The iconic British singer, Elton John, has officially announced his retirement from touring, marking the end of an era that began with his 1973 album ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the 77-year-old legend confirmed that he will no longer tour. His final performance took place in 2023 in Stockholm, Sweden.
Reflecting on his last show, John said, “The last show in Stockholm on the farewell tour after Glastonbury, I got in the car and went, ‘Yes! yes!’ We went out on the biggest high, just the way I wanted to, and there’s no going back [after] that.”
David Furnish, John’s husband, provided further insight into the decision, emphasizing their desire to spend more time with their sons, Zachary, 13, and Elijah, 11.
“We’ve got our sons, you know, they’re getting into their teenage years now,” Furnish said. “We don’t want to miss anything. We want to be present for that. It’s sort of a key decade, I think, in a child’s life.”
John’s extensive career spans 60 years, and Furnish noted, “He’s been doing it for 60 years. So it’s nice to have that time to spend at home with family.”
During his final Stockholm concert, John expressed gratitude to his fans for their unwavering support over the decades.
“I’ve had the most wonderful career, beyond belief,” he shared. “Fifty-two years of pure joy playing music. How lucky am I to play music? But you know, I wouldn’t be sitting here and talking to you if it wasn’t for you.
“You bought the singles, the CDs, the albums, the cassettes, but more importantly, you bought the tickets to the shows. You know how much I love to play live. It’s been my lifeblood to play for you guys. You’ve been absolutely magnificent,” John added.
Although John made it clear that he will never tour again, he left open the possibility of future one-off performances. “I will never be touring again, but I may do something in the future— a one-off thing—but that’s miles away,” he said. “I want to appreciate my family, my sons, my husband, everything. I’ve earned it. And I don’t regret it tonight. I want to thank the band, the crew, everybody. I will miss you guys so much, but I’ll see you much sooner than you think. I love you guys!”
Throughout his illustrious career, John has won five Grammys and been nominated 35 times.
He achieved the prestigious EGOT status in January after winning an Emmy for his special ‘Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium’.
This made him one of only 19 people to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award.
John was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1998 and famously re-recorded ‘Candle in the Wind’ to honor Princess Diana after her death in 1997. In 2022, he performed at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebration.
Maintaining strong ties with the royal family, John received a heartfelt video message from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle before his final Dodger Stadium show.
Harry said, “Thank you for entertaining everybody for so many decades. Thank you for being the friend that you were for my mum, thank you for being our friend. Thank you for being a friend to our kids and thank you for entertaining people right around the world. Even though this is officially your retirement, this will not be your last gig, we know that. But we love you and congratulations on an incredible career.”
John’s decision to retire is underscored by his 2023 response to Vanity Fair’s Proust Questionnaire, where he defined perfect happiness as “Being with my husband, David, and the boys.”
His farewell tour, which concluded early 2023, grossed $939 million, £749 million, over 328 shows, setting a record for the highest-grossing music tour in history.
This record was later surpassed by Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras’ tour, which earned $1 billion in revenue.
