Elton John achieves rare EGOT status
LOS ANGELES
Elton John has achieved EGOT status. The famed British singer-pianist won an Emmy Award on Jan. 15 for best variety special (live) for “Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium,” a three-hour concert documentary that streamed on Disney+.
John said he was “incredibly humbled” for joining the elite group of EGOT winners who have won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards.
“The journey to this moment has been filled with passion, dedication, and the unwavering support of my fans all around the world,” John, 76, said in a statement after winning his trophy.
The superstar performer has five Grammys, most recently for “Elton John & Tim Rice’s Aida” in 2001; two Oscars for “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from “The Lion King” in 1994 and “[I’m Gonna] Love Me Again” from “Rocketman"; along with a Tony for his original score on “Aida.”
He is one of the top-selling solo artists of all time, and he holds the record for biggest-selling physical single of all time thanks to the 33 million copies sold for “Candle in the Wind" in 1997.
John became the 19th person to reach EGOT status after Viola Davis achieved the feat when she won a Grammy last year. Others performers who have EGOTs include Whoopi Goldberg, Jennifer Hudson and John Legend.
David Furnish, John's husband and a producer on the concert special, said John was overjoyed Monday night about winning his first-ever Emmy, and he “screamed out loud." Furnish said a “incredibly honored” John was unable to attend the awards ceremony since he's recovering from recent surgery.
“We Facetimed him. We woke him up in the middle of the night,” Furnish said while holding John’s award backstage. “He’s back in the U.K. He’s had his left knee replaced, which isn't surprising when you think of the number of pianos he’s jumped off.”
John’s concert was the last of a three-night stand at the stadium in Los Angeles as part of the North American leg of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which began in September 2018 with the first of the 300-plus scheduled dates. It was suspended in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed in 2021.
His final show, which drew more than 50,000 people, had guest appearances from a new generation of stars, including Dua Lipa and Brandi Carlile.
The singer’s aired special beat out the Apple Music Super Bowl halftime show starring Rihanna, as well as ABC’s Oscars telecast, CBS’s Tony Award telecast and Netflix’s “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage.”
“Tonight is a testament to the power of the arts and the joy that it brings to all our lives,” John said. “Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my career. I am incredibly grateful.”
