Elton John

Began three-year Vegas engagement ''The Red Piano,'' built around 15 of his hits will run at least 75 shows at Caesar's Palace

Received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals

With lyricist Bernie Taupin, wrote "The Heart of Every Girl" for the film "Mona Lisa Smile"; earned a golden globe nomination for Best Original Song

Courted controversy by performing a duet with rapper Eminem on the telecast of the Grammy Awards

Released album "Songs From The West Coast"

"Aida", a considerably re-worked version of "Elaborate Lives" opened on Broadway (March 23); received Tony Award for Original Score

With Rice, provided the song score for the DreamWorks animated feature "The Road to El Dorado"

Composed and performed title song from "The Muse"

Debuted as executive producer of "Women Talking Dirty", the first film from Rocket Pictures; also composed original music

Underwent heart surgery for implantation of pacemaker (July)

Appeared as himself in "Spice World"

Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II on February 24 for his contribution to music and his fundraising for AIDS

With Rice, wrote the score for the stage musical "Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida"; premiered in Atlanta

Performed specially re-written (by Taupin) version of "Candle in the Wind" as a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales; released as a single with proceeds going to charities patronized by the princess; became the best-selling single of all time, knocking Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" out of the record books; has said he will never perform the song again unless requested by one of Diana's sons

With Tim Rice, wrote new songs for the stage musical version of "The Lion King"; shared Tony nomination for Best Original Score

Relaunched Rocket Records

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

With lyricist Tim Rice, wrote five original songs for the Disney animated feature, "The Lion King"; three were nominated for Academy Awards as Best Original Song; "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" won the Oscar

Performed for President Clinton at "An American Reunion: The 52nd Presidential Inaugural Gala"

Announced that, beginning with "The One", profits from all his singles would go to fight AIDS

Formed the Elton John AIDS Foundation to fund direct care services and AIDS prevention programs; the foundation became one of the world's largest privately-run nonprofit AIDS organizations

Entered detox program at Chicago's Parkside Luthern Hospital to address his addictions to sex, drugs, booze and food (a problem that included bulimia)

Filed a libel suit against The Sun, which had mounted an all-out assault accusing him of drug orgies with under-age boys, vowing "They can say I'm a fat old sod, they can say I'm an untalented bastard, but they musn't tell lies, because I'm going to fight"; ultimately won a million pounds ($1.64 million, the then-largest libel settlement in British history) and a front-page apology (SORRY ELTON) from The Sun

Sold at auction many of his possessions

With Bernie Taupin, inducted into the National Songwriter Hall of Fame

In January, underwent throat surgery to remove two benign growths; fearing cancer, gave up smoking marijuana

Performed before an estimated audience of 400,000 at a free concert in NYC's Central Park

Reunited with Taupin to write songs for the albums "21 at 33" and "The Fox" (1981)

Became the first Western solo pop performer to tour in both the Soviet Union and Israel; also became the first white artist to perform on TV's syndicated "Soul Train" after his "Mama Can't Buy You Love" became a smash hit on black radio stations

Starred in a feature concert film, "To Russia... With Elton"

Announced his retirement from performing

Recorded "A Single Man", his first album without lyrics by Bernie Taupin

Headlined an ABC concert special, "Elton John: In Concert", featuring highlights of his Scottish tour

Publicly announced his bisexuality; encountered considerable flak for it and later partially rescinded his claim

Taupin began collaborating with others

Feature acting debut as the Pinball Wizard in Ken Russell's "Tommy" from The Who rock opera; also song performer

Received star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (November)

Recorded the semi-autobiographical song "Somebody Saved My Life Tonight", referring to his suicide attempt two weeks before his scheduled wedding to heiress Linda Woodrow; reportedly put his head in the oven, but Taupin came along before the gas could do its work

Joined by Lennon on stage at NYC's Madison Square Garden on Thanksgiving Day to perform (Lennon's final appearance on any stage)

Joined John Lennon in the studio to record Lennon's "Whatever Gets You Through the Night"; Lennon (billed as Dr Winston O'Boogie) returned the favor, providing guitar work on John's cover of "Lucy in the Sky in Diamonds"

Double album "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" stayed at No 1 for eight weeks; contained the Marilyn Monroe tribute "Candle in the Wind"

Formed Rocket, his own MCA distributed label and signed such acts as Neil Sedaka and Kiki D with whom he would later record "Don't Go Breaking My Heart"

Took over as the director of the Watford Football (Soccer) Club; became chairman in 1976

First single to hit Number 1, "Crocodile Rock"

Released the album "Honky Chateau", the first of seven consecutive Number 1 albums through 1975's "Rock of the Westies"; first album credited to the Elton John Group (John, drummer Nigel Olsson, bassist Dee Murray and guitarist Davey Johnstone)

Became the first act since the Beatles to have four albums in the American Top Ten simultaneously

Co-produced an album by Baldry

First feature credit, composing (with Taupin) and performing soundtrack music for the British romantic melodrama "Friends"; subsequently disowned the project

First US TV appearance, "Monsanto Presents Mancini", a syndicated variety special

First album released in USA, "Elton John", contained his first Top 10 single, "Your Song"; the even more popular "Tumbleweed Connection" also released that year

US performance debut, the Troubadour nightclub in L.A. (August 25)

Recorded first album, "Empty Sky" (released in the USA in 1975)

First John-Taupin single recorded by John, "I've Been Loving You"

With Bluesology backing him, Baldry scored a British No 1 hit with "Let the Heartaches Begin"

Bluesology hired as a backup band by Brit R&B singer Long John Baldry

Left school to pursue a show business career (date approximate)

Won a piano scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at age 11 (date approximate)

Adopted 'John' as his last name from Long John Baldry after touring with him for two years

Adopted first name 'Elton' from his band's saxophonist Elton Dean

Auditioned unsuccessfully for Liberty Records (the scouts liked his performance but disliked his material)

Began playing piano at age three or four

By day, ran errands for a music publishing company

Came out as gay in the early 1990s; admitted that he was not bisexual as he had earlier claimed; also said that he regretted his earlier marriage to a very close female friend as not being entirely fair to her but that he was desperate, needy and frightened for his career and his safety

Divided evenings between performing in a band called Bluesology and solo piano playing gigs at a London hotel bar

Formed Rocket Pictures with partners Polly Steele and David Furnish

Given a stack of Bernie Taupin lyrics by a Liberty Records scout

Landed a night job playing piano in a local pub

Met and began collaborating with lyricist Taupin; took their songs to music publisher Dick James who hired them as house writers for 10 pounds per week; Dick James Music owned all John-Taupin compositions until 1975

Raised by his mother, grandmother and aunt, all of whom doted on him and supported his talent; RAF father frequently absent

Scaled back his elaborate stadium shows, touring accompanied only by percussionist Ray Cooper

Spent two years collaborating with Taupin on easy listening tunes for James to sell to singers while also recording contemporary hits for budget labels including Music for Pleasure and Marble Arch

With Bluesology, worked as a backup band for visiting American soul singers including Major Lance, Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles and Billy Stewart

With Taupin, began writing more rock-oriented songs to record