Elton John ricorda Ryan White con una lettera

http://www.gaywave.it/articolo/elton-john-ricorda-ryan-white-con-una-lettera/11023/

Pubblicato da Gigio in Cultura Gay.

Lunedì, 26 Aprile 2010.

Elton John sempre attivo nella lotta contro il virus dell’HIV, ha scritto e pubblicato una lettera per Ryan White, il giovane ragazzo di 18 anni, diventato un’icona simbolo della lotta contro l’HIV dopo che la malattia gli era stata diagnosticata nel 1984, in onore del ventesimo anniversario della morte del ragazzo.
White era stato infettato in seguito ad una trasfusione di sangue contenente il virus dell’HIV. Nonostante gli avessero dato sei mesi di vita, è sopravvissuto per ben sei anni diventando un grande sostenitore della prevenzione, cura e tolleranza dell’AIDS.

” Venti anni fà in questo mese morivi di AIDS. Sarei stato onorato se fossi riuscito ad avere una conversazione in più con te, l’amico che ha cambiato la mia vita e quella di milioni di persone che vivono con l’HIV. Per questo ho deciso di scriverti.
Ricordo bene il nostro primo incontro. Un giovane ragazzo con una terribile malattia, eri un’epitome di grazia. Non hai mai incolpato nessuno per la malattia che distruggeva il tuo corpo resistendo fino alla fine.

Quando gli studenti, genitori e insegnanti nella tua comunità ti evitarono espellendoti dalla scuola hai reagito non con parole di odio ma cercando di capirli nonostante la tua giovane età. Così hai detto che erano semplicemente spaventati di qualcosa che non conoscevano.

Quando i media ti hanno chiamato la vittima innocente perché avevi contratto il virus attraverso una trasfusione di sangue, hai rifiutato quell’etichetta rimanendo solidale alle centinaia di uomini e donne sieropositive. Hai ricordato agli USA che tutte le vittime di AIDS sono innocenti.

Quando sei diventato una celebrità, hai approfittato della tua posizione per educare la nazione sull’epidemia dell’AIDS sebbene volessi soltanto vivere una vita normale.

Ryan, io spero tu possa sapere quanto il mondo sia cambiato dal 1990 e quanto tu abbia contribuito al suo cambiamento.

Ora i ragazzi e le ragazze affette da HIV frequentano la scuola e prendono medicine che permettono loro di mantenere una vita normale. Raramente i bambini in America nascono con il virus e non rischiano di contrarre il virus attraverso una trasfusione. Gli insulti e le ingiustizie che hai sofferto non sono tollerati dalla società.

La cosa più importante, Ryan, è che tu hai ispirato la consapevolezza che aiuta le persone a sopravvivere e a curarsi, con i trattamenti specifici.

Nel 1990, 4 mesi dopo la tua morte, il Congresso ha approvato il Ryan White Care Act, che ora offre oltre 2 miliardi di dollari ogni anno per le cure di AIDS a mezzo milione di Americani. Oggi innumerevoli persone sieropositive vivono una lunga vita.

Mi addolora molto sapere che tu non sia fra questi. Avevi solo 18 anni quando sei morto e ne avresti 38 oggi se solo le cure attuali sarebbero esistite quando eri malato. Penso a questo ogni giorno, perché l’America ha bisogno del tuo messaggio di compassione.

Ryan, quando eri vivo, la tua storia ha acceso diverse discussioni a livello nazionale sull’AIDS. Ma nonostante tutti i progressi negli ultimi 20 anni, il dialogo è diminuito. Io so che tu cercheresti di stimolarlo se fossi qui oggi, quando l’epidemia continua a decimare interi gruppi, con oltre 50,000 casi di contagio l’anno sono negli USA.

So che insisteresti supportando la National HIV/AIDS Strategy che è stata promessa dal Presidente Obama ma che ancora non è stata approvata. So che lavoreresti duramente per aiutare chiunque soffra di HIV, inclusi tutti quelli che vivono ai margini della società.

Saresti triste nel sapere che in alcune zone degli Stati Uniti alcune persone povere affette dal virus stiano ancora aspettando di ricevere la cura.

Ti arrabbieresti se sapessi che il tuo governo non faccia abbastanza per aiutare le persone con HIV e quelle popolazioni che rischiano di contrarre il virus, inclusi ragazzi e ragazze giovani.

Ti sconvolgerebbe sapere che l’AIDS è la piaga che causa la morte di molti Afroamericani.

T’infastidirebbe sapere che sebbene ci siano centinaia e migliaia di Americani sieropositivi che stanno ricevendo le cure grazie a te, oltre 200 000 non sanno di essere sieropositivi.

Ti arrabbieresti nel sapere che molti adolescenti non possono informarsi sui programmi di prevenzione dall’HIV per le scuole oggi che quasi la metà dei contagi colpiscono ragazzi al di sotto dei 25 anni.

Mi manchi molto Ryan. Ero al tuo fianco quando sei morto al Riley Hospital. Eravamo rimasti assieme ogni giorno. Mi hai convinto a cambiare la mia vita e a preoccuparmi del tuo lavoro. Grazie a te sono ancora nella lotta contro l’AIDS, dopo 20 anni. Ti prometto che non rimarrò fermo ma porterò avanti ciò per cui hai combattuto così coraggiosamente.
Il tuo amico,
Elton.

Immagini tratte da: digitaljournalist.org;

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Elton John in Concert

http://mcmahonfive.blogspot.com/2010/04/elton-john-in-concert.html

Happy Sunday!  Saturday Night Was Alright for us!  My Mom gave us tickets to see Elton John in concert last night (for our 18th wedding anniversary in May).  Well, they weren't only tickets they were INCREDIBLE tickets!  6th Row, Center!!!!!  THANKS MOM!!!

