The musician Elton John calls his “idol”
Although he is ostensibly a pop star, Elton John comes from the rock ‘n’ roll tradition. Since childhood, John has had his finger on the pulse, with this acute cultural awareness playing a significant role in his status, alongside his undoubted talent.
Ahead of this year’s headline performance at Glastonbury Festival, which aptly brought the curtain down on a career of epic proportions that it was adapted into a hit blockbuster, John showed fans just how wide-reaching his musical taste stretches. Sitting down with Radio 1’s Clara Amfo, he named four artists to look out for at the extravaganza, which included the soul of Olivia Dean and the swaggering punk of Nova Twins.
Effusing about the new breed of female artists currently reinvigorating his beloved rock music, he said: “These girls rock my world. I’ve had them on the show, I’ve played their music’ till you know… It’s so wonderful what they’re doing, and there are so many girls out there rocking it.”
Elsewhere, when examining how he developed as an artist, Elton John has shown just how inextricable he is from the rock genre by outlining how pioneers such as Elvis Presley, Little Richard, The Beatles and even The Band left an enduring mark on him. However, for all of the legends he has cited as heroes, there is only one he bestows the title of idol: the late Leon Russell. Another piano-playing master who drew on forms such as Americana, gospel and R&B like John, you can hear much of where the ‘Rocket Man’ took his cues in his work.
When speaking to The Guardian for the ‘Soundtrack of My Life’ segment, John named “the song that introduced me to an idol” Russell’s 1971 effort, ‘A Song for You’. John explained: “When I heard that voice, I just went “Oh my god”. Then I met Leon. He was my idol and I went to America and I toured with him. I played second on the bill to him and he was so nice to me.”
He continued: “Instead of being offhand with me, and jealous, he was so supportive and encouraging and I played on stage with him. Many years later, I paid him back by making a record called The Union and salvaging him from the waste bin of life, because everyone had forgotten about him and I was so angry about it.”
Listen to ‘A Song for You’ below.
