EGOT status and Gershwin award in the same month? 2024 is proving to be another milestone year for Elton John.
The famed performer and his longtime creative partner, lyricist Bernie Taupin, are this year's recipients of the Library of Congress' Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, the nation's highest award for influence, impact and achievement in music. popular.
“Elton John and Bernie Taupin have written some of the most memorable songs of our lives,” Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said in a statement Tuesday. “His careers are notable for the quality and broad appeal of his music and his influence on his fellow artists.”
“More than 50 years ago, they came from across the pond to conquer Americans and audiences around the world with their beautiful rock songs and anthems,” Hayden added. “We are proud to honor Elton and Bernie with the Gershwin Award for their incredible impact on generations of music lovers.”
The iconic songwriting duo behind the hits “Your Song,” “Tiny Dancer,” “Rocket Man,” “Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” will be honored with a tribute concert at Washington. , DC, which will air on PBS stations nationwide on April 8.
“I've been writing songs with Bernie for 56 years, and we never thought that one day this could be granted to us,” the “Bennie and the Jets” and “Crocodile Rock” singer said in a statement, noting that “It's an incredible honor.” for two Britons to be recognized like this.”
“To be in a house alongside the great American composers, even to be on the same avenue, is humbling and one I am absolutely delighted to accept,” Taupin added.
John, 76, and Taupin, 73, join the ranks of previous Gershwin Prize winners, including Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, the songwriting duo Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Carole King, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson and Tony Bennett. , Emilio and Gloria Estefan, Garth Brooks, Lionel Richie and Joni Mitchell.
Honorees are selected by the Librarian of Congress, who consults with a board of scholars, producers, performers, composers and music specialists.
Earlier this month, John was inducted into EGOT's exclusive class of winners: artists who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony. The superstar earned the E, and 19th in the class, with her Emmy win for her variety special “Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium.” The special was based on his trio of shows at Dodger Stadium in November 2022, when he paid tribute to his historic 1975 concert at the Los Angeles venue.
He also has five Grammy Awards, two Oscar Awards (for the songs “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from “The Lion King” and “[I’m Gonna] Love Me Again” from “Rocketman”) and a Tony (“Aida”) on his proverbial mantle. Taupin, who has always stayed more behind the scenes than his dazzling counterpart, also won an Oscar for the song from “Rocketman.”
While 2024 brought awards, 2023 marked another milestone for John. Rocket Man said goodbye to his Farewell Yellow Brick Road retirement world tour over the summer after wearing 16 Gucci suits and playing 330 shows with 6.25 million fans. The tour, which launched in 2018, became the highest-grossing tour of all time (but was eventually surpassed by Taylor Swift's mammoth Eras tour).
Before the Dodger Stadium shows, the “Cold Heart” singer played several concerts at the Forum in Inglewood and the Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena) in downtown Los Angeles in 2019, commemorating their five-year love story. decades of touring with Los Angeles that former Times music critic Robert Hilburn helped launch in the 1970s.