He saw me!  He's pointing at ME!  I knew all those self adhesive crystals I wore would make me stand out in the crowd.  LOL! (just kidding...no bling was harmed!)

He was amazing.  He played 2.5 hours NON-STOP.  No breaks!  Then he came back out for an Encore and sang 2 more songs!  Almost 3 hours of Elton John Live.  He sounds just as good live as he does on the radio.  He even still has his original drummer that started with him back in 1969.  I'm happy to say...that was before I was born.  (...barely, LOL!)  

This is me watching Elton.  If you look over my shoulder you can see Elton on the Big Screen.  Hubby took this shot while sitting down.  He had a pretty serious ladder fall last weekend that required surgery.  He is recovering well but still very sore and tired.  He had to sit down after a couple hours of standing.  His legs just couldn't take anymore.  He had a great time even though he had to watch parts of the show over my shoulder.  

If you ever get the chance to see Elton John in concert....DO IT!! He is definitely worth EVERY PENNY!  We have been to a LOT of concerts over the years and he is awesome!  Just a singing machine!  We wanted to see him while he was in Vegas but that didn't happen.  Thankfully he came to our area!  What an opportunity!  Thanks Mom and Elton for a fantastic evening!

Sir Elton John and Rob Thomas to Headline Andre Agassi Foundation for Education's 15th Grand Slam for Children Benefit Concert
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sir-elton-john-and-rob-thomas-to-headline-andre-agassi-foundation-for-educations-15th-grand-slam-for-children-benefit-concert-92084494.html

 

 

2010 CONCERT BENEFITS ANDRE AGASSI COLLEGE PREPARATORY ACADEMY AND SUPPORTS FOUNDATION'S WORK TO TRANSFORM EDUCATION

LAS VEGAS, April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- The Andre Agassi Foundation for Education (Foundation) today announced that Sir Elton John and Rob Thomas will headline its 15th Grand Slam for Children benefit concert. The annual event supports the Foundation's efforts to transform education and benefits the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy (Agassi Prep), a K-12 public charter school in Las Vegas that strives to provide children with a first-class education. Hosted by tennis legend and philanthropist Andre Agassi and presented by Genworth Financial, the 2010 Grand Slam for Children will take place Saturday, Oct. 9 at Wynn Las Vegas.
"Reaching our 15th Grand Slam is an incredible milestone, and the support we've gotten from both the artists and those involved with our Foundation have made that possible," said Andre Agassi. "We're honored that Elton & Rob will headline this special anniversary night, ultimately helping us make a difference in the lives of Agassi Prep students."
Celebrating its 15th year, the Grand Slam brings together international stars – from music to comedy – each year to build awareness and raise money for the Foundation. Dedicated to transforming education, the Foundation opened the Agassi Academy in 2001; in 2009, the public charter school graduated its first senior class with 100 percent of graduates accepted into college. The Foundation's work is directly impacting students in Las Vegas, Agassi's hometown community, but it has broader implications for education nationwide.
Since 1995, the Grand Slam has raised nearly $82 million, including $8 million from the 14th event, to support a movement that's improving education.
Additional top-name talent, who will be announced prior to the Oct. 9 event, will join Sir Elton John and Rob Thomas under the musical direction of Grammy Award-winning producer, arranger and composer David Foster.
The evening will include a cocktail reception, gourmet dinner, live auction and benefit concert. Sponsorships for the Grand Slam are still available at the following levels: Silver $10,000, Gold $17,500, Platinum $40,000, and Diamond $85,000.
About the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education
The Andre Agassi Foundation seeks to transform public education in two ways. Through its signature project, the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, the Foundation works to provide underserved children in Las Vegas with a first-class K-12 education to prepare them for excellence in college and beyond. Through state and national advocacy, the Foundation strives to increase investment in, and accountability for, public schools. To support the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education or to obtain additional information, please visit www.agassifoundation.org.
About Genworth Financial
Genworth Financial, Inc. is a leading financial security company meeting the retirement, longevity and lifestyle protection, investment and mortgage insurance needs of more than 15 million customers. It has a presence in more than 25 countries. For more information, visit www.genworth.com.
SOURCE The Andre Agassi Foundation for Education
Back to top RELATED LINKS
http://www.agassifoundation.org
http://www.genworth.com



Photos from The Grand Rapids Press - mlive.com
http://photos.mlive.com/grandrapidspress/2010/04/elton_john_25.html

Review, photos, video: Elton John rocks Van Andel Arena

By John Sinkevics | The Grand Rapids Press

April 25, 2010, 6:39AM

http://www.mlive.com/multimedia/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/04/photos_elton_john_at_van_andel.html

With his stock still rising in 1976 as the planet's biggest rock star, the zanily bespectacled Elton John toured mammoth U.S. stadiums sporting a Statue of Liberty costume and other furry, flashy, flamboyant, over-the-top attire. The 29-year-old keyboard king churned out 19 songs as he scurried across the stage and repeatedly leapt off of his gargantuan piano, at least according to notes I scribbled on my wrinkled concert program from that "Louder than Concorde But Not Quite as Pretty" tour that stopped at the Pontiac Silverdome.
On Saturday night in Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena, the now 63-year-old Elton didn't do much scurrying -- just the occasional stage-stalk, double fist-pump and awkward finger-pointing salute.
He never once sprang off of his black Yamaha grand piano, never attempted one of those trademark keyboard handstands he regularly pulled off during his glory days.

RELATED CONTENT

View photo gallery

OK, he did clamber up on his bench after an eye-popping, rollicking version of "Bennie and the Jets" and put one foot atop that piano before gingerly hopping back down to terra firma. But make no mistake, this now venerable, less gaudy superstar (who did wear a snazzy long black jacket adorned with an image of himself climbing out of the jaws of a crocodile) may be more on top of his live-concert game than at any time in his stunning career: He generated nearly non-stop musical sparks with his finger-acrobatics on piano and his razor-sharp five-piece rock band for nearly three hours, leaving the crowd of 12,000 fairly fatigued by his procession of hits.
He played 26 songs -- seven more than he did during that Michigan stop 34 years ago -- and demonstrated time and again with his lengthy blues- and boogie-drenched solos that he really has no equal in his mastery of the rock 'n' roll piano.

