The musicians Elton John always “wanted to be like”
Elton John is undoubtedly one of the most recognisable faces in pop music. Having recently resigned himself from touring after a fantastic performance at Glastonbury Festival, John leaves behind a musical treasure trove packed to the rafters with hits. Reaching the peak of his success during the 1970s, Elton has remained a stalwart of the British rock and pop scene for decades, but it was the early influence of rock ‘n’ roll that first inspired him to success.
Impressively, for a musician of his age and notoriety, Elton has always kept his finger on the pulse of current musical trends. Back in 2022, the ‘Rocket Man’ singer teamed up with rising Leeds post-punk stars Yard Act, recording a new version of their track ‘100% Endurance’. Other recent collaborations include the likes of Dua Lipa, Lil Nas X and Nicki Minaj, so it is fair to say that the star never lost touch.
While he may have inspired the next generation, Elton himself found his calling to music through early rock ‘n’ roll stars like Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis. Despite this, Elton’s early years were spent listening to jazz and pop stars. Speaking in 2021, he said: “I grew up in the late ’40s and early ’50s, so there was no rock ‘n’ roll. At that time I was listening to Kay Starr, Johnny Ray, Guy Mitchell, Frankie Lane, Nat King Cole and then of course, it all changed when I heard ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ by Elvis Presley”.
Elton is not alone, given that ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ acted as an awakening for countless young people when it was first released in 1956. Elvis was hugely influential in spawning the next generation of rock ‘n’ roll stars, including Elton John. “Things changed so radically when Elvis came along in the ’50s,” John said, “socially as well as musically”. His love for early rock ‘n’ roll is clear throughout his career. In fact, he first began wearing his trademark glasses as a means of imitating Buddy Holly while getting his start in music as a pub singer in the early 1960s.
Unsurprisingly, for the famed pianist, it was the influence of rock ‘n’ roll piano stars that inspired him to follow in their footsteps, “Then Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis hammering the shit out of the piano, that’s when I decided that I wanted to be like them”.
Although his humble beginnings as a pianist in a Watford pub may have been worlds away from the rock stardom of Little Richard, since then, Elton has certainly cemented himself as one of the definitive rock pianists.
Although Elton retired from performing this year, playing his last show in Stockholm in July, the songwriter is reportedly still working on a new album. With a career spanning over half a century and comprising countless hit songs, cult classics and iconic concerts, Elton has certainly left his mark on the face of pop and rock music.
