Elton John the 'Rocketman' singer's life was nothing short of a roller-coaster ride

Elton John has been one of the most prominent faces in the music industry for over four decades. The singer, composer and pianist was born to the original name of Reginald Kenneth Dwight on March 25, 1947. Elton has won various accolades for his contribution to music and also earned the title of Knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II renaming him to Sir Elton Hercules John. He was also the first openly gay musician to receive such a prestigious honour. Read below to know about Sir Elton John's life story. 

Also read: Elton John and Sam Mendes' home address mistakenly published by British Government

Early Life

Elton John had an inclination towards music ever since he was a young kid. Being an ace pianist, he was awarded a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at the age of 11 where he continued to take music classes for the next five years. Elton has been very vocal about his troubled childhood and how his extravagant costumes during stage performances were his way of letting go of a regulatory childhood. Elton's mother, Sheila Eileen was, according to her, very controlling towards him. Elton has previously stated that he did not talk to his mother for years as they both shared differences in ideologies. In Sir Elton John's autobiography 'Me', his mother is depicted to be very sour towards him. In his younger days itself, Elton was introduced to Elvis Presley's music and style which later inspired his sense of style and charm. 

Also read: Elton John gets candid with Liam Plunkett, discusses cricket and upcoming performance

Career

Elton John earned his first commercial success with 1968's Lady Samantha, just two years after in 1970, Elton's first American album titled Elton John brought him global success. With his extroverted and energetic presence on stage, Elton started gaining attention from fans and music studious alike. This popularity allowed him to experiment with his music and blend genres which established him as an international star in the years coming forward. After basking international glory for two decades, Elton John also wrote songs for 1994's The Lion King which are still considered classics. Elton became the first mainstream pop star to come forward and declare his homosexuality. But along with unimaginable success, there was also a phase where Sir Elton John was going through dire personal issues due to alcohol and substance addiction. 

Also read: Elton John: Five best songs of the famed singer that are loved by all

Elton's struggles with drugs and alcohol 

During the 1970s and 80s, Elton went through a phase where he was dependent on alcohol and drugs. His struggle with addiction was also depicted in his biopic Rocketman which released in May 2019. Elton has stated that he abused multiple drugs along with alcohol. He has expressed it previously that he came very close to killing himself due to drugs. He has also recalled an incident in his autobiography where he had an epileptic seizure, turned blue and passed out, only to wake up again and start using drugs. Elton John had various of his friends died due to their dangerous lifestyles but it did not stop him from living the life he was. The singer later met an American teenager named Ryan White who contracted HIV through a contaminated blood transfusion. Though Ryan White did not survive the deadly disease, Elton states that his passing made him realize the wider aspect of life and Elton got sober within six months of Ryan's passing. Sir Elton John has been sober for over 25 years. 

Also read: Elton John: The Rocketman's Top 5 chartbusters one should not miss

Also read: Elton John has spoken about his strained relationship with his mother