WASHINGTON (AP) — Elton John said on Friday that he’s played some beautiful venues, but the stage in front of the White House under a giant tent on a perfect autumn night was ” It was probably the icing on the cake.
He then opened the show with his first international hit, “Your Song.”
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden welcomed the 75-year-old singer and spoke about his work, the power of his music, and his overall goodness. and was conceived and paid for by the History Channel.
“Seamus Heaney once wrote, and I quote, ‘Once in a lifetime, a much-needed tsunami of justice happens, and hope and history rhyme,’ Biden said. Tsunami, people is a tsunami that helps rise to rhyme with hope and history.”
At the end of the show, Biden surprised John with the National Humanities Medal for his songbook and his long advocacy legacy.
With tears in his eyes, John said he was “surprised and humbled.”
The 2,000 guest list includes teachers, nurses, frontline workers and LGBTQ advocates, as well as former first lady Laura Bush, civil rights advocate Ruby Bridges, education activist Malala Yousafzai, and AIDS activist. It included Ryan White’s mother, Jeanne White Ginder. She died in 1990 from AIDS-related complications.
In fact, the night is called “The Night Where Hope and History Rhyme”, referring to Biden’s poem quoted by Heaney of Ireland.
It was John’s first gig at the White House since performing with Stevie Wonder at a state dinner honoring British Prime Minister Tony Blair in 1998. At 75, John is touring farewell after more than 50 years of performing.
The show came after A+E Networks and the bill-proposing History Channel asked the White House and John if they would collaborate to honor John himself as “the man who made history every day,” according to people familiar with the matter. Summarized. I am familiar with the discussion, which spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity to discuss internal plans.
It’s not clear if the show will air. John has worked with his A+E in the past to work on his global HIV/AIDS charity, the Elton John Foundation, which he has raised over $525 million to fight the virus around the world. collected.
John will be playing at Nationals Park on Saturday as part of his final tour. He started the final round of the North American farewell series in Philadelphia in July.
The President and First Lady are big fans. In her 2017 memoir, Biden said she sang “Crocodile Her Rock” as she drove her two young sons to school, and later, before she died of cancer at age 46. wrote about singing to his son Beau.
“I started singing the lyrics quietly to Beau so only the two of us could hear,” Biden wrote. “Bo didn’t open his eyes, but I could see him laughing through his own tears.”
John played the song on Friday and said someone said Biden was singing it.
Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, was also a fan of John. He tried to get John to perform at the 2017 inauguration, but John declined, deeming it inappropriate for an Englishman to perform at an American presidential oath ceremony.
The White House insisted Friday’s show wasn’t trying to troll Trump, who has praised John in his book and has had “Rocketman” and “Rocketman” on his pre-rally playlist for years. Trump has nicknamed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “Rocket Man” for his records of missile launch tests.
John played ‘Tiny Dancer’ on Friday and got a big round of applause.
Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998, Sir Elton has sold over 300 million records worldwide, played over 4,000 shows in 80 countries and is one of the best-selling singles of all time. recorded one. ‘ pays tribute to Princess Diana, who has sold 33 million copies.
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