Elton John’s Retirement Seems Genuine This Time

Elton John has announced that he will retire from touring at the end of his just announced ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ tour Elton John stated that at 71 years old he would much rather spend time at home with his family than dealing with the rigors of the road. Elton John plans to embark on a three-year tour that will cover the globe and include 300 dates. Elton John announced that the “Farewell Yellow Brick Road,” tour will be his grandest and most produced tour he has ever put together. Elton John also took a friedly swipe at Cher by saying he was no Cher. The legendary female vocalist had announced many years ago that she was touring for the last time during her supposed Farewell Tour. Yet Cher has continued to perform for many years after her final Farewell tour.

So the big question is, do we believe him? This is not the first time Elton John has announced he was retiring. In 1977, Elton John had made an official announcement that the Blue Moves tour would be his final tour. I have seen Elton John so many times and  I have heard him complain multiple times about the music business. In 2002, Elton John released Songs From The West Coast. It was his strongest record since Captain Fantastic. During that tour Elton John had expressed being very frustrated with the record company’s lack of promotion of what he knew was a great record. He had sworn hat he would stop making records because of it. Yet, a year later Elton John released a new album and has continued to record and tour ever since.

Elton John is a very emotional spirit. How could he not be?The man has written some of the most wonderful pop songs of all time. When The Beatles broke up, it was Elton John who basically replaced The Beatles on the charts and the radio. No one released as many albums filled with such brilliantly written pop songs in such as short period of time as Elton John.

Mick Jagger once sang those words “Time Waits For No One.” Elton John is 71 years old. After a three years tour he will be close to 75. Life gets tough for men who are closing in on their 80s. Elton John recognizes this. The announcement that this will be his final tour does feel genuine. It does not seem like a scam just to sell tickets. We will leave that to Kiss. Elton John put on the most spectacular concerts in the 1970’s It’s easy to assume Elton John wants to go out they way he came in.

The name of the tour itself proves that this is his final tour. Naming the tour the ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ tour is an ode to the most successful album of his career. The Elton John of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road was far different from the Eton John of the Lion King 90s and 2000s. If we are going to say goodbye to Elton John, there is no better place to wave goodbye  than from the Yellow Brick Road.