Clips of Elton John performing at Van Andel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjgK1oGAkHI

Rare songs to savor in Elton John's upcoming Grand Rapids show set list

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/04/rare_songs_to_savor_in_elton_j.html

By John Sinkevics | The Grand Rapids Press

April 23, 2010, 7:52AM

AP File PhotoElton John will perform his third show in Grand Rapids on Saturday. He previously visited in 1997 and 1999.Sure, Saturday night's Elton John show at Van Andel Arena is dubbed, "Rocket Man: The Greatest Hits Live."
But guitarist Davey Johnstone also tells me the rock pianist will often slip an album-track gem or two into his set list because there are hundreds of classic tunes spanning more than four decades from which to choose.
For instance, at recent Texas show, the band dusted off "All the Girls Love Alice" (one of my all-time faves from 1973's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" album). Here's a video of the song from a 2007 show:

So, in addition to "Alice," here are 10 rarely heard songs I'd be tickled to hear Elton tickle the ivories with on Saturday. (And find out what songs he actually plays in my review online Sunday and in Monday's Press):
• "Talking Old Soldiers" (from 1970's "Tumbleed Connection")
• "Have Mercy on the Criminal" (from 1973's "Don't Shoot Me I'm only the Piano Player")
• "Grey Seal," "I've Seen that Movie Too" (from 1973's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road")
• "(Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket" (from 1975's "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy")
• "Tonight" (from 1976's "Blue Moves")
• "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)" (tribute to John Lennon from 1982's "Jump Up!")
• "Pain" (from 1995's "Made in England")
• "The Wasteland" (from 2001's "Songs from the West Coast")
• "And the House Fell Down" (from 2006's "The Captain and the Kid")
E-mail John Sinkevics: jsinkevics@grpress.com

mp3
Elton John Funeral for a friend love lies bleeding performing at Van Andel.MP3
http://www.mediafire.com/?jkwumntv2nw

An evening with Elton John: 4/24/2010, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Video: Interviews with fans, guitarist Davey Johnstone and snippets of the concert's opening segment at Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjgK1oGAkHI







http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjgK1oGAkHI

And perhaps even more impressively, this veteran rocker seemed happier and more appreciative of his audience than on any previous tour I've seen, frequently acknowledging the raucous applause, shaking hands with fans and signing autographs for several minutes prior to his encore. "It's just so great to play a place like Grand Rapids," he gushed near the end of the show. "It's not all about places like New York City. It's about places like Grand Rapids, too."
Gregarious guitarist Davey Johnstone mirrored that sentiment backstage prior to the concert. He told me Elton and his band -- drummer Nigel Olsson (an original Elton John Band member along with Johnstone), bassist and Detroit native Bob Birch, percussionist John Mahon and keyboard player Kim Bullard (replacing Guy Babylon, who died of a heart attack last September) -- relish performing in smaller cities where they've rarely played before. He even praised the hospitality of the "nice people" of Grand Rapids.
So 11 years since Elton last performed a solo show here, and 13 years since his full band graced Van Andel Arena, the legendary rocker and his no-frills band unfurled a flawless set of familiar rock and pop songs. It started with the classical-meets-rock twofer "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" from 1973's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and ended with 1994's "Circle of Life" from "The Lion King" soundtrack, with plenty of electrifying hits in between.
With his once-distinctive tenor now a just-as-pleasing, more resonant baritone -- partly due to surgery on his throat in the late '80s -- Elton sang with power, emotion and more than a little bit of mugging and good-natured snarling, as he alternately pounded on the keys ("Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting," and swung into delightful improvisational solos ("Madman Across the Water," "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues").
And on classics such as "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and "Someone Saved My Life Tonight," the backing harmonies of Birch, Mahon, Olsson and Johnstone were spine-tinglingly spot-on.
It made for an unusually entertaining show that blended recording studio-quality voices and carefully planned instrumental precision with clever twists on familiar melodies and hyper-extended solos that mostly spotlighted Elton's dazzling piano creativity.
"Some numbers have evolved to a different animal," Johnstone had said in an earlier interview, joking that "Rocket Man" had morphed into a 20-minute beast in concert. "We do take that time to jam around and do what we want to do with that song a little bit."

4 OUT OF 4 STARS

Highlight No. 1: An epic, extended rendition of 1972's "Rocket Man," with rock piano crescendos, soulful vocals and a sweet guitar solo Highlight No. 2: The boogie-blues creativity on 1970's "Take Me to the Pilot," topped later by the jaw-dropping piano solos on another 1970 tune, "Burn Down the Mission" Time on stage: 2 hours, 50 minutes

Well, "Rocket Man" didn't last quite 20 minutes Saturday night, but the 14-minutes-plus version boasted all sorts of dynamic changes, musical drama, looped echoing vocals and enough goosebump moments to rev up baby boomers as well as the surprisingly large number of teens and 20-somethings in the house. Much like The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, it seems the enduring music of Elton John still resonates with younger audiences. And to think Elton played barely half of the 50 Top 40 hits he's scored over the past four decades.
There were subtle moments of brilliance to savor too: the tasteful piano flourishes on "Levon" and "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," the tender delivery of a new song, "You're Never Too Old," that Elton wrote recently with his piano hero Leon Russell, the funky Russell-influenced riffs on "Honky Cat."

