Originally posted Thursday November 05, 2009 09:15 AM EST
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Elton John Cancels Tour: E-Coli Blamed » Right On Music
Elton John has canceled several shows after suffering from flu-like symptoms and extreme fatigue.
The 62-year-old icon was hospitalized and is being treated for an E. coli bacterial infection and influenza, but told fans,
Dont worry, Im fine.
Johns civil spouse, David Furnish, also came out to reassure fans saying, Hes OK. Hes fine.
Wow, what a setlist!
* For the first time in almost 15 years, the legendary Elton John and Ray Cooper are reunited on stage.
* The duo will perform together in September and October 2009. Concert Live will record these special shows, creating an instant live CD at all European dates on the tour.
* Each 3CD live recording is presented in exclusive packaging with bespoke artwork and including a double CD from the performance and an innovative 3rd encore disc.
* This means that for the first time ever, fans collecting at-concert will be able to download the end of the concert as soon as they get home, and get the live CD the moment the show finishes!
* This is THE must have live CD for any Elton John fan and these CDs are strictly limited edition, so pre-order now. Just click the image to order your copy.
Elton John and percussionist Ray Cooper perform together in September and October 2009 and once again Concert Live will record these shows and create an instant CD. Concert Live are recording the following dates in France and Italy, mixing these CDs in real time and producing the ultimate deluxe 3CD souvenir set from this tour.
Guy Babylon, keyboard played in the E.J. band, died in L.A, Septembe
September 3, 2009
By the Editor/eltonjohn.com
It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden death of Guy Babylon, keyboard played in the Elton John band. Guy died in Los Angeles on Wednesday,
September 2.
Elton, who is on holiday in Nice, France, said the following when he heard the news:
"I am devastated and heartbroken at the death of Guy Babylon. Guy played over 1000 shows with me, and we worked together on The Road To El Dorado, Aida, Billy Elliot, Lestat and Gnomeo and Juliet, as well as on countless albums. "He was one of the most brilliant musicians I ever knew, a true genius, a gentle angel - and I loved him so much. David and I send our deep condolences to Kathy, Max, Ben and Jessica, to Guy's parents, to Kathy's parents and to all his immediate loved ones."
Keyboardist/composer Guy Babylon was born on 20 December, 1956 in Maryland, USA. He moved to California in 1980, six months after graduating from the University of South Florida, and became a respected session musician in Los Angeles.
Over the next number of years, Guy composed music for radio, TV and cable shows,
doing demo work for bands and songwriters, and putting together a home studio in
North Hollywood. During that time he played with acts as diverse as Iron Butterfly and Tavares, and was a member of the band Ashton, which also included future Elton John bassist, Bob Birch.
Guy's career accelerated in March 1987 when he won Keyboard Magazine's Reader
Tape Contest with his entry, Babylon Bleu. Also in 1987, Guy co-wrote and performed on Siedah Garrett's K.I.S.S.I.N.G., which became a Number One dance
hit in the US.
It was also around this time that Guy first met Elton's guitarist and band leader, Davey Johnstone.
More than a year after playing keyboards on a side project of Davey's, Guy got a
call from the guitarist asking if he was interested in playing some live shows as Elton's second keyboardist, joining Fred Mandel. He said he'd be happy to.
Guy's first performance with Elton was for a benefit at the Century Plaza Hotel
in Los Angeles in July 1988, and his first world tour as part of the Elton John Band began two months later in Miami, Florida.
Guy became lead keyboardist on May 26, 1992, and has been the only synth man on
stage since the Walden Woods Benefit Concert in the fall of 1993.
Guy also created musical intros to some of the tour's opening numbers, including
Bennie And The Jets (1989), Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me, (1992) and Pinball
Wizard (1993), and reinterpreted the synthesizer intro to Funeral For A Friend
for the live shows.
Guy's first studio work with Elton was on the 1989 album Sleeping With The Past.
