Timeline : Elton John
"Bennie And The Jets," Elton John's song about a glam-rock goddess who wears electric boots and a mohair suit, hits #1 in America.
The Elton John TV special Say Goodbye To Norma Jean And Other Things airs on ABC.
John Lennon makes his last concert appearance when he joins Elton John on stage at Madison Square Garden, reciprocating for Elton's appearance on "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night" and making good on a bet he lost: Elton wagered that "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night" would hit #1 in the US, and when it did, Lennon owed the appearance. The pair perform that song and also do The Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There" and "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds."
John Lennon's "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night" hits #1 in America. Elton John, who sang and played piano on the track, had bet Lennon that it would hit the top spot. As the bet's loser, Lennon has to join Elton on stage at a Madison Square Garden concert, which he does on November 28 to a manic ovation.
Elton John's "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" hits #1 in the US. The Beatles' original, released in 1967 on the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album, wasn't released as a single.
Cher, who starred with her husband Sonny Bono in The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour from 1971-1974, gets her own show when Cher premieres on CBS. The first guests are Elton John, Bette Midler and Flip Wilson.
For her seventh birthday, Lisa Marie Presley meets her favorite singer, Elton John, a gift arranged by her father.
Elton John's "Philadelphia Freedom," named after the professional tennis team his friend Billie Jean King coaches, hits #1 on the Hot 100.
Elton John plays "Bennie And The Jets" and "Philadelphia Freedom" on Soul Train, becoming just the third white performer to appear on the show, after Dennis Coffey and Gino Vannelli.
Elton John makes a surprise appearance at a Doobie Brothers/Eagles concert at Oakland Coliseum, where he joins on the Doobies hit "Listen To The Music."
Elton John's Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy, with the hit "Someone Saved My Life Tonight," becomes the first album to debut at #1 in the US. It holds the top spot for seven (non-consecutive) weeks.
As part of "Elton John Week" in Los Angeles, Elton is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6901 Hollywood Blvd.
Neil Sedaka's "Bad Blood," with backup vocals by Elton John, hits #1 for the first of three weeks.
John Lennon names his good friend Elton John the godfather of his new son, Sean.
Elton John's "Island Girl" hits #1 in America for the first of three weeks, knocking off a song Elton sang backup on and released on his Rocket label: "Bad Blood" by Neil Sedaka.
Elton John becomes the first rock star since The Beatles to be immortalized at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in London.
Elton John's duet with Kiki Dee, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," hits #1 in the UK.
Elton John begins a record-breaking 10-night run of concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Elton John & Kiki Dee's "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" hits #1 in America for the first of four weeks.
Elton John appears on The Muppet Show, where he performs "Crocodile Rock," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," and "Don't Go Breaking My Heart." Elton is one of the inspirations for Dr. Teeth of the Muppets' house band, The Electric Mayhem.
The Madison Square Garden Hall of Fame inducts its first musician: Elton John.
At his Wembley Stadium concert in London, Elton John announces his retirement. Behind the scenes he's been struggling with addiction and trying to handle the stresses of stardom. He keeps a light schedule in 1978, but starts touring again in 1979.
Fifteen months after announcing his retirement on stage, Elton John is back in action in Stockholm with the first show of his A Single Man tour.
Elton John becomes the first western act to tour the U.S.S.R. when he plays the first of eight concerts at a show in Leningrad.
Elton John becomes the first Western rock star to play in Israel when he performs a concert in Jerusalem as part of a tour that also takes him to Russia, where he becomes one of the first Western rock stars to tour the Soviet Union.
While performing (ominously) "Better Off Dead" at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles, Elton John collapses at his piano and is rushed offstage. He returns 15 minutes later to finish the show, citing "exhaustion" as the cause of his collapse.
Elton John leaves longtime label MCA and signs with David Geffen's new label for a six-year contract.
Under the leadership of chairman Elton John, who has invested heavily in the team, the Watford Football Club is promoted to the First Division of English football with a win over Wrexham. The team was in the lowly Fourth Division when Elton took over as chairman in 1976.
Elton John marries studio assistant Renate Blauel in Sydney, Australia, shocking many of his fans and associates by choosing a woman as his life partner. Attendees include Olivia Newton-John and Rod Stewart. The couple split in 1987 and divorce a year later.
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