Elton John signals to the crowd at Van Andel Arena on Saturday. View photo gallery
Then there was the almost-casual, jaw-dropping piano work on a rousing "The Bitch is Back." That romp of a tune also had Elton slamming the piano lid down in time to the music while the word "Bitch" flashed on the video-screen curtain behind the band, thus proving that even at 63,
rock can still be a tad rebellious.
Yes, thankfully, Elton's "still standing," as he crooned proudly at one point. And to borrow a line from yet another Elton classic, this also meant Saturday night was all right ... even way better than all right.
Preconcert interviews with Davey Johnstone, Elton John fans

Photos, video: Elton John at Van Andel Arena

By The Grand Rapids Press

April 24, 2010, 10:25PM

Added by Octavian Cantilli | The Grand Rapids Press on April 24, 2010 at 10:25 PM

Article published April 26, 2010

ELTON JOHN DAZZLES HUNTINGTON CENTER

http://www.toledoblade.com/article/20100426/NEWS16/304269998/-1/rss10

After 17 years away, rocker Elton John triumphs in Toledo return

While Elton John seems a little thicker around the middle and his voice an octave deeper, the star proved he could rock the house with enthusiasm at Huntington Center downtown. ( THE BLADE/JETTA FRASER ) Zoom | Photo Reprints

By KIRK BAIRD
BLADE STAFF WRITER
The air pianos were out Sunday night at Huntington Center. Elton John made his triumphant return to Toledo for the first time since a 1993 performance at the University of Toledo's then-Savage Hall. At that time, Bill Clinton was in his first year in the Oval Office, David Letterman took his late-night show to CBS from NBC, and Le-Bron James was only 8.

AUDIO LISTEN: to Elton John's first song at the Huntington Arena in Toledo

Times may have changed, but as a performer, John has not.

At 63, he's a bit thicker around the waist and his vocals an octave deeper, but his youthful energy and enthusiasm onstage last night were affirmation that rock-and-roll never dies - or grows old. With no opening act, John performed 25 songs during a two-hour and 45-minute concert with no intermission and only the occasional chitchat to a sold-out crowd of about 8,100. His vocals were up to the task, and his piano playing was inspiring throughout - and all sounded equally good in the medium-sized Huntington Center, which seemed tailor-made for John and his backing band.

Dressed in a long black coat with an array of sequins, a brilliant blue shirt and shoes, and black pants with a blue stripe, John treated concertgoers to a greatest-hits show from his four-decade career: "Tiny Dancer," "Rocket Man," "Daniel," "Honky Cat," "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues," "Something About the Way You Look Tonight," and "Candle in the Wind," to name only a few.

Elton John ends the show by telling his audience that ‘You guys lift me so high.’ The feeling is mutual. ( THE BLADE/JETTA FRASER ) Zoom | Photo Reprints

John rummaged through his own record collection and pulled out a few deep cuts as well, "Burn Down the Mission," and "Madman Across the Water," which featured a playful piano flourish on the backside of the song, including a brief jump into "The Girl From Ipanema." And yes, what would an Elton John concert be without the piano-fueled warhorse "Take Me to the Pilot." The evening's tone - mostly up-tempo, nostalgic - was set at the opening, with the epic tandem of "Funeral for a Friend" and "Love Lies Bleeding," followed by "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting," the former punctuated by a crushing solo from John's guitarist Davey Johnstone.The quintet of musicians accompanying John, also including his longtime drummer, Nigel Olsson, provided musical muscle to the classics, as the band shifted effortlessly from arena rocker ("The Bitch Is Back") to couples slow dance ("Someone Saved My Life Tonight") with ease.
The night's setlist successfully seesawed between the moody music swings, and the crowd fist-pumped and swayed along to it all. Even the performance of the new song "You're Never Too Old to Hold Somebody," which John jokingly acknowledged as "risky," was greeted warmly, with nary a mass exodus by fans to the bathroom to be seen, though the rest of the band took a quick breather. (It should be noted that John did not leave the stage except for a 90-second break prior to the encore and then spent five minutes signing autographs for fans in the front row before launching into "Your Song.")

Elton John ends the show by telling his audience that ‘You guys lift me so high.’ The feeling is mutual. ( THE BLADE/JETTA FRASER ) Zoom | Photo Reprints

It's been 17 years since John played Toledo, which he acknowledged more than once. "It's not all about playing Chicago, New York, and L.A." he said before playing the final song of the night, "Circle of Life." "Coming here tonight and playing for you guys was such a pleasure. You guys lift me so high," he said. After last night's show, John, know that the feeling's mutual. Contact Kirk Baird at:
kbaird@theblade.com
or 419-724-6734.

davey johnstone interview

Elton John Headed to Veracruz

http://inveracruz.blogspot.com/2010/04/elton-john-headed-to-veracruz.html

Saturday, April 17, 2010 by Leah Flinn

In three weeks from today Sir Elton John will be visiting us in the port city of Veracruz. I am a big Elton John fan, although I was disappointed by the publicity stunt pulled by performing a concert at the Mayan pyramids of Chichen Itza.

Chichen Itza is a sacred, historic site that was named one of the seven wonders of the world back in 2007. What are the next venues for top musical stars? The Pyramids of Giza? The Colosseum in Rome? I can understand the local Mayans feeling of resentment at the sacred site being exploited by profit-seeking entertainers. ("Some things look better just passing through", huh?)

For that reason, the Veracruz concert promotional poster was unsettling at first glance. Behind the Elton portrait is an aerial image of one the most important historical icons in Veracruz city - Spanish fort San Juan de Ulua, constructed in the 1500s.

It gave me the impression that the old fort would be the concert venue. Thankfully, it will not. Elton's set to perform at the Estadio Luis "Pirata" Fuente - the stadium where the soccer teams play, other concerts and events are held there. Appropriate for the occasion. Whew, I can attend with a clear conscience!

Ticket information can be found here (Spanish). No start time is mentioned, which means they will probably decide right before the event or when everyone shows up.

Any fellow expats needing help with tickets, directions, etc, please let me know.

