Elton John explains exactly why he quit touring after half a century on the road

10 October 2024, 13:31

Elton John hung up his microphone last year after one of the biggest tours in pop history.

Elton John has made it clear in recent months that he still plans to play the occasional live show.

But the other thing he's certain about is that he's absolutely retired from touring, too.

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That's not the biggest surprise for a 77-year-old who has spent 54 years criss-crossing the world.

Given he's battled through various health issues to perform a 330-show farewell tour over nine legs in five years, it's even more understandable.

And now Sir Elton has explained exactly why he felt that 2023 was the right time to retire as a touring musician.

"We went to Glastonbury, and we smashed it there, and when I did the last show in Stockholm, I got in the car and [my husband] David [Furnish] said, 'How do you feel?'. I went, 'I'm so happy'," Elton told Attitude.

"I understand why Adele wants to stop because there's more to life.

"I've done nearly over 5,000 shows in my life and I've done all there is to do, and so I just knew that my boys [sons Zachary and Elijah] and David needed me, and I need them."

He added: "When David first started managing me and we were talking about a five or six-year plan, he said, 'Well, you always said you were going to die on the stage because we didn't have anything else'.

"We were two affluent gay people going around the world with a nice philanthropic side to us, but there was no other purpose other than that.

"Having the children changed everything for the better because now it's all about them. It's all about their welfare and their future and it's not about me and it's not about him.

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"We're very comfortable in our relationship. We get better and better and better, but it's the children that just really inspire us and it's the most wonderful time of my life at the moment, and that's pretty amazing."

Elton John's last touring show took place at the Tele2 Arena in Stockholm, Sweden on Saturday, July 8.

His last UK date was at the Glastonbury Festival featured the special guests Jacob Lusk, Stephen Sanchez, Brandon Flowers and Rina Sawayama.

Elton John - The Road to Glastonbury 2023

After he left the stage at that final show, Elton said: "When we set off on my final tour in 2018, I couldn't have foreseen in my wildest dreams the twists and turns and the highs and lows this tour – and the whole world – would have experienced in the next five years.

"And every step of the way, my fans have been there. They have stuck with me, they have supported me, they have been patient and they have kept turning out for every single last show.

"Tonight has been magical. I'm trying to process it and I don't think it will sink in for a while yet that I'm finally finished touring."