Latest news with #Elton
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Elton John marks 35 years of sobriety, fans flood social media with support
Sir Elton John has reached a remarkable personal milestone — 35 years of sobriety. The legendary singer-songwriter, now 77, shared a brief but heartfelt note on social media: 'Grateful for all the love on my sobriety birthday.' Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The post quickly drew thousands of messages from fans and fellow artists alike, celebrating his strength and perseverance. 'So proud of you, always,' one user wrote. Another commented, 'You are an inspiration to so many! Congratulations on 35 years sober!' Elton John has spoken openly over the years about his struggles with alcohol, drugs, and bulimia during the height of his fame in the 1970s and '80s. He entered rehab in 1990, a decision he has credited with saving his life. His sobriety has also played a major role in shaping his philanthropic work, including the founding of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. This milestone comes on the heels of his historic 'Farewell Yellow Brick Road' tour, which concluded in 2023 after five years and over 300 shows, making it one of the highest-grossing tours of all time. Despite retiring from touring, Elton remains active in music, film, and advocacy. From addiction and recovery to global stardom and activism, his journey remains one of music's most powerful narratives — and 35 years sober stands as a testament to the legacy he's still building.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Elton John's sweet bond with Ozzy Osbourne as he attends Black Sabbath star's funeral
Sir Elton John will pay his last respects to his friend, Ozzy Osbourne, in Birmingham today following the Black Sabbath star's heartbreaking death last week Sir Elton John shared a strong bond with his "dear friend" Black Sabbath star, Ozzy Osbourne, who is being laid to rest today. In news which left the singer's legion of loyal fans bereft, it was announced last week that Ozzy had died, aged 76, as his famous family admitted "mere words" couldn't describe their loss. Paying tribute to his friend, Elton, 78, who will pay his last respects to Ozzy at his funeral in Birmingham later today, said the father-of-six was a "rock god" and a "true trailblazer". Joining a host of famous faces, including Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, in paying homage to the star following his passing on Tuesday, Elton wrote on Instagram: "He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods - a true legend. He was also one of the funniest people I've ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love. Elton xx." The Sorry star, who has been pals with Ozzy for years, also sent a special message to his friend at the Black Sabbath farewell gig earlier this month. Appearing on screen at Villa Park at which thousands had turned up to see Ozzy perform for one last time, Elton told the star: "You are one of the most remarkable singles of our time... You are the king, you are the legend. 'You've been through so much crap in the last few years. "I hope this is the best day of your life so far.' Elton and Ozzy shared a decades-long friendship as titans in their music fields. The I'm Still Standing star and Prince of Darkness icon no doubt found common ground as survivors of very public, decades-long battles with addiction - as well as being two of the most famous singers on the planet. For Ozzy, Elton was a true friend who was there for him during his recovery from a horrific quad bike accident in 2003, according to Yahoo Entertainment. 'Elton told me to get off the couch and start walking, which was what I needed, as I couldn't move off it for months,' the singer told the outlet. 'He was right. Elton is a sweetheart. He has phoned me throughout all this. He was at the house the other day with his two boys. They are great kids. "They are such a good family. You would be surprised. When you are feeling miserable, you find out who is a friend and who doesn't give a s**t." The pair also collaborated on the power ballad, Ordinary Man, in 2020. The track features emotional lyrics, which focus on life and leaving a legacy as Ozzy poignantly sings: 'I don't wanna die an ordinary man.'