Other albums he performed on since then are The One, Duets, The Lion King, Made
In England, Love Songs, The Big Picture, Elton John & Tim Rice's Aida, Peachtree
Road, The Captain And The Kid and The Red Piano, as well as other one-off
projects.
Guy began writing orchestral arrangements for Elton's material with the song Man, from the album Made In England, and subsequently arranged all but one of the songs on Peachtree Road.
Guy won a Grammy Award in 2001 for his work arranging the stage musical Aida.
He served as the Musical Supervisor, Orchestrator, and Synth Programmer for the
musical Lestat, which opened on Broadway in April 2006, also worked on The Muse,
The Road To El Dorado, Billy Elliot The Musical and Gnomeo and Juliet.
The Face 2 Face tour featuring co-headliners Elton John [ tickets ] and Billy Joel [ tickets ], which has been on hold since last week after Joel came down with flu-like symptoms, is ready to roll again.
According to John's official website, shows set for Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Ballpark on Thursday (7/30) and Saturday (8/1) are expected to go on as scheduled.
The times Union Center in Albany New York has released a statement indicating that there will be a concert delay for a performance scheduled there for Monday July 27th, 2009. This is the second postponed concert in New York during the past week. Promoters for the hugely popular tour of Billy Joel and Elton John indicate that Joels doctors are advising him not to perform because of flu-like symptoms and severe fatigue. On July 24th, 2009, Buffalo New Yorks HSBC Arena had to postpone their scheduled concert as well. The Elton John and Billy Joel Face 2 Face tour has been the nation's top-grossing concert tour for the last two months running. There are 2 more scheduled concerts in Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA later next week on July 30th and August 1st. It is unknown whether Billy Joel will feel up to performing by then.
Rolling Stones, White Stripes, Nirvana Songs Join Guitar Hero 5?
7/15/09, 7:00 pm EST
The Rolling Stones, Elton John, the White Stripes and Nirvana are among the highlights in the latest wave of rockers who will have songs features on the upcoming Guitar Hero 5 music video game. For the White Stripes, who provide their Get Behind Me Satan opener Blue Orchid, and Elton John, whose Saturday Nights Alright (For Fighting) will be alright for playing, GH5 marks the first time their songs have appeared on a music video game.
`Billy Elliot' wins 10 Tonys; `Carnage' best play - Yahoo! News
By MICHAEL KUCHWARA, AP Drama Writer Michael Kuchwara, Ap Drama Writer – 1 hr 43 mins ago
NEW YORK – Broadway's Tonys seemed a family affair this year, with an outpouring of generosity from winners to losers despite the domination of the evening by "Billy Eliot," which won 10 awards, and one actor bringing his wife to the stage to stand by him while he accepted his prize.
"I'd like to congratulate the writers of 'Next to Normal,'" said a gracious Elton John, standing in the middle of cast members and producers after his show, "Billy Eliot," won the best musical prize. "Thank you for accepting us on Broadway. ... We came here at a hard time economically. You opened your hearts and you opened your wallets."
In one of the evening's rare upsets, John lost the award for score to "Next to Normal."
Los Angeles Times, CA
Also set to appear is Elton John, who will perform with the ensemble from "Billy Elliot: The Musical," for which the singer is nominated for his score.
"That's just awful," Elton John said in an interview on AccessHollywood.com. "When you see places like Iowa saying yes, there's now five states in America (where same-sex marriage is legal). California is supposed to be a progressive state. It defies logic to me. I'm very disappointed."
NEW YORK — Elton John, accompanied by his longtime partner, David Furnish, had some choice words about California's Proposition 8, the ban on same-sex marriage that passed on Nov. 4.In December 2005, John and Furnish tied the knot in a civil partnership ceremony in Windsor, England. But, clarified the singer, "We're not married. Let's get that right. We have a civil partnership. What is wrong with Proposition 8 is that they went for marriage. Marriage is going to put a lot of people off, the word marriage."
John and Furnish, and their two cocker spaniels, Marilyn and Arthur, were in town for Tuesday's annual benefit for the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
"I don't want to be married. I'm very happy with a civil partnership. If gay people want to get married, or get together, they should have a civil partnership," John says. "The word 'marriage,' I think, puts a lot of people off.
