Duets For One.
On Friday night, Elton’s friend, Robert Kraft, tied the knot with Dr. Dana Blumberg. Besides doing singing songs like Philadelphia Freedom and Can You Feel The Love Tonight, Elton teamed up with Ed Sheeran for Candle in The Wind.
Robert, the owner of the New England Patriots, was previously married to Myra Hiatt Kraft, who died in 2011. They were together for many years: In 2003, Elton performed their wedding song, Moon River, for their 40th anniversary celebration.
Elton could soon be celebrating, as he is up for two American Music Awards. Cold Heart (Pnau Remix) with Dua Lipa has been nominated for Collaboration of the Year. In addition, he is a contender for Favourite Touring Artist. With these two nominations, Elton becomes the longest recognised artist in AMA history (which began in 1974).
The awards are voted on by fans. Results will be revealed on the 20th of November on ABC at 8 p.m. ET.
On Wednesday evening, the Attitude Awards were held at the Roundhouse in London. Heartstopper, which is seen on Netflix, got the TV Award. Elton tweeted congratulations to ”the whole team, especially Kit Connor who played young me in Rocketman. It’s a beautiful series and a powerful portrayal of young gay love.”
Elton included a composite image of Kit from Heartstopper as well as a shot of him in the 2019 biopic, Rocketman in Twitter.
Congratulations to the whole #Heartstopper team, especially Kit Connor who played young me in Rocketman (you’re a star ⭐️), on your win at last nights @AttitudeMag #AttitudeAwards!
It’s a beautiful series and a powerful portrayal of young gay love – thank you for making it! pic.twitter.com/lDt4uomFlt
— Elton John (@eltonofficial) October 13, 2022
Incidentally, Propstore’s upcoming auction of entertainment memorabilia has half a dozen items from Rocketman. They include a cane used during a Bennie and the Jets number in a nightclub, a couple of costumes, and I’m Still Standing lyrics which were handed over to ”Elton” (played by Taron Egerton) during a scene at a rehab centre. Bidding runs from the third through the sixth of November.
- A couple of exhibits are worth noting, too. In Milan, Italy, the Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale) is showing Richard Avedon: Relationships. That includes the photographer’s shoots for Gianni Versace ads with Elton, Kate Moss, and others.
- In Canada, the City of Waterloo Museum‘s Rock This Town: Music & Memories opens on the 25th of October. This follows the release of a 2021 documentary which had a bit about Elton. Titled Rock This Town, the focus was on the Kitchener-Waterloo 60s and 70s rock scene.
- Did you know that it was this week in 2010 that Elton’s collaboration with Leon Russell, The Union, was released (19 October 2010)? Rolling Stone magazine called it one of that year’s Top Five albums.
- In March 2023, Leon Russell: The Master of Space and Time’s Journey Through Rock & Roll History is expected to be published. Author Bill Janovitz told EJW: ”I spoke with Elton and about 136 other associates, friends and family of Leon. I never met Leon myself.” He travelled to key locations such as Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Russell was raised, and wrote about Elton and Leon’s musical partnership.
- Archival footage of Elton and Leon appears in Killer On The Keys, Peter Cincotti’s new video. The songwriter honours them–and other heroes, such as Billy Joel and Nat King Cole–as he sings about growing up ”with the radio on.”
- Do you remember the American Idol runner-up known for his soulful version of an Elton John classic? Will Spence brought judges to their feet with his version of Circle of Life last year. Sadly, he succumbed to injuries sustained in a car accident on Tuesday. The show paid tribute to the 23-year-old via Twitter, saying they were devastated by the news. The post called him ”a true talent who list up every room he entered,” adding that he would be deeply missed.
- The founder of The Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, Joe Chambers, will be missed as well. His establishment in Nashville, TN, has instruments played by stars ranging from Elton to Garth Brooks. The 80-year-old, who used to be a guitarist, producer and songwriter, died in September. He conducted interviews on the museum’s YouTube page, and these included some people involved in Elton’s career: ex-manager Ray Williams, as well as former bandmate Kenny Passarelli along with Jim Guercio, who ran Colorado’s Caribou Ranch Recording Studio.
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