Elton John

Elton John

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5 Ways Elton John Supports Philanthropic Causes

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Following the Recording Academy TV special in honor of his music, learn why else the GRAMMY winner's career is cause for celebration
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Apr 11, 2018 - 1:30 pm

What a wild ride we had during the April 10 TV concert special "Elton John: I'm Still Standing — A GRAMMY Tribute." We said "Sorry" with Mary J. Blige, sang the blues with Alessia Cara, launched into space with Little Big Town on "Rocket Man," crooned "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" with Kesha, and donned a pair of signature shades for Lady Gaga's "Your Song."

All-Stars Pay Tribute To Elton John

At the center of it all, the TV special highlighted Elton John's enduring musical legacy. While it's undeniable the GRAMMY winner has shaped music's future by inspiring generations of other artists, he's also had a huge impact in a number of other arenas. His charitable work has raised awareness around HIV/AIDS, he's supported young athletes and established a scholarship for upcoming musicians — and that's only the beginning.

To keep the celebration going, let's take a closer look at five philanthropic causes John has championed throughout his career.

1. Elton John AIDS Foundation

John has done some of his greatest work advocating for awareness and resources to eradicate HIV/AIDS through his Elton John Foundation, which was founded in 1992. Since then, the foundation has raised more than $385 million for projects in 55 countries around the world with branches in both the U.S. and the U.K. And their motto? "We believe AIDS can be beaten."

2. Royal Academy of Music Elton John Scholarship Foundation

Did you know? John honed some of his musical skills at the Royal Academy of Music in London, and in 2002 the school awarded him an honorary doctorate. To give back to the school that helped build a solid musical foundation for the legendary performer, John helped establish the Elton John Scholarship Fund to provide students an opportunity to attend the prestigious music school.

3. The Elton John Sports Fund

John launched the Elton John Sports Fund in 2014 with the help of Rocket Sports at a killer concert at Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire, England. Since then, the fund has provided resources for promising young athletes in more than 50 sports across the U.K., which goes to training and competition fees in conjunction with charitable organization SportsAid.

4. Rainforest Foundation Fund

With an eye toward the environment, John has lent his talents to the Rainforest Foundation, which was co-founded by fellow GRAMMY winner Sting. For example, the "Rocket Man" performed at concerts benefiting the organization in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2012. All money raised went directly to supporting more than 18 rainforests around the world and the indigenous people who live there.

5. MusiCares

MusiCares, the Recording Academy-affiliated health and human services organization supporting music people, has also made the list of causes that John has supported over the years. Most recently, he donated personal items to be turned into a signature timepiece, with all proceeds benefitting MusiCares' MAP Fund addiction recovery program. For his charitable work and outstanding contributions to the music community, John was named to 2000 MusiCares Person of the Year.

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Festivalgoers at Stagecoach 2017

Festivalgoers at Stagecoach 2017

Photo: Matt Cowan/Getty Images

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Music Festivals 2018: 7 Ways To Enjoy Festival Season Without Drinking

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From having an escape route to engaging in on-site 12-step recovery programs, learn how to plan an unforgettable festival experience without the booze
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Apr 12, 2018 - 3:12 pm

Picture this. You've landed in the California desert and are stoked to pitch that tent. You've got the lineup pulled up on your phone and you're arguing with your travel companions about whether you'll catch Beyoncé's must-see headlining set or catch a one-of-a-kind performance from Japanese rockers X Japan, who play at the same time. And you still haven't worked out if you'll see Portugal. The Man or Kamasi Washington. Mid-argument, out comes the six-pack and now there's a tougher choice to make.

Adam Clayton's MusiCares speech: Life In Recovery

While they offer life-changing experiences and the chance to get up close and personal with music of all genres, music festivals also include lots of alcohol consumption and drug use. In fact, this darker music fest culture comes with some cold, hard facts that would sober anyone up. A 2016 Canadian study found that 13 percent of reported festival deaths between 1999 and 2014 were the result of alcohol or drug abuse.

The studies may be new, but music festivals and substance abuse have been nearly inseparable since their inception. However, what's starting to change today is a focus on sobriety and recovery for those who want to attend music festivals without imbibing in the chemical party atmosphere.

"I went to Woodstock in 1969 and all I did was get loaded with everybody else. That's never really changed," shares Dr. Howard Samuels, founder/CEO of The Hills Treatment Center in Los Angeles who has 33 years of sobriety under his belt. "The thing that has changed though is that there are more young people that are sober."