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Sir Elton John, 78, celebrates 35 years of sobriety with his family as he receives handmade cards from sons Zachary and Elijah
Sir Elton John celebrated 35 years of sobriety on Wednesday with handmade cards from his sons Zachary and Elijah. The music legend, 78, who once admitted he 'would be dead' had he not have asked sought help with his addictions, rang in the milestone with his family. Sharing his gratitude in an Instagram update, Elton marked the milestone at home with his husband David Furnish and their sons Zachary, 13, and Elijah, 11. He uploaded a photo of the cards and flowers he had received from his close friends and relatives. 'Grateful for all the love on my sobriety birthday,' Elton captioned. The musician has been very open about his battle with alcohol and drugs which nearly derailed his career and cost him his life. The music legend, 78, who once admitted he 'would be dead' had he not have asked sought help with his addictions, rang in the milestone with his family Speaking in an interview in December, Elton said he treated former lovers 'like hostages,' behaved like an 'a**hole' and was unable to operate household appliances without help until he was well into his forties because of his issues with addiction. The legendary singer-songwriter made a series of startling admissions about his personal life in TIME magazine. Discussing at length a crippling addiction to alcohol and cocaine at the height of his fame in the 1970s and '80s, Sir Elton admitted there were numerous casualties before his eventual rehabilitation in the '90s - among them his former partners. 'You make terrible decisions on drugs, he explained. 'I wanted love so badly, I would just take hostages. 'I'd see someone I liked and spend three or four months together, and then they would resent me because they had nothing in their life apart from me. 'It really upsets me, thinking back on how many people I probably hurt.' Entering the Lutheran General Hospital in Chicago as an in-patient in 1990, Sir Elton received six weeks of treatment for his addictions to drugs, alcohol and food. Reflecting on his wild past, he admitted to Variety at Cannes Film Festival in 2019: 'The life I was leading, flying on the Starship, living in beautiful houses, buying things left, right and centre — it was not a normal life. 'I used to have spasms and be found on the floor and they'd put me back to bed and half an hour later I'd be doing the same. It's crazy. 'I am a survivor. I've survived a lot of things. Life is full of pitfalls, even when you're sober. I can deal with them now because I don't have to run away and hide', he added. This week, Elton has showed his unlikely role as a mediator in his godson Brooklyn Beckham 's feud with his family, with sources claiming he 'said his piece' on the matter during a swanky lunch with the chef and his wife Nicola Peltz. It remains to be seen whether Elton's attempts to help Brooklyn will be in vain, with sources previously saying he's staying firmly neutral on the Beckham family row. He had been a longtime friend of the Beckham family, with footballer David even fondly referring to him as Uncle. This close bond has continued for Brooklyn, who is Elton's godson, and the musician has been honing his unlikely role as peacemaker, by sharing his thoughts on the chef's ongoing feud with his family. The Tiny Dancer hitmaker invited Brooklyn and his wife Nicola out for lunch at a swanky beach club in St Tropez, with sources claiming he 'briefly' spoke about the family's feud in the hope Brooklyn would patch things up with his parents. Speaking about Elton's attempts to play peacekeeper in the row, a source said: 'Elton is the showbiz equivalent of Switzerland. He's utterly neutral in this row.' They added: 'Elton of old may have relished in taking sides - in this case his young godson, Brooklyn - but two years off his 80th birthday, he's a man who has seen and done it all. He just wants everyone to be happy. 'There is no side-taking as such; he simply adores his godson, and really has a laugh with Nicola who he thinks has a great sense of humour. He wants to look after them in his role as 'spiritual adviser' as a godfather, it's a role he takes seriously. 'Elton and David think the situation is terribly sad, and has gently suggested to all involved that life is short - to patch things up.' The source added Elton is 'adamant he doesn't want to stick his nose in' the feud, he just simply 'wants peace'.
