by Olivia Bayer
Beloved music icon Sir Elton John prepares to say farewell in his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which is to be his last.
The 70-year-old singer has been touring since he was 17 and, as of 2015, has decided that his days on the road must come to an end.
In an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, John stated that he “can’t go on forever,” primary because of his personal life. The “rocket man” is married to Canadian filmmaker David Furnish, whom he shares two children with.
“My life has changed, my priorities have changed,” John said in the same CNN interview. “My priorities are my children and my husband.”
The tour is set “to be a long, long time,” as it will open Sept. 8 of this year and will touch back down in 2021. John will be performing a total of 300 shows around the world, traveling to five continents.
Even though this upcoming tour may be the singer’s final, John plans to continue making albums. Currently, he has 33 albums out, his most recent being “Wonderful Crazy Night,” which was released in 2016. His first album was “Empty Sky,” released in June of 1969. It was the 1970 album “Elton John” that included his first hit, “Your Song.”
As far as songs go, John has over 50 Top 40 Hits. For 31 consecutive years, at least one of his songs held a spot in the Billboard Hot 100, according to Wikipedia.
John has obtained a tremendous amount of success due to the help of his long-time lyricist, Bernie Taupin, who has helped the singer write the majority of his songs. Just last year, John released his greatest hits album, “Diamonds,” to celebrate the duo’s 50-year anniversary of partnership. Together, they have provided us with many incredible songs such as, “Levon,” “Rocket Man,” “Tiny Dancer” and so many more. The singer has come out with so many songs that nearly everyone knows.
For decades, John’s music has influenced many and, throughout the years, he has continued to provide fans with elaborate performances. From his glamorous outfits at different events to lively performances, he has truly been an influential role in the music industry.
John has produced a tremendous amount of music throughout his musical career and, though his tour days are coming to an end, this singer’s legacy will continue to live on for years to come.
John is starting his final tour in North America and will continue to travel around the globe over the course of the next three years; more dates for the later performances are still to be announced. Tickets go on sale beginning Feb. 2.
“It’s going to be the most produced, fantastic show I’ve ever done,” John said. “It’s a way of saying thank you and going out with a bang. I don’t want to go out with a whimper.”