Elton John is the most respected singer-songwriter in music history. The first book to take an intimate, critical look at Elton’s most famous output: from the 70s. Written by a respected musician and writer, with connections to Elton. In 1970, Elton John, formerly Reginald Kenneth Dwight, stepped from the obscurity of suburban Pinner, Middlesex, England, into a pop culture reeling from post-Beatles fallout, to become one of the biggest-selling recording artists in the world. To date he has sold over 300 million records from a discography of 30 studio albums, four live albums, over 100 singles, and a multitude of compilations, soundtracks and collaborations. He is the recipient of six Grammys and ten Ivor Novello awards, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1995 and knighted in 1998. In 2018 he embarked on what is intended to be his swansong world tour, Farewell Yellow Brick Road. This book covers the period from Elton’s earliest 1960s releases to his final 1970s album, Victim of Love. It is a critical overview of every track on the thirteen studio albums released in an era when Elton was at his most successful and that many fans consider to be the musical high-point of his career. Also included are the two live albums 17-11-70 and Here and There, and the trove of album-worthy B-sides that augmented the discography along the way. AUTHOR: Peter Kearns is an independent recording artist and traditional producer. Since the ‘80s he has performed live as keyboardist and/or recorded or co-written with artists as diverse as New Zealand’s Shona Laing, the UK’s Judie Tzuke, and New Yorker John Tabacco, being half of the duo Tabacco & Kearns. His 2007 debut album No Such Thing As Time featured King Crimson’s Tony Levin. As a writer he’s contributed regularly to Witchdoctor.co.nz - New Zealand’s technology and music website for grownups, as well as New Zealand Musician magazine and the Elton John fan club publication, East End Lights. He lives in Amberley, New Zealand.
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