Began playing piano at the age of three

Won a piano scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at age 11

Landed a night job playing piano at the nearby Northwood Hills pub

With friends formed Bluesology and played as a backup band for visiting American soul singers such as Patti LaBelle and Billy Stewart

Bluesology was hired as musician Long John Baldry's supporting band and began touring cabarets in England

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)

Met and began collaborating with lyricist Taupin; hired by music publisher Dick James as house writers for 10 pounds per week

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

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

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

First US performance was at the Troubadour nightclub in Los Angeles

Debuted first album in the US, Elton John

Co-produced an album by Baldry

First film credit, composing (with Taupin) and performing soundtrack music for the British romantic melodrama "Friends"

First US TV appearance was on the syndicated variety special, "Monsanto Presents Mancini"

Released first No. 1 album, Honky Chateau

First single to hit No. 1, "Crocodile Rock"

Formed his own MCA distributed label, Rocket

Double album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road contained the Marilyn Monroe tribute, "Candle in the Wind"

Joined John Lennon in the studio to record Lennon's "Whatever Gets You Through the Night"; Lennon returned the favor, providing guitar work on John's cover of "Lucy in the Sky in Diamonds"

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

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

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

Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (November)

Publicly announced his bisexuality in a Rolling Stone interview; later announced his was gay in the early 1990s

Headlined an ABC concert special, "Elton John: In Concert"

Announced he was retiring from performing

Recorded first album without lyrics by Taupin, A Single Man

Returned to the singles chart with "Mama Can't Buy You Love"

Became the first Western solo pop performer to tour in both the Soviet Union and Israel

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

Re-teamed with Taupin to write songs for the albums 21 at 33 and The Fox

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

Mourned the loss John Lennon in his hit "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)"

Performed the Lennon tribute at a sold-out Madison Square Garden show, joined on stage by Yoko Ono and Sean Ono Lennon

Returned to the charts with the hit album, Too Low For Zero, which included "I'm Still Standing" and "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues"

Collaborated with Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder on "That's What Friends Are For" to benefit the American Foundation for AIDS Research

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

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

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

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

Relaunched Rocket Records

Formed Rocket Pictures with partners Polly Steele and David Furnish

Performed a 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

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

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

Appeared as himself in "Spice World"

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

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

Composed (with Rice) the score for the DreamWorks animated feature "The Road to El Dorado"

Received a Tony Award for "Aida," the re-worked version of "Elaborate Lives"

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

Released album, Songs From The West Coast

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

Began a three-year Vegas engagement "The Red Piano" at Caesar's Palace

Performed at the Live 8 concert at Hyde Park in London

Composed music for a West End Theatre production of "Billy Elliot the Musical"

Re-teamed with Taupin for "Lestat: The Musical," based on the Anne Rice vampire novels; was slammed by the critics and closed shortly after

Collaborated with Taupin for a sequel to Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy with The Captain & The Kid

Earned a Tony Award nomination when "Billy Elliot the Musical" moved to Broadway