Piano Men-Part I

I know. It's been a long time since my last post. I wasn't sure if anyone was reading. I've discovered that there are at least two of you who are, so I will do my best to keep it up.

Today, I start a new series of posts relating to the newest concert in Orchestra Kentucky's Retro Series. Entitled Piano Men, the concert will feature some of the greatest hits of Elton John, Billy Joel, Carole King, and Stevie Wonder. As is the case with all Retro concerts, we will perform "record copies" of the songs, live on stage with vocalists, a rock band, and orchestra. The music of these pop-rockers is perfect for the orchestra because they used lots of orchestral instruments on their recordings. Those were the days.... Oh, the concerts are August 12th & 13th. As usual, visit www.OrchestraKentucky.com for more information and tickets.

First up is Elton John. I won't tell you which songs will be performed (that would give away the surprise). Let me just say that you won't be disappointed. To get some background, read the following short bio, courtesy of Wikipedia. tomorrow, we will look into some the Elton John songs that will be performed.

Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is an English singer, composer and pianist. He has worked with lyricist Bernie Taupin as his songwriter partner since 1967; they have collaborated on more than 30 albums to date. John was named a CBE in 1996 and received a knighthood from HM Queen Elizabeth II for "services to music and charitable services" in 1998.

In his four-decade career John has sold more than 250 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. His single Candle in the Wind 1997 has sold over 33 million copies worldwide, and is the best selling single in Billboard history. He has more than 50 Top 40 hits, including seven consecutive No. 1 US albums, 56 Top 40 singles, 16 Top 10, four No. 2 hits, and nine No. 1 hits. He has won six Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Tony Award. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him Number 49 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.

John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He has been heavily involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s, and In 1992, he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation and a year later began hosting the annual Academy Award Party, which has since become one of the most high-profile Oscar parties in the Hollywood film industry. Since its inception, the foundation has raised over $200 million. John entered into a civil partnership with David Furnish on 21 December 2005 and continues to be a champion for LGBT social movements. In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him as the most successful male solo artist on "The Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists" (third overall, behind only The Beatles and Madonna).