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Billy Joel insists DUIs 'never happened'
Billy Joel is adamant he's never faced a drink driving charge. The veteran musician, 76, has addressed long-standing rumours about his past in his new documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes and he has insisted he's never been prosecuted for a DUI (driving under the influence charge) despite previous reports suggesting he got in trouble with the law after a series of motoring mishaps. He explained: "There's this rumor that I have all these DUIs. That never happened. But people keep repeating the myth. 'Oh, he's got so many DUIs.' "I never had a DUI. So f*** you. The press can be mean. So having that much attention paid to you is not easy." Joel was involved in a number of car accidents over the years - including a 1999 accident, a 2003 crash when he drove his Mercedes-Benz into a tree in Sag Harbor, New York and another smash in 2004 when he crashed his car into a house in Bayville, New York. However, Joel has since insisted the car accidents had nothing to do with alcohol and were actually linked to the "deep depression" he was suffering at the time. In a 2013 interview with the New York Times, he explained: "{The accidents had] nothing to do with the booze ... I never had a DUI in my life. That's another fallacy. "Look at the police records. My mind wasn't right. I wasn't focused. I went into a deep, deep depression after 9/11. 9/11 just knocked the wind out of me, and "I don't know even now if I've recovered from it. "It really, really hurt that man could do that to man. And then there was a break-up with somebody, and it took me a while to get me back on my feet again." In the documentary, Joel also opened up about becoming embroiled in a feud with Sir Elton John after the pop icon encouraged him to go to rehab. Joel explained: "Elton had made a comment that he thought I needed real rehab. He chalked it up to, 'Oh, he's a drunk.' And that really hurt me. "I said wait a minute? Don't you know me better than that? And there was bad blood for a little while. There was a dovetailing of things that happened during that time." Billy recalled feeling at "rock bottom" when he read Elton's comments. He said: "I was disillusioned with what I thought it was all supposed to mean. It was like all the signs were pointing to me: enough. And I wrote this letter to the band. 'I don't want to do this anymore. I'm gonna stop.'" Elton made the comments to Rolling Stone magazine back in 2011, shortly after they toured together. The singer explained at the time that they had "so many cancelled tours because of illnesses and various other things, alcoholism". Elton - who also struggled with addiction in the 70s and 80s - added: "He's going to hate me for this, but every time he goes to rehab they've been light ... I love you Billy, and this is tough love." Billy did actually spend time in rehab in 2005, and he previously acknowledged that addiction created "problems" in his life. The singer stopped drinking altogether in 2021.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Billy Joel reveals exactly what Sir Elton John said that sparked 'bad blood' fallout
Piano Man star Billy Joel has admitted he was 'really hurt' by a comment from Sir Elton John after the pair toured together as he revealed there was 'bad blood' Billy Joel has revealed he was left "really hurt" by comments from Sir Elton John, despite their once friendly relationship. The Piano Man, 76, once toured with Sir Elton but things turned sour. A rift came between Billy and the Rocketman hitmaker, 78, that took years to heal. Billy has now revealed he was hurt by Elton's comments in his new documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes. The pair headed out on their Face to Face tour in 1994 but they suffered a number of cancelled shows. Sir Elton decided to address the reason for the shows not taking place, with Billy feeling he went a step too far. "Elton had made a comment that he thought I needed real rehab," Billy said in the documentary. "He chalked it up to, 'Oh, he's a drunk.' And that really hurt me." At the time, Sir Elton told the Rolling Stone: "He's going to hate me for this, but every time he goes to rehab they've been light." He said he had given Billy some "tough love". Billy had been struggling with alcoholism and once admitted it destroyed his 10 year marriage to Christine Brinkley. The couple officially divorce around the same time as the Face to Face tour. Speaking of the fallout with Sir Elton, Billy shared: "I said 'wait a minute? Don't you know me better than that?' And there was bad blood for a little while. There was a dovetailing of things that happened during that time." He revealed he felt "clobbered" after the comments and hit rock bottom. His relationship with Sir Elton also suffered as a result. "I was disillusioned with what I thought it was all supposed to mean," Billy said. "It was like all the signs were pointing to me: Enough. And I wrote this letter to the band. 'I don't want to do this anymore. I'm gonna stop'." In 2005, Billy went to rehab at the Betty Ford Clinic after his wife Katie Lee insisted. They split up four years later but Billy decided to resume the Face to Face tour. Billy performed throughout the 00s, with a stint in 2009 before wrapping again in 2010. He managed to patch things up with Sir Elton while on stage at the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013. While on stage Sir Elton reached out to Billy as he said: "Mr. Joel, I haven't seen you tonight, but I love you dearly." When Billy took the stage he decided to do the same as he said: "Is Elton still here? By the way, we're ok. Call me, it's the same phone number." Billy recently confirmed he has now given up alcohol as he blamed his addiction for his normal pressure hydrocephalus diagnosis. According to the NHS, NPH is an uncommon and poorly understood condition that most often affects people over the age of 60. It can sometimes develop after an injury or a stroke, but in most cases the cause is unknown. The main symptoms are mobility problems, dementia and urinary incontinence. Billy was forced to cancel all his scheduled shows earlier this month due to the condition. He has been suffering with hearing, vision and balance problems following a number of previous performances.