"You get the same equal rights that we do when we have a civil partnership. Heterosexual people get married. We can have civil partnerships."
Ben & Jerry’s relaunches limited Elton John flavor
21 May 2009
BURLINGTON, Vt. — After launching a one-week, limited edition flavor to recognize Elton John’s first trip to Vermont, and to raise money for the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF), Ben & Jerry’s has relaunched its Goodbye Yellow Brick Road ice cream flavor.
Fans of Elton John’s music and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream sent hundreds of e-mails and many more phone calls to Ben & Jerry’s Vermont headquarters calling for the return of the popular flavor, which features chocolate ice cream, peanut butter cookie dough, butter brickle and white chocolate chunks.
A portion of the proceeds from the sales of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road will go to support the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
Broadway Billy Leads With 15 Tony Nominations
Date: 5 May 2009
Any lingering worries that Americans might not “get” the quintessentially English working-class screen-to-stage hit Billy Elliot are banished once and for all today as the Broadway transfer of the musical dominates the race for the 63rd annual Tony Awards. In the shortlists, announced this morning in New York, Billy Elliot has earned a whopping 15 nominations, more than any other production – its next closest rival, US suburban musical Next to Normal, clocks in with 11 nominations.
Elton John no longer standing on Vegas; ends run
By OSKAR GARCIA – 8 hours ago
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Rocket Man bid farewell to the Las Vegas Strip Wednesday after five years and 241 shows at Caesars Palace — but said it won't necessarily be a long, long time before he returns.
Wearing a bright red shirt that matched his piano and a coat emblazoned with "Las Vegas Pirates" on its back and "Captain Elton" on its right sleeve, Elton John rolled through his hits and reflected on his time at the Colosseum, a stage he famously shared with Celine Dion, Bette Midler and Cher.
"The ex-home of Celine Dion ... and now it's the ex-home of Elton John as well," the 62-year-old said. John said later in the show that he'd like to see Dion play the venue again.
"Who are you going to get to fill in our shoes now?" he said. "You've got Bette Midler, you've got Cher. It's gonna be the Village People next."
John initially signed on for 75 shows over three years when his run began in February 2004, but casino officials say the deal was expanded because of demand.
"I really have enjoyed every single moment of this engagement," the five-time Grammy winner said after opening the show with "Bennie and the Jets."
April 21, 2009 11:20 PM
Acclaimed singer, songwriter and performer, Elton John takes final bow at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace for his final performance of his hit show "The Red Piano."
"The Red Piano" was originally booked for 75 shows over three years. Responding to overwhelming demand, the resort accelerated the number of shows presented each year, completing the original commitment in only 18 months. During this time Caesars Palace extended the agreement for an additional 166 shows for a final engagement total of 241.
His final show will be Wednesday, April 22.
Billy Joel edges out Elton John in double-header
By Erik Pedersen
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - On the surface, it always has seemed like a natural pairing: two of the rock era's most successful acts -- piano-based or otherwise -- dispensing hit after hit after hit.
But look a little deeper and the contrasts between Elton John and Billy Joel far outweigh the similarities. And their latest Face 2 Face arena show Saturday at Anaheim's Honda Center again hammered home those differences, even as the packed house cheered the pop feast.
The most obvious is the performing styles. Both men still have a command of their instrument, but their manic stage days are behind them. And that's fine; John turned 62 last Wednesday, and Joel hits 60 in May.
But latter-day John is all about the music, mostly sitting stoically at his piano; Joel's still about the show, his eighty-eight on a rotator so that every in-the-round patron got a good look. John prefers a quiet dignity onstage, only occasionally addressing the audience; Joel is demonstrative, offering some rimshot-worthy shtick.
Basically, John plays to the crowd; Joel feeds off it. So while Sir Elton will never cede the catalog crown, in his stage battle with the kid from Long Island, the latter continues to win the Face 2 Faceoffs.
