Elton John’s legendary performance at Dodger Stadium 47 years ago launched his career and helped make him one of the most famous musicians in the world.
John is now 75 years old and playing in his final tour, “Farewell Yellow Brick Road”, which concluded the North America portion of the schedule with three consecutive dates at Dodger Stadium.
More than 50,000 fans showed up to Chavez Ravine each night to support him, with many of them wearing sparkling items and bright colors, just as The Rocket Man has done throughout his career.
During his final show, which was live-streamed globally on Disney+, John thanked all the people who dressed up for the event, via Andrew Dalton of the Associated Press:
“Thank you all for dressing up,” John said, “it makes me so happy when you wear the most fantastic costumes.”
When John originally came to the United States, his first gig was in L.A., but not at Dodger Stadium, which happened for the first time five years after coming stateside. After returning to Los Angeles to finish off the North American portion of his tour, John said being back in the city he first came to was a full circle moment:
“All right, this is a very special night for me, a very emotional night for me, and it’s been a long journey, and I first came here to America in 1970 to the City of Angels, Los Angeles, and I played a club called the Troubadour.”
John’s tour now continues outside of North America with his next show coming in Australia in January 2023, and he will play his final concert in Sweden on July 8 before he heads off into retirement.
In 2023, Disney+ is also releasing the documentary “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The Final Elton John Performances and the Years That Made His Legend,” from Academy Award nominee R.J. Cutler and filmmaker David Furnish.
As the official feature on John, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” will unveil unseen rehearsal and concert footage over the last 50 years, along with exclusive personal archives and interviews.
The definitive portrait of Elton John also will spotlight his final months on the road and a look back at the extraordinary first five years of his career between 1970 and 1975, when he released 10 iconic albums, seven of which went to No. 1 on the Billboard charts to become a global phenomenon.
Mark Walter and Billie Jean King Donated To Elton John Aids Foundation
Los Angeles Dodgers co-owners Mark Walter and Billie Jean King joined John on stage at Dodger Stadium to present him with a $1 million donation on behalf of the team to support the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which came during the penultimate “Yellow Brick Road” show in the United States.
“Beyond the obvious impact and joy of his music, Elton has been a social leader in fostering LGBTQ acceptance and equality and has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of those living with HIV and AIDS through the Elton John AIDS Foundation,” Walter said.
“We at the Dodgers share Elton’s commitment to community, equality and service and are pleased to be able to support the work of the foundation. Billie Jean and I thank Elton for all he has achieved and congratulate him on his iconic career.”
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