Elton John by the numbers: Flamboyant rock pianist has impressive stats

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/04/elton_john_by_the_numbers_flam.html

By John Sinkevics | The Grand Rapids Press

April 18, 2010, 5:33AM

AP File PhotoDavey Johnstone, left, and Elton John, shown at a recent concert in Mexico, come Saturday to Van Andel Arena.For guitarist Davey Johnstone, it adds up to 39 years, more than 20 studio albums and roughly 2,100 concerts.
After working all that time with superstar Elton John, guitarist Davey Johnstone remains convinced no artist in the business plays more consistently, works harder or brings more intensity to the stage and the studio.
“He’s incredible: He sings and plays great every night, and he always sticks something new (into the set) every night,” marvels Johnstone, Elton’s righthand man and music director.
“Elton is really competitive. When the red light goes on in the studio, he’s perfect. He just goes for it. That’s what makes you rise to the occasion. He lifts your game, the way a great athlete will lift the rest of his team.”
Johnstone has been on the Elton team since 1971, after joining the flamboyant rock pianist for his “Madman Across the Water” album.

IF YOU GO

When: 8 p.m. Saturday Where: Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St. Tickets: The concert is sold out, but check online at ticketmaster.com for late ticket availability.

If that seems to tally uncountable hours, miles and concerts, think again: Some vigilant devotees — lovingly described by Johnstone as “psycho fans” — meticulously track anniversary dates and obscure factoids most musicians are clueless about. So during a June 2009 concert in Scotland, Johnstone was surprised to see banners waved by jubilant fans commemorating his 2,000th show with Elton, who makes his third Grand Rapids visit on Saturday.
“The following show, I saw a sign that said, ‘2001: An Elton Odyssey,’” an amused Johnstone told me during a recent interview. “That’s very cool. I like that. They (shows) keep on piling up.”
As do all the remarkable numbers for an enduringly popular singer and piano-pounder whose first Top 10 album came out in 1970, during the Nixon administration.
So, with the Rocket Man on his way to West Michigan, I’ve compiled an “Elton John by the numbers” list:
250 million — Estimated worldwide album sales, according to Wikipedia and other sources, which puts him behind The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, ABBA and Queen.
175 million-plus — Dollars raised by the Elton John AIDS Foundation for HIV prevention programs and care/support services for those living with AIDS, according to the EJAF.
70 million — Certified album units sold in the United States, as listed by the Recording Industry Association of America.
37 million — Copies of “Candle in the Wind 1997” sold, making Elton’s tribute to Princess Di the best selling single of all time (or maybe second to Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas,” depending on the source).
24,931 — Fans attending Elton’s two sold-out shows at Van Andel Arena (in 1997 and 1999), with another 12,080 expected Saturday.
22,599 — Pairs of silly glasses Elton has worn over the years (a wild guess).
690 — Approximate number of feet from the stage where I sat in the Pontiac Silverdome at my first Elton John concert in 1976, far enough away that when he sang “Philadelphia Freedom,” I thought he was actually in Philadelphia.
446 — Dollars demanded last week by scalper/online ticket broker theticketmachine.com for primo floor seats to Saturday’s show, or $90 in upper bowl Section 220 (at stubhub.com, prices ranged from $60 to $775 for tickets listed at $39 to $139).
126.48 — Average price in dollars for an Elton concert ticket the past year, based on Pollstar figures, about twice the price of a Miley Cyrus or Jonas Brothers ticket, but with Elton you get to hear actual music.
63 — Elton’s age, which makes him younger than Mick Jagger and Bob Seger, but old enough to be Justin Bieber’s grandfather.
56 — Top 40 Billboard hits, second on the all-time list behind Presley.
29 — Studio albums (not counting soundtracks, EPs).
26 — Consecutive years (1970-1996) with a Top 40 hit, the longest in chart history.
9 — No. 1 hits, putting him in 10th place all time.
5 — Grammys won, though mostly for the wrong songs, such as “That’s What Friends Are For,” rather than classics such as “Your Song,” “Rocket Man” or “Daniel.”
4 — Number of copies of Elton’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” double-album I’ve bought (and worn out) over the years.
3 — Ranking for the Elton John/Billy Joel tour on the Top 10 list of 2009’s biggest-grossing concert tours.
1 — Academy Awards won (for best original song, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from “The Lion King”), Tony Awards won (for best original score for “Aida”), women married/divorced (Renate Blauel), civil partnerships (David Furnish), Michigan shows scheduled in 2010 (Grand Rapids).

Elton John Deluxe Editions Reviews

http://bradsworldofmusic.blogspot.com/2009/05/elton-john-deluxe-editions-reviews.html

 
This picture is courtesy of Fishpond.com.au.  Click image to purchase at Fishpond.
Today I have a review of 2 Elton John albums which must be on their 4th re-release now!  The first one is the self-titled Elton John Deluxe Edition, followed by Tumbleweed Connection Deluxe Edition!  The reason I say that this must be their 4th re-release is because they were originally released in 1970 on LP records, then when CDs first came out in the 80s, they were re-released then onto CD, but with nothing special about them and (from what I’ve read) very poor quality, but then in 1995, they got re-released  with 10 other Elton albums under the series name of Elton John - The Classic Years!  This time they weren't the same as the original CDs of the 80s, they were digitally re-mastered and re-packaged with bonus tracks and sleeve notes done by John Tobler.  After 13 years, in 2008, the Elton John and Tumbleweed Connection albums were re-released yet again, but this time as Deluxe Editions and it is this reissue of those two albums that I am reviewing here!
I think the CDs were released here in Australia back in June or July 2008 and I think earlier in 2008 for other countries.  Anyway, I got the Deluxe Editions of the Elton John and Tumbleweed Connection albums on the week of my birthday in August 2008!  Being a huge Elton fan, I could not wait to get them home to listen to!  I'm going to start with the Elton John Deluxe Edition CD!
The Elton John Deluxe Edition is a double CD packed with many great treats to listen to!  First, Disc One contains the entire track listing for the original album the way it was in 1970 without extra tracks.  My favourite songs from Disc One would have to be Your Song, I Need You To Turn To, Take Me To The Pilot (even though no one knows the meaning of it), Border Song, The Greatest Discovery and No Shoe Strings On Louise!  The first CD of the set contains the following songs:

