Sir Elton John turns 69 today. Reginald Kenneth Dwight (his given name) was born in the Pinner area of NW London, England, on March 25, 1947. You might say Reggie, as he was then called, was a bit of a music prodigy. He was playing piano (“Skater’s Waltz”) at age 3, and won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at age 11. By 15, he was playing weekly gigs at a pub near his home, and when he was 17, Reggie formed his first band, Bluesology. They played the London club scene, and backed US soul and R&B acts The Isley Brothers, and Patti LaBelle and the Bluebells. In 1966, Bluesology became Long John Baldry’s backing band.

In 1967, Elton Hercules John (Reggies’s newly chosen name) and a fellow named Bernie Taupin both answered a Liberty Records ad for songwriters in the music trade paper, New Music Express. Elton was given a sheaf of Bernie’s lyrics and asked to write the music to go with. The two wrote songs by correspondence for a while, then met and began an astounding partnership that soon will have lasted 50 years.

Elton Hercules John is a fitting moniker for rock and roll royalty. Much better than any of his hotel aliases: Prince Fooboo, Sir Humphrey Handbag, Lillian Lollipop, Lord Choc Ice, Lord Elpus, Binky Poodleclip and Sir Henry Poodle. Most certainly a cut above his and Bernie’s pseudonyms on “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” Ann Orson and Carte Blanche – and don’t ask me who was which.

Elton started out in a decidedly folk rock groove, but by Honky Chateau was churning out one pop/rock hit after another. He became known for his flamboyant stage costumes, a phase lasting until he adopted the stance of elder statesman of rock. Elton knows how to present himself in royal regalia. He even has his own coat of arms, including the punning motto: “El Tono Es Bueno.” While Elton has divested himself of his exotic auto collection, he still owns 250,000 pairs of glasses.

Elton John's 50th Birthday Party - as King Louis XIV

These days, we just call him Sir Elton. On February 24, 1998, Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, perhaps still smarting over criticism of the royal reaction to the 1997 death of the peoples’ beloved Princess Diana, pulled an uncharacteristically smooth PR move and knighted her friend and singing eulogist. Life has taken a strange turn when the guy who wanted to “Burn Down the Mission” and “put the flame torch to the keep” is bumping around with royalty.

All kidding aside – we kid because we love – Elton John’s accomplishments in music, humanitarian and philanthropic causes, and even sport, more than qualify him for the “honours” bestowed upon him. Forgive me for bullet-pointing just some of this extraordinary career.

• Elton is rated the 3rd most successful artist in US chart history, trailing only Elvis and the Beatles
• He has sold >300,000,000 records worldwide
• Elton holds the record for the biggest selling single of all time. “Candle In The Wind 1997” has sold  >33 million copies, including >11 million in the US. It is the only single to have earned certified Diamond status
• He charted 7 consecutive #1 albums in the US, 58 Billboard Top 40 singles (27 Top 10s; 4 #2s; and 9 #1s). For 31 consecutive years (1970–2000), Elton had at least one song in the Billboard Hot 100
• He has earned 37 Gold and 27 multi-Platinum records
• Has won the rare trifecta of entertainment awards: Grammy, Oscar, and Tony
• Elton has performed >3,500 concerts since 1969
• Was inducted into the rock HOF in 1994, his first year eligible
• And, he has owned a football club, Watford F.C. of the English Premier League, and has a grandstand named in his honor at their home ground on Vicarage Road (the "Vic")

Happy Birthday to Sir Elton John!