie Taupin.
Changed his name legally to Elton Hercules John. He chose the middle name "Hercules" not after the hero of mythology, but after the horse named Hercules on the British sitcom "Steptoe and Son" (1962).
1995: Awarded the Polar Music Prize, the Royal Swedish Academy of Music Award.
1992: Decided that all profits from his singles would be donated to AIDS charities and formed the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The foundation has become one of the world's largest nonprofit AIDS organizations.
At age 11, entered the Royal Academy of Music, but quit just before graduation to pursue a rock career.
He was twice a former Chairman of Watford Football Club.
1994: Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
He was a friend of the late rock singer Freddie Mercury and performed at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert.
Reformed drug addict, alcoholic and bulimic.
Christmas hits: "Step into Christmas" (1973) and "Cold as Christmas (In the Middle of the Year)" (1983).
Dusty Springfield sang backing vocals on his song "The Bitch is Back".
Covered the The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" in 1974, for the film All This and World War II (1976). John Lennon is featured in this recording, credited as "Dr. Winston O'Boogie".
His song "Philadelphia Freedom" was a tribute to tennis star Billie Jean King.
1976: Covered The Who's "Pinball Wizard", for the film Tommy (1975); in the film, he is shown performing the song while playing a pinball machine integrated with a miniature piano keyboard. To date (2010), this is the only cover of a Who song to break the top 10. As a tongue-in-cheek "revenge", on the 1991 Elton John/Bernie Taupin tribute album "Two Rooms", The Who contributed a cover of the song "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting", performed as if it were a Who composition.
His hit "Song for Guy" was a tribute to Guy Burchett, Rocket Records messenger who was killed in a motorcycle accident.
His song "Empty Garden" is a tribute to John Lennon.
Stevie Wonder played harmonica on his song "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues".
His song "Act of War" was a duet with Millie Jackson.
Sang a duet with Cliff Richard called "Slow Rivers".
Duet with Jennifer Rush: "Flames of Paradise".
Duet with Aretha Franklin: "Through the Storm".
Duet with Eric Clapton: "Runaway Train".
1991: Had a UK #1 with his live duet with George Michael, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me".
Has played the piano since he was four years old.
1974: During one of his concerts at Madison Square Garden, John Lennon joined him on stage to perform three songs. This was part of a bet that if Lennon's song "Whatever Gets You Through the Night" went to #1, he would join Elton on stage. This proved to be Lennon's last on-stage performance.
Is the Godfather of John Lennon's son, Sean Lennon, Elizabeth Hurley's son Damian and David Beckham and Victoria Beckham's sons Brooklyn and Romeo.
Often parodied on "Saturday Night Live" (1975) by Horatio Sanz.
Started wearing glasses to copy one of his idols, Buddy Holly. After a while, his eyes adjusted to the lenses and he's worn glasses ever since.
His partner, filmmaker David Furnish, made the documentary about Elton, Elton John: Tantrums & Tiaras (1997) (TV).
Long-time collaborator, lyricist Bernie Taupin.
He has teamed up with lyricist Tim Rice on four projects. The songs for the films The Lion King (1994), The Road to El Dorado (2000) and the Broadway stage productions of "The Lion King" and "Aida".
Duets he sang with Kiki Dee are "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" and "True Love".
Is a co-owner of the chic Sunset Strip restaurant Le Dome in Hollywood.
Sang with Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight on the song "That's What Friends Are For".
1994: Re-recorded his 1976 hit "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", this time as a duet with RuPaul.
The song "You Can Make History (Young Again)" was a tribute to fashion designer Gianni Versace.
Sang the duet "Donner Pour Donner" in French with singer France Gall.
His parents, Sheila and Stanley Dwight, divorced when he was young. His mother then married Fred Farebrother, whom Elton affectionately dubbed 'Derf.'
Covered the Kiki Dee song "Sugar on the Floor".
Covered the Queen song "The Show Must Go On".
Covered the John Lennon song "Give Peace a Chance" on his four-CD boxed set "To Be Continued...".
Gave friend Rod Stewart the nickname "Phyllis".
Likes Indian food.
Duet with Luciano Pavarotti: "Live Like Horses".
2/6/04: Attended the special dinner at Sony Studios in Los Angeles to honor singer and activist Sting as MusiCares 2004's Person of the Year. The evening celebrated Sting's contribution to popular music, honored his charitable work with Amnesty International and the Rainforest Foundation. Other stars in attendance included Kylie Minogue and Dido.
Enjoys tennis.
His song "On Dark Street" features back-up vocals by Kiki Dee.
His song "All the Young Girls Love Alice" is a tribute to Alice Cooper.
Stated once in the 1970s that if he ever had a daughter, he would name her "Umbrella".
Auditioned for the lead vocalist spot in the band King Crimson but was turned down.
When Steve Winwood left the Spencer Davis Group to form Traffic, he auditioned to take Winwood's place. Unfortunately, he was turned down.
2000: Nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award (1999 season) for Best New Musical for "The Lion King" at the Lyceum Theatre.