1. Your Song
2. I Need You To Turn To
3. Take Me To The Pilot
4. No Shoe Strings On Louise
5. First Episode At Hienton
6. Sixty Years On
7. Border Song
8. The Greatest Discovery
9. The Cage
10. The King Must Die

CD Two, the Bonus Disc of the set is the most exciting thing about the Deluxe Edition of the Elton John album!  Leading off Disc Two is the Demo Version of Your Song!  I have to admit when I bought Elton's To Be Continued... 4 CD box set off e-Bay a few years ago, I never thought they'd bring the Demo of Your Song out any other way.  That is where this great CD set proved me wrong!  I think the Your Song demo on this set is so much better quality than the one on the above mentioned box set!  In fact, Your Song isn't the only demo on the Deluxe Edition, there is a demo version of every song off the original album except First Episode At Hienton and Border Song, which makes me wonder if those two songs don't have demo versions or whether they're holding them off for another future release of the Elton John album.  All the demos of album songs appear in the order they do on the first CD of the set, which is the way the original album was!  I have to say that I like pretty much all the demos made of the album songs although The Greatest Discovery has a bit of a glitch in it where at one part of the song, the tape must have gone a bit wobbly, but then that was the only part and it only lasted for less than a second!  I like how Elton even sings the part that the strings section of an orchestra is supposed to do!
The Piano Demo of Rock And Roll Madonna is, IMO, better than the finished version!  Next is 3 rare and unheard of demos of great songs called Thank You Mama, All The Way Down To El Paso and I'm Going Home!  I think All The Way Down To El Paso and I'm Going Home could have been great album songs had they've been finished with the band, but I like them the way they appear on the set as just demos!  Anyway, what if they did try to finish the songs and the band kind of spoiled the songs?  They wouldn’t be as good then!  Next is the Piano Demo of Grey Seal, which, to be honest, I do like better than the eventually finished 1970 version of the song!  After the Grey Seal Piano Demo is yet another version of Rock And Roll Madonna, but this time it is the Incomplete Band Demo, which I also like better than the version that was eventually put out on a single B-side!  There is someone laughing at the end of the band demo of the song, which I'm sure could have been Elton, but I really don't know!
Next comes the 3 songs that were added as bonus tracks on The Classic Years version of the CD!  Bad Side Of The Moon, Grey Seal and Rock And Roll Madonna (the finished version) got moved onto the 2nd disc of the set!  I love Bad Side Of The Moon, but as I've said above, the Demo versions of Rock And Roll Madonna and Grey Seal are so much better than the finished versions!  The last 3 songs on the bonus CD are from BBC sessions, well, two of them are, but one of them, Your Song, is just the studio version with the orchestra taken out, listen closely and you’ll still hear some orchestra instruments playing.  The other two songs from the BBC sessions are Border Song and Take Me To The Pilot!  Border Song's BBC session version features a group called Hookfoot, who helped Elton out at the time!  Now that I'm finished giving you the rundown on what I think of all the songs on the Elton John Deluxe Edition CD, I thought I'd put the track listing for that CD as well, so here we go, the track listing for CD Two!

1. Your Song - Demo Version
2. I Need You To Turn To – Piano Demo
3. Take Me To The Pilot - Piano Demo
4. No Shoe Strings On Louise - Piano Demo
5. Sixty Years On - Piano Demo
6. The Greatest Discovery - Piano Demo
7. The Cage - Demo
8. The King Must Die - Piano Demo
9. Rock And Roll Madonna - Piano Demo
10. Thank You Mama - Piano Demo
11. All The Way Down To El Paso - Piano Demo
12. I'm Going Home - Piano Demo
13. Grey Seal - Piano Demo
14. Rock And Roll Madonna - Incomplete Band Demo
15. Bad Side Of The Moon
16. Grey Seal
17. Rock And Roll Madonna
18. Border Song - BBC Session (with Hookfoot)
19. Your Song - BBC Session
20. Take Me To The Pilot - BBC Session

 
This picture is courtesy of Fishpond.com.au.  Click image to purchase at Fishpond
The next album I'm reviewing, as you see from the image above, is Elton John's Tumbleweed Connection Deluxe Edition!  Another great re-release packed with many great treasures!  Like the Elton John Deluxe Edition, the Tumbleweed Connection Deluxe Edition is a double CD set and, like the Elton John Deluxe Edition, this one has the full, original album on Disc One with no added bonus tracks like The Classic Years version does, this one is just the full album and the songs that were bonus tracks on The Classic Years re-master have been moved onto Disc Two along with other great songs!
Now, I love the fact of being able to play the original album on Disc One, but I also feel a bit sad in a way because from what I've read in the Hercules International Elton John Fan Club forums, people were disappointed that there are some songs missing off the Tumbleweed Connection Deluxe Edition Bonus CD, and even a review for the CD at amazon.com was disappointed with the CD as well.  Apparently there are supposed to be really good demo versions of Bern Down The Mission, Amoreena and Where To Now St. Peter and a demo song that isn't on there called Rolling Western Union, which is rather sad, but lets get to the good things about it!
My favourite songs from the Tumbleweed Connection original album (Disc One on the Deluxe Edition) are Come Down In Time, Country Comfort, Son OF Your Father, My Father's Gun, Love Song, Amoreena and Burn Down The Mission.  All the other songs on the album are great too, but these are my absolute favourites!  I love the way Bernie Taupin can get images into your head when you listen to the words of the songs.   The song I like the least is Talking Old Soldiers.  Here is the track listing for CD One of Tumbleweed Connection Deluxe Edition;