While festivals may be a highly charged space for maintaining sobriety, those in recovery can enjoy music festivals without drinking. So bust out your fanny packs, signature shades and water bottles, because you're headed to your favorite festival armed with these seven tips to maintain sobriety.

1. Make The Trip With Other Friends In Recovery

Rule number one: Don't go alone. Plan to attend a music festival with other community members who support sobriety.

"I would go with other sober people. And when I say sober, I mean other people that you're in recovery with," says Samuels, who also recommends waiting until at least six months of sobriety to take on a music festival. "Don't go alone or don't go with your old friends."

When surrounded by others who share the same mission, it's much easier to resist the temptation to drink. Not to mention, if a craving gets triggered, you can discuss the moment with someone who understands and supports your decision to remain sober. Alcohol isn't required to have a good time. Being surrounded by the right people, though, can make all the difference.

"My favorite part about festivals are the people I meet," says rapper Kosha Dillz, aka Rami Even-Esh, who has been sober for more than 13 years. "Go with someone you'll have a great time with."

2. Plan Lodging Wisely

During a festival, the stages may go dark at a reasonable hour, but the partying continues long into the wee hours of the morning. Instead of dealing with the pressures of other drunken attendees, plan to have a safe space to go at night or anytime a break is needed.

"Don't be cheap," advises Even-Esh. "If you have to get your own place and it means being able to sleep in a room versus all of the room partying until 7 a.m., it might be worth it to spend the money."

Also look into sober housing options at music festivals. As the recovery movement grows, so too do the sober safe spaces at events. Organizations such as Camp Traction offer sober areas at a handful of festivals each year, and check other festivals' websites because they may offer their own clean and sober camping options.

3. Devise An Escape Plan

If the atmosphere becomes too overwhelming or tempting, have an escape plan figured out ahead of time. This could mean driving separately so there's always a way out without being dependent on another group member, having a nice quiet place to come back to at any point during the day, or simply hailing an Uber or Lyft.

You may experience some FOMO (fear of missing out) in the moment when leaving friends behind, but you'll be glad you did.

"I make sure I don't take things personally and always have an exit plan if it gets weird," says Even-Esh. "It usually does, and in my experience I don't really miss anything when I leave."

4. Phone A Friend, Often

For Even-Esh, having a fully charged phone is of paramount importance. Samuels agrees.

"The most important thing is that you have easy access to other recovering people in order to express the feelings of being overwhelmed, of being triggered by seeing people use — by all of it," says Samuels. "You've got to be able to communicate your feelings and your thoughts."

Keep phones charged with some of these portable charger options, and don't be afraid to reach out to your support network as much as needed.

"Once I start feeling anxious, the phone is a great tool to have," says Even-Esh. "Be able to call other people that are sober or even your friends back home. It's always good to call someone not at the festival to bring you back to reality."

5. Find A Local Or On-Site Meeting

As awareness about substance abuse issues and recovery grow, so do the resources for those looking to have a great experience and maintain their sobriety. Enter on-site festival 12-step programs and other resources.

"At most festivals these days, there are 12 steps and all you have to do is ask one of the organizers or the event staff where there's a 12-step meeting," recommends Samuels. "Recovery has gotten to be so in the mainstream these days, which is really positive, that there can be a lot of safe places for recovering people at music festivals."

For example, MusiCares' Safe Harbor Room program will be available at many major festivals throughout the U.S. this year, including Coachella and Stagecoach, which provides 12-step meetings and an information booth for those attending festivals.

6. Take Care Of The Basics

In Alcoholics Anonymous parlance, HALT — hunger, anger, loneliness, and tiredness — mark four pillars of well-being that must be addressed to prevent vulnerabilities to relapse.

In a music festival setting, this means eating nutritious and regular meals and snacks and drinking water. Avoid isolation and loneliness by choosing the right people to have by your side, while using your phone support network to vent anger and frustrations that might arise, say pushy crowds or a rude fan. And finally, do get some sleep. No all-nighters here!

"Sometimes getting something to eat and taking a nap can really change your mentality," says Even-Esh.

7. Set Boundaries For Yourself

Finally, it's important to know your own limits because at the end of the day you're responsible for your health and sobriety.