John's voice for years was one of the most distinctive in rock. He sounded fine Saturday and still can sing with power, but that instantly recognizable bite is gone. He was at his best during the many slow songs, when his pipes weren't forced to keep pace with the music; "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting," for example, was a kitten compared to its beastly original.
So John's solo set was heavy with ballads, which certainly isn't a bad thing. Those irresistible sing-along choruses wrap around often moving verses on topics of joy or pain, cryptic or barefaced, while he piles on the marvelous melodies. Highlights included the mournful "Daniel" and a superbly elongated "Rocket Man."
Elvis Crespo Accused Of Mile-High Masturbation
The Grammy winner was masturbating in view of other passengers Thursday, prompting the plane's captain to radio the Miami International Airport's air traffic control tower, the police report said.
Officers interviewed Crespo upon his arrival but did not arrest him. No charges have been filed.
When asked by police at the airport about the accusation, the 37-year-old Puerto Rican singer said: "I don't recall doing that."
4:58 pm March 25, 2009, by Richard Eldredge
In honor of Sir Elton John’s 62nd birthday Wednesday, we opted to celebrate by assembling a new edition of EJ the DJ for Buzz readers.
So what exactly is EJ the DJ?
Well, whenever we have a conversation with the Peachtree Road resident, we ask John, arguably the world’s biggest music fan, to let us in on what he’s currently listening to.
We essentially snatched the idea from the pop star’s decades-long tradition of popping by radio stations here and across the pond to spin his favorite new artists.
As usual, John delivered a diverse batch of tunes and artists, a few of which can’t be instantly obtained in the U.S., even if a multitude of record shops still existed.
First up, Sir Elton is hooked on the single “Walking on a Dream” from Australia duo Empire of the Sun. The MGMT-esque pop pairing is a collaboration between The Sleepy Jackson’s Luke Steele and Pnau frontman Nick Littlemore. The single and remixes can currently be downloaded off iTunes. Empire’s full debut album is due stateside April 21.
“They’ve got a terrific sense of melody,” John told us. “I was just listening to it again this morning.”
According toa recent survey by Harris Interactive for VisitBritain, the national tourist office for England ,Scotland andWales, one in three U.S. adults listens to British music regularly over any other non-U.S. musical artists. And which British musical artists do they listen to? Forty-eight percent said the Beatles, 49 percent said Elton John, and 41 percent said the Rolling Stones. Hard to believe that Elton John ranked ahead of the Beatles.
AP - Akon who has gone through legal woes and bad publicity himself says he'd be willing to work with pop's latest problem child, Chris Brown.
Sorry, Billy Joel and Elton John fans. You will have to wait until next year to come face to face with the "Face to Face" tour in the New York area
Elton John, Billy Joel play same old songs
Tue Mar 3, 2009 9:51pm EST
By Jeff Vrabel
JACKSONVILLE, Florida (Billboard) - Elton John and Billy Joel's latest tour kicked off to a packed house in Jacksonville, Fla., on Monday, operating under the simple business model: maximized reward, exceedingly minimized risk.
The three-plus-hour event was steeped in hits and nostalgia. The youngest song was the title track from Joel's last pop album, 1993's "River of Dreams."
After a timely spin through "Allentown," Joel's 1982 ballad of economic gloom, Joel said: "Speaking of unemployment, we're just happy you're keeping us in business. We're happy to have a job."
Joel's words rang true, but there wasn't much worry about that: They last toured together in 2003, when they grossed $45.8 million from just 24 shows, all sellouts. Top tickets prices for this tour are similar to those of the 2003 dates: around $175.
"Our ticket prices are the same as you'd see anyone else, but there's two of us," John said in a November 2008 appearance on "The View." "In this day and age, we hope to be getting people value for their money."
Many of the dates on the tour are configured in 360 degrees, significantly boosting capacity in those arenas.
As on previous treks, the two men performed together at the top of the show, with their individual bands for hour-long sets, and then reunited for encores that included John's "The Bitch Is Back," a Beatles medley, and Joel's "Piano Man."