1. Ballad Of A Well-Known Gun
2. Come Down In Time
3. Country Comfort
4. Son Of Your Father
5. My Father’s Gun
6. Where To Now St. Peter?
7. Love Song
8. Amoreena
9. Talking Old Soldiers
10. Burn Down The Mission

The Bonus CD of Tumbleweed Connection’s Deluxe Edition is pretty good and, like the album above, all the treasures are on the bonus CD!  The first 5 songs on Disc Two (the bonus disc) are demo versions of some of the album songs!  One song that has had a name change when the album was released is Ballad Of A Well-Known Gun, which has a piano demo on Disc Two, but under the name of There Goes A Well Known Gun!  I like There Goes A Well Known Gun better than the album version as it has more of a Country-Rock feeling to it!  Come Down In Time is a piano demo of the same track on Disc One and the same can be said about Country Comfort, Son OF Your Father and Talking Old Soldiers.  I love the demo versions of just as much as the original album versions except Talking Old Soldiers, which I prefer the demo for some reason.  Next in line after the piano demo version of Talking Old Soldiers is the piano demo version of Into The Old Man’s Shoes!  That song wasn’t included on the original album, but I think it was the B-side of the Your Song single in 1970 or 1971 and the finished track was included on the 1992 double Rare Masters CD of rare Elton songs, then again in 1995 on The Classic Years re-master of Tumbleweed Connection as a bonus track!
The piano demo of Into The Old Man’s Shoes is followed by a great song called Sisters Of The Cross, a song that must have been recorded during the album sessions, but never finished, therefore we’re treated to the piano demo of the song on Tumbleweed Connection Deluxe Edition, but it hasn’t been officially released, just on bootleg CDs!  I think it is a pretty good song!  That is followed by the original version of Madman Across The Water which is the title track to the follow-up studio album (this excludes a live album and a soundtrack to a movie) after Tumbleweed Connection.  The version of the song on the Madman Across The Water album was done with guitarist Chris Spedding and Davey Johnstone, but this original version was done with Mick Ronson and I think the reason it was included on the Tumbleweed Connection Deluxe Edition and The Classic Years re-master of that album is probably because it must have been recorded during the sessions of Tumbleweed Connection instead of the Madman Across The Water sessions. Even though I do like both of the versions, I prefer the final version on the Madman Across The Water album better than this version as, IMO, it sounds so much nicer !  Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention that this original version of Madman Across The Water was also included on the double CD set called Rare Masters!
The original version of Madman Across The Water is followed on the Tumbleweed Connection Deluxe Edition by the final, finished version of Into The Old Man’s Shoes!  I like both the final and demo versions of Into The Old Man’s Shoes, it is a pretty good song!  In fact, the final version of Into The Old Man’s Shoes and the original version of Madman Across The Water were on The Classic Years re-master of Tumbleweed Connection in 1995 as bonus tracks on the single CD!  I was amazed that they weren’t on the first disc of the set like they are on the 1995 release, but they obviously must have liked the idea of putting no tracks after the original album, which is understandable, but then they probably would have been able to add 2 or 3 more songs on (depending on how short they are), but I still like the way it is now!
Into The Old Man’s Shoes is followed up nicely by 4 songs from the BBC Sessions and they are My Father’s Gun (a pretty good version of the song), Ballad Of A Well-Known Gun (similar to the album version, but not entirely the same, but good!  I think I like this version better), Burn Down The Mission (well, it’s a great song anyway, I like this one and the studio version on the album) and Amoreena (still a great song)!  All four songs from the BBC session are pretty good!  All in all, the bonus disc of the Tumbleweed Connection Deluxe Edition is definitely worth the listen!  Here is the track listing for Disc Two of Tumbleweed Connection’s Deluxe Edition:
Into The Old Man’s Shoes is followed up nicely by 4 songs from the BBC Sessions and they are My Father’s Gun (a pretty good version of the song), Ballad Of A Well-Known Gun (similar to the album version, but not entirely the same, but good!  I think I like this version better), Burn Down The Mission (well, it’s a great song anyway, I like this one and the studio version on the album) and Amoreena (still a great song)!  All four songs from the BBC session are pretty good!  All in all, the bonus disc of the Tumbleweed Connection Deluxe Edition is definitely worth the listen!  Here is the track listing for Disc Two of Tumbleweed Connection’s Deluxe Edition:

1. There Goes A Well Known Gun – Previously Unreleased
2. Come Down In Time – Piano Demo, Previously Unreleased
3. Country Comfort – Piano Demo, Previously Unreleased
4. Son Of Your Father – Previously Unreleased
5. Talking Old Soldiers – Piano Demo, Previously Unreleased
6. Into The Old Man’s Shoes – Piano Demo, Previously Unreleased
7. Sisters Of The Cross – Piano Demo, Previously Unreleased
8. Madman Across The Water - Original Version
9. Into The Old Man’s Shoes
10. My Father’s Gun – BBC Session
11. Ballad Of A Well-Known Gun – BBC Session, Previously Unreleased
12. Burn Down The Mission – BBC Session, Previously Unreleased
13. Amoreena – BBC Session, Previously Unreleased

