Reginald Kenneth Dwight was born in Pinner, Middlesex, England. In 1967, he began using the name Elton John (he legally changed it to Elton Hercules John in 1972) and would go on to become one of the most beloved and successful recording artists in the world.
Elton's long and successful partnership with songwriter Bernie Taupin, which started in 1967, has produced more than fifty top 40 hits, including nine #1 singles in both the U.S. and U.K. He's also had seven Billboard #1 albums in the U.S., his first being 1972's Honky Château.