The itinerary, which includes two summer performances at Chicago's Wrigley Field, is still under construction, and will be for some time yet. During his set, John said he was looking forward to "a couple of years" of dates. The tour next visits Tampa's St. Pete Times Forum on Thursday.
(Editing by Dean Goodman at Reuters)
Maybe it's just because this is my favorite Elton John song anyway, but it was one of the only tracks that didn't seem completely bloated and overblown with the 88-piece orchestra booming behind it.
It’s Elton John’s crowning achievement, the very peak of his career. It’s also one of the best double albums ever released, and should no doubt be held at the same level of prestige as other LPs that utilize four sides of vinyl such as Blonde on Blonde from Bob Dylan.
Elton John For Emenim album?
It’s claimed the wig haired star will appear on Relapse when it’s released this year…
Sir Elton John could feature on the new album by rapper Eminem- according to reports.
The Independent newspaper says the pair were spotted together in a Detroit studio late last year and may have recorded together. A source told them: “He stayed half a week… No one realised the significance, though the Detroit Free Press did mention that Elton had been in town.
“He and Em worked together before, when they did that duet at the Grammys, and had always said that they'd record something original together. Em has huge respect for Elton, and the feeling is mutual.”
Elton John is a long time fan of Shady despite accusations of homophobia leveled at the rapper.
The unlikely friends performed Stan at the Grammys way back in 2001.
The witness told the paper: “Elton really gets his music. Anything they produce will be total dope.
“Some of Em's biggest records have been collaborations with mainstream pop stars – Dido on Stan, for example – and they really don't come much bigger, or more mainstream, than the man with the red piano."
50 Cent and Dr Dre are already confirmed to appear on Relapse when it’s released this Spring.
Senator Settles BCS Bet by Singing 'Rocket Man'
By BEN EVANS – 1 day ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — Forget all those inaugural concerts. The most pressing musical issue in the nation's capital is whether a stone-face senator from Oklahoma will hit the high notes in "Rocket Man" to pay off a college football bet.
Republican Sen. Tom Coburn is slated to serenade Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida with his very own rendition of Elton John's 1970s classic Wednesday afternoon.
Coburn owes Nelson because the Florida Gators defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 24-14 in last week's BCS title game. Nelson chose "Rocket Man" because he is a former astronaut who flew on the space shuttle Columbia in the 1980s.
If Oklahoma had won, Nelson would have had to sing the title song from the musical "Oklahoma!" It also happens to be the official state song.
Coburn spokesman John Hart said his boss won't wear a leisure suit for the performance but would be ready. He acknowledged the vocal range for "Rocket Man" is a "bit more expansive" than for the song Nelson would've had to sing.
Coburn's singing talents may be untested, but he does have a family pedigree. His daughter, Sarah Coburn, is a nationally acclaimed opera singer who has performed alongside the likes of Placido Domingo.
Coburn, a physician, is best known as a budget hawk who has given Senate Democrats headaches for years by using procedural tactics to block new spending measures.
Nelson spokesman Dan McLaughlin said the senator "is looking forward to settling the wager in good spirit and with a sense of humor."
It's not the first time Nelson has won an unusual football bet with a Senate colleague. Two years ago, he perched on one knee over Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and counted as Brown tried to do 55 push-ups. The number equaled the total score of that season's BCS title game in which Florida beat Ohio State 44-14.
Brown only made it to 43, and Nelson finished the rest.
Billy Joel and Elton John to play Conseco - News- msnbc.com
Indianapolis - In a big announcement, two music legends are coming to Conseco Fieldhouse together.
Elton John and Billy Joel are extending their concert tour and coming to Indianapolis in May. According to promoters, they'll open on twin pianos and trade vocals on a series of duets. A headlining set by each artist with his own band will follow. The shows will end with an encore featuring both headliners and their backing bands.
The concert is set for Conseco Fieldhouse on May 19th. Tickets go on sale Saturday at 10:00 am.
