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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Elton John

Elton John

Photo: Michael Kovac/Getty Images

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Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Serenaded By Elton John At Royal Wedding

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The GRAMMY winner delighted guests at a lunchtime reception with four of his most popular hits
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
May 21, 2018 - 5:30 pm

Did you wake up at "O-dark-thirty" to catch the royal wedding in the U.K. this past weekend? If you did, you were in good company: More than 29 million Americans tuned in for the ceremony across various networks.

All-Stars Pay Tribute To Elton John

It seems ironic that so many in the U.S. tuned in for a British royal ceremony — the United States' forefathers might be horrified considering how hard they worked to gain independence from the British monarchy — but for U.K. native Elton John, his attendance made perfect sense.

As rumored prior to the big day, the GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter — himself music royalty — entertained wedding guests at a lunchtime reception following the nuptials "hosted by Her Majesty The Queen at St George's Hall, Windsor Castle." Prince Harry introduced John, quipping, "Does anyone here know how to play the piano?"

John performed a short set for the assembled guests, which included some of his classics: "Your Song," "Circle Of Life," "I'm Still Standing," and "Tiny Dancer," which included the lyric "L.A. Lady" as a nod to Markle's acting career.

"Prince Harry asked Sir Elton to perform at the reception," read a statement. "Sir Elton performed for the newly married couple in recognition of the close connection he has with Prince Harry and his family."

This isn't the first time John has performed for royalty. In 1997 he delivered a touching version of "Candle In The Wind" during the funeral for Princess Diana, Prince Harry's mother.

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Queen circa 1975

Queen

Photo: Terry O'Neill/Iconic Images/Getty Images

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'A Night At The Opera': 7 Facts On Queen's Masterpiece | GRAMMY Hall Of Fame

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The band's fourth album spawned perhaps one of the most epic rock operas of all time; get the 411 on the making of this classic LP
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Apr 27, 2018 - 3:39 pm

"I see a little silhouetto of a man/Scaramouche, scaramouche will you do the fandango?"

The lyrics are so iconic, inevitably you'll know the song they belong to in an instant — Queen's epic "Bohemian Rhapsody."  

While the rock opera has arguably outshined the rest of the album that spawned the unlikely hit, A Night At The Opera was Queen's aptly titled fourth studio LP. Released Nov. 21, 1975, it contained other would-be favorites such as "Love Of My Life" and "You're My Best Friend." By all accounts, it wasn't an easy album to get down on tape, but it also became one of Queen's most successful and influential works of art.

Marking A Night At The Opera's latest achievement, it was 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. To celebrate, let's take a closer look at these seven facts about the making of this classic Queen album.

1. The Marx Brothers Inspired The Title

As fans of the Marx Brothers' filmography, it seemed to make perfect sense that Queen — lead singer Freddie Mercury, guitarist Brian May, drummer Roger Taylor, and bassist John Deacon — would name their fourth album after one of their films. A Night At The Opera comes from the 1935 Marx Brothers comedy of the same name, which the band reportedly watched in the studio during the recording of the LP Their 1976 follow-up, A Day At The Races, also borrowed its title from the Marx Brothers.

2. The Album Cost A Fortune

There was nothing cheap about recording A Night At The Opera, both from a time and financial standpoint. Getting the massive "Bohemian Rhapsody" down took three weeks alone, and the rest of the album stretched on as Queen worked tirelessly with producer Roy Thomas Baker. Most notably, the album cost the equivalent of $500,000 today to make in 1975, which earned the distinction of being the then-most expensive rock album ever made. This could have something to do with the fact the band recorded in six studios across the U.K.

3. Manager Drama Makes The Cut

Prior to 1975, Queen struggled to make ends meet despite having success with their three previous albums. It turns out the issue was a management deal gone horribly wrong. The band fought to free themselves from the bad relationship, and when they were successful, Mercury penned a scathing revenge track recounting the experience — "Death On Two Legs (Dedicated To …)."

"'Death On Two Legs' was the most vicious lyric I ever wrote," Mercury said, according to QueenOnline.com. "It was so vindictive that Brian felt bad singing it. No one would ever believe how much hate and venom went into the singing of that song, let alone the lyrics themselves."

4. Recording "Bohemian Rhapsody"

Queen's magnum opus, and arguably their most recognizable song of all time, is the rock opera "Bohemian Rhapsody." Clocking in at more than six minutes, it defied all conventions. And while we know some of the song's references — Scaramouche is a character from the Italian clown tradition, Galileo refers to the famous astronomer and Bismillah is the first word in The Qu'ran — we may never know the song's true meaning since Mercury never revealed it. To get "Bohemian Rhapsody" on tape, particularly the choral parts, Mercury, May and Taylor reportedly sang 180 overdubs. By the end of the process, the tape had been used so many times it was see-through.

5. Making Music Video History

With its growing popularity, Queen realized they would need a music video for "Bohemian Rhapsody," largely because they didn't want to appear on the British TV show "Top Of The Pops." So the band set aside £3,500, brought on director Bruce Gowers and threw together a music video in just four hours in a space they were using to rehearse for a tour. The result was a rather simple video visually dominated by the band's singing heads. But like the song itself, the end result became so popular it's credited with helping usher in the MTV music video craze of the '80s.

6. Wayne's World? Excellent …

Remember that scene in Wayne's World where Mike Meyers and crew lip sync "Bohemian Rhapsody" in the car? That moment has become a classic music moment in film, but it also gave way to a resurgence of interest in the popular A Night At The Opera track. When the Wayne's World soundtrack hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 1992, "Bohemian Rhapsody" also landed at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, bringing the Queen hit to a new generation of fans.

7. GRAMMY Awards Recognition

Besides A Night At The Opera's induction into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame this year, the album earned Queen other GRAMMY recognition. Most notably, "Bohemian Rhapsody" earned the rockers their first two GRAMMY nominations at the 19th GRAMMY Awards, including nods for Best Arrangement For Voices (Duo, Group Or Chorus) and Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus. "Bohemian Rhapsody" earned induction into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame on its own in 2004 and Queen was also honored with the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.

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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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