The one musician Elton John called “a true genius”
The term ‘genius’ should be reserved for a select few in the music industry, such as Elton John.
For an artist to earn that tag, they need to be generation-defining and leave a mark on the musical landscape that can be felt long after their arrival. They must be more than talented at their craft; they need to be a visionary who changes how their art form is viewed and an inspiration to others.
While, of course, the term is subjective, and any music fan can put forward a strong case for one of their favourite artists to be a genius, there are a few names that have credentials that are impossible to deny.
One of those in that exclusive club is Prince. Not only was he one of the greatest guitarists and songwriters to ever live, but an unpredictable figure who played the music industry game strictly on his own terms. After all, there’s nobody else who is brave enough to have changed his moniker to a symbol.
Although Elton spent a considerable amount of time in Prince’s company, he didn’t come any closer to figuring him out than we mere mortals. While he portrayed a larger-than-life persona on stage that seemed like a work of fiction, Prince truly was like that behind the scenes. Elton never quite worked him out as a character and always felt that he was an “unearthly” presence born on a different planet.
Their first meeting came at a restaurant in Los Angeles following a Grammy ceremony, which was a rocky start. John later recounted the experience in Duane Tudahi’s book Prince and the Parade and Sign O’ the Times Era Studio Sessions: 1985 and 1986. “He was standing alone by a wall, so I went up and introduced myself to him: ‘Hi, my name’s Elton, and I’m a huge fan of yours, and I just wanted to say… ‘That was as far as I got – Prince just walked off without a word,” John said.
While John wasn’t best pleased that Prince ignored him, it didn’t dilute his appreciation for him as an artist. He recalled: “As you can imagine, that was quite a deflating experience, but I knew how shy he was – everyone knew how shy Prince was – and I loved his music so much that a few years later, I tried again.”
Only a year later, Prince began a six-month residency at the Club Rio in Las Vegas, and Elton was in attendance to witness the spectacle. Before a performance, they spoke backstage, which led to Elton agreeing to duet with Prince on ‘The Long and Winding Road’ by The Beatles during the concert. However, yet again, Elton was left high and dry. “So I went on stage with him, and we started playing ‘The Long and Winding Road’. It’s sounding great. Midway through the song, I looked around. No Prince: he’d just walked off again,” he remembered.
Thankfully, the two finally did duet on The Beatles track in 2007 at London’s O2 Arena, which Elton compared to singing alongside “John Lennon, or Bob Dylan, or Ray Charles”. It was a memory that will last with him forever, and one that he lists among his most cherished musical achievements.
2016 was among the darkest years in the history of music due to the deaths of a number of musical greats, including Prince. Following his passing, John hailed him as “the greatest performer I have ever seen” and “a true genius”.
While Prince wasn’t extended an invite to St Tropez in the summer to Elton’s summer house, the ‘Rocket Man’ couldn’t have more respect for him as an artist and performer, who he believes is among the greatest ever to do it.
