"The Captain and The Kid" due in September? Elton says so...

Sir Elton works on ‘Captain’ sequel in Atlanta
By RICHARD L. ELDREDGE
Wednesday, March 8, 2006, 01:27 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

HOLLYWOOD — Perhaps sensing our Aretha Franklin-esque aversion to air travel, Elton John generously gave Buzz a scoop Sunday night during his 14th annual Elton John AIDS Foundation benefit Oscar party at the Pacific Design Center. The singer-songwriter confided that in addition to readying “Lestat” for Broadway and performing his “Red Piano” tour dates in Las Vegas, he’s been spending time in his adopted U.S. hometown recording.

“I’ve been in Atlanta recording for the past three weeks,” John said. “It’s going brilliantly. We’re halfway through.”

The pop star has been working with Atlanta engineer Matt Still, who also assisted John in producing his 2004 studio disc “Peachtree Road” in Atlanta.

The upcoming album is “The Captain and the Kid,” a long-awaited sequel to Sir Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin’s classic 1975 recording “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.” Presumably, the new album would pick up the storytelling threads of the first album’s song cycle 30 years later.

John told Buzz the new album is due in stores in September.