Kesha, Miley Cyrus, Sam Smith to perform at Sir Elton John tribute concert
NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 31: Elton John performs on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2015 on December 31, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for dcp)
Miley Cyrus, John Legend, Kesha and Sam Smith are among the performers lined up for an Elton John tribute concert.
The life of music legend will be honoured by the Grammy Awards with a special tribute show.
‘Elton John: I’m Still Standing’, set to take place later month, has one of the most star-studded lineups possible, as A-listers flock to pay tribute to Sir Elton.
The line-up for the concert includes Miley Cyrus, John Legend, Keith Urban, Sam Smith, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Little Big Town, and Miranda Lambert.
Sir Elton himself will also take the stage to perform a selection of hits from his highly acclaimed discography.
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The concert will take place on January 30, two days after the Grammy Awards, at Madison Square Garden in New York.
It will be aired on TV later in 2018 on CBS.
Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the Recording Academy, said: “Sir Elton John is an international music legend who has captivated audiences across generations for more than five decades.
“His creativity, dynamic presence, and melodic virtuosity have positioned him as a cultural icon, and the Recording Academy is pleased to honor his immeasurable contributions to the music community.”
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Ken Ehrlich, executive producer of AEG Ehrlich Ventures, said: “Elton John is an undeniable force within the music industry, and I can’t think of a better musician to honor at this special GRAMMY Salute.
“We’re proud to pay tribute to his artistry, and can’t wait to see what the participating musicians have in store for this momentous celebration of Elton’s work.”
Sir Elton, who turned 70 last year has certainly been in a retrospective mood recently, after hinting that he may soon consider retirement to spend more time with his family.
Sam Smith (Getty)
The music icon celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Elton John AIDS Foundation a few months ago with a star-studded gala.
Sir Elton, who has two children with husband David Furnish, previously discussed winding down his career to spend more time with his family.
He said: “Obviously I work – but the work will get less and less and I’ll spend more time with my children growing up.
“And that’s what I want to do, I’ll gradually phase things out in a few years.
“It’s not forever but I want to see my kids grow up. I go all over the world. I just don’t want to tour so much.”
Kesha
Sir Elton recently broke decades of silence about his marriage to a woman – as he urged people in Australia to vote for equal marriage.
Before coming out as gay, the musician had a turbulent and short-lived marriage to sound engineer Renate Blauel, whom he married in Australia in 1984.
They divorced in 1988, shortly before Sir Elton came out as gay.
In an Instagram post a few months ago, Sir Elton broke his long-standing silence about his ex-wife, as he called on Australians to vote for equal marriage.
FEBRUARY 14 1984 : ELTON JOHN AND RENATE BLAUEL AT ST MARK’S CHURCH (Photo by Patrick Riviere/Getty Images)
He wrote: “I’m so excited to be back in Australia for a series of shows.
“Many years ago, I chose Australia for my wedding to a wonderful woman for whom I have so much love and admiration.
“I wanted more than anything to be a good husband, but I denied who I really was, which caused my wife sadness, and caused me huge guilt and regret.
“To be worthy of someone’s love, you have to be brave enough and clear eyed enough to be honest with yourself and your partner.”
He added: “Almost 24 years ago, I met the person with whom I could be fully myself.
“When we married in 2014, it felt like that fact was accepted by the world.
“For David and I, being able to openly love and commit to one another, and for that to be recognised and celebrated is what makes life truly worth living.
“That acceptance and support makes us want to be as kind, responsible and productive members of society, as well as the best parents, that we can be.
“I love Australia. I love its spirit, it’s lack of pretence, it’s passion. I hope it can embrace the honesty and courage that seeks gay marriage as an expression not of desire but of love.”
He ended the post with the hashtags #loveislove #marriageequality.
Sir Elton John recently shared his memories of the late Princess Diana, on the 20th anniversary of her death.
The Rocket Man singer was close friends with the Princess prior to her tragic death 20 years ago today, in 1997.
The pair both worked during the AIDS crisis to challenge the public perception of HIV/AIDS, with their high-profile action helping to change the way the public saw the crisis.
Taking to Instagram, Sir Elton shared a vintage snap with the late Princess.