Overall, I think the Tumbleweed Connection Deluxe Edition is a fantastic CD re-release of the great album, even better than the 1995 version included in The Classic Years series.  Even the notes in the booklet have a few extra paragraphs and sentences added in here and there, though they are pretty much the exact same notes that are included in The Classic Years re-master and I think even the notes in the CDs of The Classic Years are copied from John Tobler’s Elton book called 25 Years In The Charts.  Likewise, the Elton John Deluxe Edition's booklet is pretty much the same as The Classic Years version's booklet except with a few sentences and paragraphs added here and there, I'm talking about the notes, not the booklet as a whole, at least the booklets of both editions have different layouts and pictures than the original 1995 re-masters!
The Tumbleweed Connection Deluxe Editions doesn’t have a normal ordinary CD jewel case, it is in a cardboard case, pretty much designed similar to the old vinyl version with gatefold sleeves (well, I’ve never actually seen the original LP or its case, so I don’t really know what it is like), but it has plastic CD trays for both discs and the booklet slides into a slot at one side of the opened out case.  The Deluxe Edition of the Elton John album is exactly the same CD case layout, some people call them digipacks for some reason, but that doesn’t matter, I don’t care about that!  Both Deluxe Editions look so good!  I just hope they both don’t go the same way my Elton John Greatest Hits 1970 – 2002 3CD set went with its cardboard case (I think it has something to do with air bubbles or something between the CD trays and  the cardboard), but I’m keeping them in their Deluxe Edition labelled plastic, which is tight, so hopefully it’ll stop that from happening, and also the fact that I’ve got them on my computer to listen to means I don’t have to keep taking the CDs out of the cases and eventually wrecking them!
If you are new to Elton’s music and you’re deciding between the Deluxe Editions of these two great albums or the re-masters in The Classic Years, I strongly recommend you buy the Deluxe Editions (although The Classic Years ones are just as good, just not as much bonus tracks), but if you’re an all-time Elton fan and have already got the ones from The Classic Years, it is up to you; the Deluxe Editions definitely have more to offer, but if you’re wanting me to tell you the difference between quality of sound of the Deluxe Editions and The Classic Years versions, I’m afraid I can not help you there.  As I’ve said before, I’m hearing impaired, so I may not be as good at picking up differences in sound quality.  I may be able to notice the difference between the sound of the original CD versions of these albums compared to The Classic Years versions, but that’s because they were both made differently and Gus Dudgeon fixed the problems that existed on the original 1980s releases of the albums for the ones included in The Classic Years re-masters, but that is all.  I give both of these Deluxe Editions 5 stars out of 5 because they are both really, really good to listen to!
I’ve still got a few more Deluxe Edition Elton John CDs to buy, not to mention I’ve still got some of The Classic Years (the 1998 series, just 3 more to get) and Digitally Re-mastered (the 2003 series, only 2 more to go) CD series to finish buying!  From what I’ve read on the Internet, we can expect a Madman Across The Water Deluxe Edition this year too, as well as a box set with duets and other songs and also the other big news for this year is Elton John may bring another album out at the end of this year!  Yikes!!  All these CDs I have to buy is amazing!  One day I will have them all in my collection!

Billy Elliot's Elton John, Tommy Batchelor, Giuseppe Bausilio, Cesar Corrales, J.P. Viernes Set for April 16 Oprah Appearance

http://www.theatermania.com/chicago/news/04-2010/billy-elliots-elton-john-tommy-batchelor-giuseppe_26558.html

By: Andy Propst · Apr 13, 2010  · Chicago

Giuseppe Bausilio, Tommy Batchelor John Peter Viernes, Cesar Corrales (© Amy Boyle Photography)

Billy Elliot the Musical composer Elton John, along with the show's Chicago stars Tommy Batchelor, Giuseppe Bausilio, Cesar Corrales and J.P. Viernes, will appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show on April 16. Check local listings for details. Based on the 2000 film of the same name, the show tells the tale of a young boy with a dream of being a dancer. The show won 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
With music by John and a book and lyrics by Lee Hall, the production has been directed by Stephen Daldry and features choreography by Peter Darling.
The musical is currently playing at Chicago's Ford Center for the Performing Arts in addition to the Imperial Theatre on Broadway.
For further information, visit: www.billyelliotthemusical.com.

Iowa Fan, 7, Sings With Elton John

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36618430/

Brody Reilly Joins Singer On Stage

VIDEO IN:

http://www.kcci.com/news/23183387/detail.html

KCCI-TV

updated 5:50 p.m. ET April 18, 2010

DES MOINES, Iowa - KCCI.com

A 7-year-old Elton John fan got the highlight of his young life in Des Moines on Friday.

Brody Reilly said he's been a fan of the Rocket Man since he heard him sing "Crocodile Rock" on an episode of "Bob the Builder."

Reilly's father said he promised to take his son to a concert if Elton John ever came to Des Moines.

The boy had a front row seat when the singer performed "Crocodile Rock" and soon found himself on stage.

"After the second part of the song, he let me up there," Reilly said. "The security guards said, 'No, no,' but Elton John stopped them."

"When 'Crocodile Rock' came on, I saw her lift him up and then I saw security come," said Brody's father, Mike Reilly. "I was like, 'Oh boy, he's in trouble now,' but Elton was standing right there and he said, 'No, no, no,' and he got to sing the song with him."

Brody Reilly also got to see Elton John in Omaha last year. That time, he not only got an autograph, he also got some drum sticks and guitar picks to take home.

UK NEWS

ELTON JOHN'S HEARTACHE

http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/169933/Elton-John-s-heartache/

Elton John said he and partner David Furnish have not given up on adoption

Sunday April 18,2010

By Sunday Express Reporter

ELTON JOHN has told of his heartache at not being able to adopt two Ukrainian boys – but still hopes to become a father.

Last September Sir Elton revealed he and partner David Furnish wanted to adopt a 14-month-old HIV positive boy they met at an orphanage, along with his brother.

But they were forced to give up when a government minister said they would be turned ­ down because they were not traditionally married and, at 62, Elton was too old.

Appearing on the Oprah Winfrey Show in the US, Sir Elton said: “Unfortunately there were too many laws that said we couldn’t do it in the Ukraine.

“It broke our hearts because we fell in love with these kids.”

Describing a child as “the icing on the cake”, he said they had not given up. “We are still talking about it,” he added.