He's one of the best-selling artists in the world having sold over 300 million records during his hugely successful career. Now, Elton John is joining One World: Together at Home, a global broadcast to support frontline healthcare workers and the WHO. Although the 73-year-old announced his retirement, the music legend isn't quite finished. Elton is still performing his goodbye tour, Farewell Yellow Brick Road. The singer also recently released his autobiography, Me, in October 2019, which comes shortly after the Rocketman biopic. As one of the most successful musicians of all time, he's sure to have a high-fortune. If you've ever wondered how much the Rocket Man is worth, then here's all you need to know…
WATCH: Elton John on fatherhood and his farewell tour
Elton's net worth
As of May 2019, Elton John's net worth £320 million, as reported in the Sunday Times Rich List. However, this was reported just as the Rocketman biopic was released. So it's certainly possible that his net worth could have increased. Spear's Magazine in fact reported in November that Elton's net worth was £350 million. Elton is currently number 19 on the Forbes Rich List.
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© Photo: Getty ImagesElton's successful career has spanned for over half a century
Early life and career
Elton John, whose real name is Reginald Kenneth Dwight, was born and raised in Pinner, Middlesex. As a young boy, Elton learned to play piano and would listen to his mum's rock and roll records such as Elvis Presley. Elton then attended Saturday classes at the Royal Academy of Music in London for five years before starting a job as a pianist in local pubs, known then as 'Reggie'.
Along with Bernie Taupin, with whom he stills works alongside to this day, Elton started producing material for themselves and other artists. During this time, Elton legally changed his named to Elton Hercules John.
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© Photo: Getty ImagesElton John with Princess Diana at designer Gianni Versace's funeral
Once the glam-rock era of the 70s began, Elton had created his own label, the Rocket Label Record Company, and became known for his elaborate stage costumes and presence while performing. By this point, Elton had achieved global stardom and was touring Europe, US and Canada and Australia.
Throughout the 80s, the 90s and beyond, Elton continued to cement his place in modern music, becoming one of the most iconic and influential artists of all time. He has also been nominated and awarded many prestigious gongs such as an Ivor Novello, multiple Grammys and an Academy Award for his song Can You Feel the Love Tonight which appeared on the soundtrack for Disney's The Lion King in 1994. In 1995, Elton was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) and was knighted by the Queen in 1998.
After the death of close friend and fellow legendary musician Freddie Mercury in 1991, Elton founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation, a charity that still exists today and has raised over £155 million. In 1997, after the sudden death of close friend and fellow philanthropist, Princess Diana, Elton revised the lyrics to the 1973 track, Candle in the Wind, to honour her. Elton performed the song live only once, at Diana's funeral at Westminster Abbey. The song, which eventually sold over 33 million copies, became the best-selling single UK chart history.
© Photo: Getty ImagesElton and his husband David Furnish share two sons together
Relationships and family
In 1970, Elton started a relationship with Tamla Motown label manager John Reid (who then became his manager until 1998) but the relationship ended after five years. In 1984, Elton married Renate Blauel, but there was much speculation that the marriage was a cover for his sexuality. In 1976 Elton came out as bisexual in Rolling Stone magazine, before declaring in 1992 that he was "comfortable as a gay man."
In 1993, Elton began a relationship with David Furnish, a former advertising executive and filmmaker. The couple were among the first to form a civil partnership, shortly after the act came into force. After gay marriage was made legal in the UK in 2014, the couple wed on the ninth anniversary of their civil partnership.
Elton and David share two sons together, Zachary, born to a surrogate mother on 25 December 2010. Their younger son, Elijah, was born to the same surrogate on 11 January 2013. Elton is also godfather to a number of famous offspring, including Sean Lennon, son of John and Yoko Ono, and David and Victoria Beckham's two elder children, Brooklyn and Romeo, and Elizabeth Hurley's son Damian.
© Photo: Getty ImagesElton with Rocketman star Taron Egerton
Retirement and farewell tour
After a whirlwind career, Elton announced in early 2018 that he was going to retire. He then embarked on a farewell tour, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, that is due to last for three years and consist of over 300 concerts. He also released his autobiography, Me, in October 2019, shortly after the success of Rocketman, a biopic on Elton's life and career starring Taron Egerton.
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