2004: Recipient of the Kennedy Center Honours, along with Joan Sutherland, John Williams, Warren Beatty, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee.
Has epilepsy.
7/99: Had a pacemaker fitted to correct an irregular heartbeat following an episode of angina on an airplane.
1/87: Underwent laser surgery to remove nodules from his vocal chords in Australia. This followed a televised concert with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in which his voice sounded noticeably rough. In 2004 he admitted this problem had been caused by smoking too many drugs, including marijuana.
2001: Declared that "Songs from the West Coast" would be his final studio album, and thereafter he would concentrate on just live performances. In 2004, however, he released a new album, "Peachtree Road", which despite some favorable reviews flopped in every country it was released in.
1976 song "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" was about his real life suicide attempt.
He is a close friend of David Beckham, Billy Connolly and Billy Joel.
He was voted the 49th Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artist of all time by Rolling Stone magazine.
Sang a duet with Luciano Pavarotti called "Live Like Horses".
Covered the John Lennon song "Give Peace a Chance" on his four-CD boxed set "To Be Continued...".
1/17/97: Covered the Queen song "The Show Must Go On" at the Theatre National de Chaillot in Paris, for the gala opening night of "Le Presbytere n'a rien perdu de son charme ni le jardin de son eclat", a moving work inspired by the premature deaths of Freddie Mercury and the company's principal dancer Jorge Donn.
1991: Had a UK #1 hit with his live duet with George Michael, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me".
Came up with the name Elton John from Soft Machine saxophone player Elton Dean and Long John Baldry.
One of his all-time favorite singers is Country Music Hall-Of-Fame legend "Gentleman" Jim Reeves (1923-1964). Reportedly he once considered recording Reeves' mega-hit (on both Pop and Country Charts) "He'll Have To Go" (1960), but decided he couldn't possibly top Reeves' version.
Registered his civil partnership with long-term partner David Furnish at Windsor Town Hall on December 21, 2005, the first day that civil unions were legal in England and Wales. The ceremony was performed by Registrar Clair Williams, who also presided over the union between Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles.
1991: Winner of the Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist.
1986: Winner of the British Phonographic Industry award for Outstanding Contribution.
2002: Presented (along with musical partner Bernie Taupin) with the Music Industry Trusts' Award for his outstanding contribution to the British music industry.
As of March 2006, he has 10 godchildren.
Estimated in 2006 to have sold 250 million albums during his career.
In the Independent of Sunday 2006 Pink List - a list of the most influential gay men and women - he came no. 2, down from no. 1.
1995: Winner of the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution. Having previously won the award in 1986, he became the first person to win the award twice as a solo artist, a record which still stands in 2008.
His 1994 album "The Lion King" sold 15 million copies in the United States.
Sang a song with Tupac Shakur called "Ghetto Gospel".
Helped compose the single 'I Don't Like Dancin' with The Scissor Sisters.
2004: Winner of the Q Classic Songwriter Award.
Is one of the few artists such as Madonna and Kylie Minogue with #1 hits in both '80s, '90s and '00s.
Started piano lessons at age four, and showed promise as a musician at an early age.
Sang in his first and only concert in Puerto Rico in the Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot on April 28th 2007.
1992: Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Plays Yamaha concert grand pianos. Yamaha have also produced the Elton John Limited Edition Signature Series Red Piano, based on his Vegas show, The Red Piano.
Names The Beatles as a major musical inspiration and became friends with all the members of the band.
Ranked #17 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Rock & Roll.
In 2007, Forbes Magazine reported his earnings to be approximately $53 million for the year.
Raised $2.5m for Hillary Rodham Clinton's US presidential campaign with a concert at New York's Radio City Music Hall.
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6915 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
Won Broadway's Tony Award for Best Musical "Billy Elliot" for which he composed the music and Lee Hall wrote the Book and Lyrics.
Won a Tony for Original Musical Score in 2000 alongside Tim Rice for their work on "Aida". He was also nominated in the same category in 1998 for the musical version of The Lion King (1994) (alongside Tim Rice, Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor and Hans Zimmer) and in 2009 for the musical version of Billy Elliot (2000) alongside Lee Hall.
Collaborated with Kiki Dee at Cherokee Studios for a duet "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" in 1976. "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" was also his first No. 1 single in the UK, topping the chart for six weeks in mid 1976. It also became his sixth No. 1 single in the US, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks.
The Sunday Times List estimated his net worth at $287 million. [2009]
He has had at least one charted Billboard hit every year from 1970-2009.
Lives in London, United Kingdom, Nice, France and Atlanta, Georgia.
Merited a position in Time magazine's - The 100 Most Influential People in the World ("Artists" category) - with an homage penned by Stephen Daldry. [May 10, 2010]
His son, Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John, with partner David Furnish, was born via surrogate on 25 December 2010.
A guest at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert.
Elton and his partner David Furnish welcomed their second son Elijah Joseph Daniel on Friday January 11, 2013.
When he was still a session musician, Elton played piano on British band The Hollies' 1969 smash hit, "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", for which he was paid £12.

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