Elton John looks back on his life on tour, shares why Dodger Stadium is a full circle moment
Elton John is just days away from his final “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” U.S. show, and the award-winning musician is looking back on the performance that catapulted his career.
On Sunday, the “Rocket Man” singer is taking the stage at Dodger Stadium for a final time. It’s the same arena that he performed at 47 years ago, which many describe as the moment that launched the 75-year-old to stardom.
“Dodgers Stadium at that point was the pinnacle of my career,” John told “Good Morning America.”
Final bow at Dodger Stadium
It’s hard to believe that John’s U.S. leg of his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour is coming to an end. In 2018, the singer embarked on the three-year tour, which he began in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The tour, which marks his retirement from touring after more than 50 years on the road, would encompass five continents and over 350 concert dates.
“This is my last tour,” he said. “You have to soak it in. And I have soaked in all the love and all the loyalty that’s been shown from the audience.”
His final U.S. performance at Dodger Stadium is a full circle moment for the singer, who performed there in 1975 in an iconic performance, where he wore a sequined Dodger outfit and performed a cover of The Who’s “Pinball Wizard.”
“It wasn’t the happiest time of my life, but I bounced back pretty quickly,” John said. “I was the biggest I could possibly be. But to be there again on my own, and to finish off the North American tour, with three days at Dodgers Stadium -- I could not ask for a more wonderful ending.”
His final Dodgers Stadium performance will be a special one, as it will be livestreamed on Disney+ for fans at home to enjoy.
The three-hour livestream will also serve as a prelude to his upcoming Disney Original Documentary, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The Final Elton John Performances and the Years That Made His Legend,” from filmmakers R.J. Cutler and David Furnish.
“To feel the energy from the best fans, not only in Dodger Stadium again, but this time around the world from those watching live at home, will be truly extra special for me,” John said in a statement. “I’m thrilled to celebrate this momentous evening globally. I hope everyone feels the power and joy of performing on a stage as iconic as Dodger’s.”
Collaborating with younger artists
Also taking the stage with John this weekend are Brandi Carlile, Kiki Dee and Dua Lipa, who teamed up with John on the recent hit song, “Cold Heart (PNAU REMIX),” which hit no. 7 on Billboard’s Hot 100 list. The song, which combines John’s songs, “Rocketman” and “Sacrifice,” has been streamed over 1 billion times on Spotify worldwide.
John told “GMA” that collaborating with young artists has been his secret over the years.
“A lotta people don’t -- embrace the new, and their songs, which are great, don’t shift over to the new. You have to and you know -- and I love it, because as I say, the young make me feel special.”
He added, “I have a lot of energy, but when you’re 23, 24, you have a different kind of energy. And it shows in their music. When you work with those people, you learn a lot too. It’s a no-brainer.”
Most recently, the singer collaborated with pop icon Britney Spears on the song, “Hold Me Closer,” which ranked on Billboard’s top 10 list.
“I want her to feel the love from the music loving generation that’s out there, because she has a lot of fans,” John said. “She came in, did the vocal and it was great. All I wanted to do was for her to feel the love, ‘cause she hasn’t had a lot of love coming her way in the last few years.”
Life after touring
When his farewell tour ends, John said he hopes to spend time at home with his husband, David Furnish, and their two sons, Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John, 11, and Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John, 9.
“They both play the piano and Elijah stared playing the trumpet,” John said, gushing over his kids. “Elijah is heading towards the stage. I don’t know what Zachary’s gonna do -- his passion is fishing. And the greatest thing about my life is that when we had these children, everything changed.”
“That’s why I’m coming off the road,” he added. “I wanna be with my children. This is the biggest tour I’ve ever done. What more could I want? I’ve had enough applause. I’ve said that before. I just want the applause of my children saying, ‘You’ve been a good dad.’”
“Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium” will exclusively stream live worldwide on Disney+ on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 8:00 pm. PT/11:00 p.m. ET.
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