By setting yourself up to take care of the basics, engaging support networks, acting on escape plans as needed, and picking the right people to travel with, you've got a great head start. From here, rocking out during a weekend of unforgettable music without drinking is definitely attainable. Just keep your goals top of mind.

"Depending on where you are, there can be an absurd amount of drugs available and always large amounts of drinking happening," Even-Esh says. "For everyone else that's OK, but for me that is a problem and I'm the only person who needs to know that."

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Shawn Mendes portrait

Shawn Mendes

Photo: Robby Klein/Getty Images

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Shawn Mendes On Confidence, Nerves & Elton John

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Plus catch of glimpse of his duet performance of "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" with SZA
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Apr 6, 2018 - 8:18 am

Though younger artists such as Shawn Mendes may not have even been born at the height of Elton John's hit-filled career, it's clear that John's legacy will have a lasting impact on generations of music to come.

Shawn Mendes On Covering Elton John With SZA

At the upcoming "Elton John: I'm Still Standing — A GRAMMY Tribute" TV special on CBS, Mendes will join an all-star slate of other artists paying tribute to the GRAMMY winner. This is an honor Mendes is happy to participate in because John served as an inspiration when he was just a budding singer in school.

"The biggest thing for me was just he's fearless to be himself," Mendes said. "For me growing up, especially singing in school and stuff was very hard and to be doing that in school and to watch him and his confidence really made it easy for me."

During the TV special, Mendes will perform a version of John's "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" with GRAMMY-nominated R&B singer SZA. The pair give a modern twist to John's classic duet recorded in 1976 with Kiki Dee. The track earned a GRAMMY nomination at the 19th GRAMMY Awards for Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus.

Beyond the tall task of performing for the man himself, Mendes is impressed by the entire roster of artists inspired to pay tribute to the living legend.

"I was blown away when I figured out who was playing here; obviously I was honored to play with Elton," Mendes said. "All the other artists are people I've looked up to for years."

And as for how he's handling the pressure of such a monumental performance?

"[I'm] so nervous," Mendes said. "I'm still shaking right now."

"Elton John: I'm Still Standing — A GRAMMY Salute" will feature performances by some of music's biggest names, including Ed  Sheeran, Alessia Cara, Miley Cyrus, Kesha, Lady Gaga, Miranda Lambert, John Legend, Little Big Town, Chris Martin, Maren Morris, Sam Smith, and SZA.

Tune in April 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT for this two-hour concert special, only on CBS.

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Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka

Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka

Photo: Robby Klein/Getty Images

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Neil Patrick Harris On "Crazy Impressive" Nature Of Elton John

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The GRAMMY nominee gushes about the musical and personal impact John has had on his life
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Mar 26, 2018 - 12:30 pm

If there's anyone who understands the impact of a good song and dance number, look no further than Neil Patrick Harris. That's why it's fitting that the "Hedwig And The Angry Inch" musical actor extraordinaire will be honoring the legacy of Elton John during "Elton John: I'm Still Standing — A GRAMMY Tribute."

Neil Patrick Harris: What's His Elton John Secret?

Harris and husband David Burtka took some time backstage during the taping of the exclusive GRAMMY TV special to talk about why John and his husband, David Furnish, have been so important in their lives. Burtka even revealed John was the first person they told they were having children.

"Elton John's been a huge part of both of our lives, not only musically but personally." Harris said. "He and David [Furnish] represent a family dynamic that we share, so we get to spend time together as families and watch their kids grow up."

Beyond their personal connections — the two families have gone on vacations together — Harris also acknowledged John's deep catalog of hits, including "Candle In The Wind," "Rocket Man," "Crocodile Rock," "I'm Still Standing," "Tiny Dancer," and "Your Song," among many others.

"When you go see his show it's hit after hit, after hit," said Harris about John's patented three-hour sets. "He is crazy impressive to this day. I can't believe he's doing a farewell tour and I'm super honored to be here."

"Elton John: I'm Still Standing — A GRAMMY Salute" will feature performances by some of music's biggest names, including Sheeran, Alessia Cara, Miley Cyrus, Kesha, Lady Gaga, Miranda Lambert, John Legend, Little Big Town, Chris Martin, Shawn Mendes, Maren Morris, Sam Smith, and SZA.

Tune in April 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT for this two-hour concert special, only on CBS.

