Reggie, Bernie, Tammy, And Webby
Many years ago, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons had a hit with Oh, What a Night. That title certainly applies to what happened in London, England, on the second of April.
While Elton was playing the O2 (the first of 10 dates), his new musical was picking up a pair of Olivier awards. Kate Brayben won Best Actress in a Musical for her Tammy Faye role, and Zubin Varla scored Best Supporting Actor in a Musical (as Jerry Falwell). Elton thanked everyone who was responsible, including his Rocket Entertainment team, co-writer Jake Shears, and London’s Almeida Theatre, which hosted Tammy Faye.
Nominations for the Webby-Awards have been revealed, and Elton’s interactive map of Los Angeles, California, is among them. This celebration of Elton’s final U.S. tour and Dodger Stadium appearance is in the Music Website and Mobile category. Votes are accepted through the 20th of April.
As the star winds up his tour in Europe, the Elton John Eyewear line is also making its rounds. It’s now at Bicester-Village in Oxfordshire, England, as well as at Kildare Village in Dublin, Ireland. Elton has said that he doesn’t feel like himself without his glasses. So creating a stylish assortment–for others who also want to be true to themselves–has been his dream for a long time. Although the former Reginald Dwight has complained about his upbringing, one of the eyewear collections (the Academy) harkens back to when he was a boy, and is ”rooted ” in old school tales.
Last night, the Grammy salute to the Beach-Boys aired on CBS. Participants included Elton, who called their voices ”a bit like a classical choir” in a rock and roll way. He thought they ”took you to another place.”
Elton and Bernie Taupin weren’t going to another place when they wrote I’m-Going-Home, which was recorded by Simon Dupree and the Big Sound. Elton played keyboards for a while with the band, formed in 1969 by brothers Derek, Phil, and Ray Shulman (before they started Gentle Giant). Sadly, Ray has died at the age of 73, following a long illness.
We were also sorry to learn that Seymour Stein passed away. The co-founder of Sire Records, whose friends included Elton-John and the singer’s former manager and boyfriend John Reid, signed acts like the-Ramones and Madonna. He was 80 and had been fighting cancer.
The aforementioned John Reid appears in a new compilation from Billboard of favourite manager portrayals on the big and small screen. Richard Madden received kudos for the way he alternated between warmth and bluntness in the Rocketman biopic. ”Get in the studio and make some music or don’t. I don’t care,” he yelled at ”Elton” (Taron Egerton).
Former Elton John Band guitarist Caleb Quaye has a book and documentary out, both called Louder Than Rock. The latter, in which the likes of Ray Williams (credited with bringing Elton and Bernie together) and Davey Johnstone make cameos, will be available to stream via Green Apple Entertainment‘s GAGO on 28 April.
The Elton Blog covers a slew of anniversaries, and there was another, on the sixth of April. It was on that date in 2018 that two albums billed as ”Reimagining the Songs of Elton John and Bernie Taupin” were released. Revamp offered pop, rock, and R&B artists; Restoration consisted of country music performers.
Tanya Tucker, who has just been inducted into the Country-Music Hall of Fame, has announced a new album. Sweet Western Sound is due on the second of June, and the third track was written by Bernie Taupin and Brandi Carlile. Tanya and Brandi sing together on Breakfast in Birmingham. So it’s not ”all quiet on the western front,” to quote Elton and Bernie’s old song!
