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[[Image:Sir Elton John.jpg|right|200px]]

[[Image:Sir Elton John.jpg|right|200px]]

Sir '''Elton Hercules John''' [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire|CBE]] (born Reginald Dwight in [[London]], 1947) is an English singer/pianist who achieved prominence in the early 1970s. He was made a CBE in 1996 and a [[Knight Bachelor]] in 1998. In 2005 he married his long-term partner [[David Furnish]] in a Civil Partnership Ceremony.

Sir '''Elton Hercules John''' [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire|CBE]] (born Reginald Dwight in [[London]], 1947) is an English singer/pianist who achieved prominence in the early 1970s. He was made a CBE in 1996 and a Knight Bachelor in 1998. In 2005 he married his long-term partner [[David Furnish]] in a Civil Partnership Ceremony.

==Musical Style and Voice==

==Musical Style and Voice==

In his early years, his classical-influenced piano melodies, combined with lyrics by [[Bernie Taupin]] and a set of orchestral arrangements by [[Paul Buckmaster]], and his rich tenor voice set him apart from the other singer-songwriters of the time. For many years, John would switch from his normal tenor to a falsetto in most of his songs. In most cases, soft rock is his main genre, but he often sings songs in the genre of country rock, hard rock, and emotional, moving ballads.  

In his early years, his classical-influenced piano melodies, combined with lyrics by Bernie Taupin and a set of orchestral arrangements by Paul Buckmaster, and his rich tenor voice set him apart from the other singer-songwriters of the time. For many years, John would switch from his normal tenor to a falsetto in most of his songs. In most cases, soft rock is his main genre, but he often sings songs in the genre of country rock, hard rock, and emotional, moving ballads.  

In 1986, John received surgery to remove polyps from his vocal cords, which was brought upon by heavy marijuana abuse, which started while he was living in Australia with then-wife Renate Blauel. <ref>http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/elton.%20.cannabis%20behind%20throat%20op.</ref> After the surgery, he discovered that he could not sing falsetto anymore, and he now has a lower vocal register.

In 1986, John received surgery to remove polyps from his vocal cords, which was brought upon by heavy marijuana abuse, which started while he was living in Australia with then-wife Renate Blauel. <ref>http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/elton.%20.cannabis%20behind%20throat%20op.</ref> After the surgery, he discovered that he could not sing falsetto anymore, and he now has a lower vocal register.