The original Yellow Brick Road Warrior Elton John announced that he will write a memoir chronicling his life as one of the most creative, prolific and celebrated performers and writers in popular music.
The book is being written with writer and music critic Alex Petridis. The two promise a “no-holds-barred account of Elton’s life and work as the most enduring singer songwriter of his generation.”
Said Sir Elton, 69, in a statement, “My life has been one helluva rollercoaster ride and it’s still lumbering on. I hope readers will enjoy the ride too.”
The list of great rock and roll memoirs is long, and recent years have brought excellent accounts by Keith Richards, Pete Townshend, Bruce Springsteen and Linda Ronstadt. The Rocket Man has resisted the urge until now.
A press release promises this will be “the first and only official autobiography.”
Born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in London, the precocious pianist won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at age 11. His first hit, "Your Song," came out in 1970. Since then the Rocket Man has sold 300 million records, penned the top-grossing Broadway production of all time ("The Lion King") and has settled part-time in Atlanta.
The memoir will be published in 2019 by Pan Macmillan and Henry Holt.