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Gladys Knight & The Pips

Gladys Knight & The Pips

Photo: Gilles Petard/RedFerns

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"I Heard It Through The Grapevine": 7 Facts On The R&B Favorite | GRAMMY Hall Of Fame

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Learn how the would-be classic passed through many hands at Motown before it landed with Gladys Knight & The Pips
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Mar 23, 2018 - 4:09 pm

"Instead I heard it through the grapevine/Oh, not much longer would you be mine/Oh, I heard it, yes, I heard it (heard it through the grapevine)/Oh, just about, to lose my mind"

"I Heard It Through The Grapevine" was birthed at Motown Records by songwriters Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong in 1966. It would pass through many hands, including Smokey Robinson And The Miracles and a shelved Marvin Gaye rendition before the track landed with Gladys Knight & The Pips. As they say, the rest is history.

Released in 1967, Knight's retooled up-tempo version of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" landed at No. 1 on the Billboard R&B charts and placed at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 just behind the Monkees' "Daydream Believer," paving the way for later versions such as Gaye's 1968 recording and Creedence Clearwater Revival's 1970 interpretation.

The tune also earned the distinction of being inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame as part of the class of 2018, an honor recognizing significant recordings that have shaped our musical heritage.

Though Gaye's version often gets the most attention, let's take a look back at seven facts about Gladys Knight & The Pips' soulful stylings on the chart-topping favorite.  

1. History Of The Grapevine

Singer/songwriter Barrett Strong is the mastermind behind the lyrics in the song. After strolling the streets of Chicago and hearing the phrase "through the grapevine," he was inspired to coin the classic term in a song. Working with producer Norman Whitfield, the pair put the words to an arrangement and crafted a narrative that describes a romantic betrayal. But the history of the "grapevine" has deeper roots. During the Civil War era, slaves communicated using the "grapevine telegraph" to pass along vital information using word of mouth.

2. "Out-Funking" The Queen Of Soul

Gladys Knight & The Pips were the third artist at Motown to take a crack at recording "… Grapevine" following Robinson and his Miracles and Gaye. While the previous two records had a smoother, slower vibe, Strong and Whitfield pumped up the funk, soul and gospel for Knight's version. The reason? Aretha Franklin had just released her smash "Respect," and according to author David Ritz, Whitfield wanted to "out-funk" Franklin. 

3. Tuning The Track To Gladys Knight

With the track's new upbeat groove, Strong, Whitfield, Knight, and the Pips still needed to do a little retooling on the track. First, the song needed to come from a woman's perspective, which resulted in lyric change, such as altering the first line of the second verse: "I know a man ain't supposed to cry/But these tears I can't hold inside" became "Take a good look at these tears in my eyes/Baby, these tears I can't hold inside." Rearranging "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" took several weeks before it was finally ready to record.

4. Berry Gordy's Reluctance

Motown label head Berry Gordy had already shelved the previous two versions of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" as singles when Knight's version crossed his desk. Again, Gordy initially didn't want to release it as a single, but after much discussion he reluctantly agreed. The song was finally released Sept. 28, 1967, on Motown's Soul Records label. It was also added to the group's 1967 studio album, Everybody Needs Love.

5. Career Breakthrough

Gordy's reluctance to release the track trickled into its promotion. In fact, Motown put almost no effort behind "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" after its release, and the Pips relied solely on their connections with radio DJs across the country. Their persistence paid off. Not only did the record spend six weeks in the top spot on Billboard's R&B charts, it rocketed to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Motown's biggest hit at the time.

6. Paving The Way For Marvin Gaye

While Marvin Gaye technically recorded his version of the song first, Gordy refused to release the emotional down-tempo track until after Knight had such big success with it. Gaye's "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" was released in 1968, and it surpassed all expectations, outselling Knight's version. He received a GRAMMY nomination for the song at the 11th GRAMMY Awards, and Gaye's rendition was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 1998. Gaye's success caused tension between him and Knight, though they worked out their animosity later in their careers. But arguably, Knight's version paved the way for Gaye's "… Grapevine" good fortune.

7. Other Notable Covers

The mega success of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" led to other notable covers, particularly Creedence Clearwater Revival who took the song to another level with an 11-minute showdown on their 1970 album, Cosmo's Factory. Funk artist Roger Troutman also included the track on his 1981 solo album, The Many Facets Of Roger, and Amy Winehouse, the Temptations and Elton John have all gotten their hands on it. "… Grapevine" also formed the foundation for Queen Latifah's 1998 single "Paper."

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