Elton John Attains EGOT Status With Emmy Win
Elton John is the latest member of the EGOT club, scoring his first Emmy for best variety special (live).
The 2023 Emmy Awards win for the musician’s Farewell From Dodger Stadium special, which he secured during Monday night’s telecast, joins his Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards.
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The Disney+ special chronicles the musician’s final North American show as part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour. The tour began in 2018 and was set to end in 2021 but was postponed, like many tours, by the COVID-19 pandemic.
John was recovering from a knee operation and couldn’t attend the show, so producer Ben Winston accepted the award on his behalf. “He’s absolutely fine, but he wanted to send his love and thanks to the Television Academy for this incredible award,” Winston said. “We did know this was going to be historic because it was going to win a man who has created the soundtrack to all of our lives. He’s done so much great for society, who is all of our heroes. We didn’t know that it was going to win him an EGOT.”
In a statement, John said, “I am incredibly humbled to be joining the unbelievably talented group of EGOT winners tonight. The journey to this moment has been filled with passion, dedication, and the unwavering support of my fans all around the world. Tonight is a testament to the power of the arts and the joy that it brings to all our lives. Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my career, I am incredibly grateful.”
President Joe Biden praised John’s EGOT win in an Instagram post Tuesday morning, writing in part, “Sir Elton John has been a tidal wave throughout his career to help people rise up and make hope and history rhyme … Congratulations Elton — a singer and songwriter of our time, for all time.”
John is the 19th person to become an EGOT winner, after Viola Davis became the 18th last year when she won a Grammy. He has won five Grammys (his first was for 1987’s “That’s What Friends Are For”), won an Oscar for best original song in 1994 for “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and in 2000, he won a Tony Award for his Aida score.
Other EGOT winners are composer Richard Rodgers, actress Helen Hayes, actress Rita Moreno, actor John Gielgud, actress Audrey Hepburn, composer Marvin Hamlisch, orchestrator Jonathan Tunick, writer and director Mel Brooks, director Mike Nichols, actress Whoopi Goldberg, producer Scott Rudin, composer Robert Lopez, singer John Legend, composer Tim Rice, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, composer Alan Menken, actress and producer Jennifer Hudson and Davis.
John’s special was nominated alongside The Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show Starring Rihanna (Fox), Chris Rock: Selective Outrage (Netflix), The Oscars (ABC) and the 75th annual Tony Awards (CBS).
See a full list of the 2023 Emmy winners here.
Jan. 16, 8:45 a.m. PT This story has been updated with President Biden’s comment on John’s EGOT win.
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