Elton John Is About to Embark on the Last Tour of His Life

But a 300-date farewell tour awaits us.

Elton John Wikicommons
WikiCommons

Image via WikiCommons

Elton John Wikicommons

The world’s most famous Rocket Man (no, not that one) is retiring from the road. Elton John gave an emotional announcement breaking the news at a press conference in New York’s Gotham Hall on Wednesday. “I’m not going to be touring anymore,” John told moderator Anderson Cooper. “I’m not going to be touring and traveling the world. My priorities have changed. I have children,” he explained.

But you still have one last chance to catch the “Your Song” auteur on tour before he calls it quits. John announced he will be bidding adieu to the road with a 300-date tour he’s calling the Farewell Yellow Brick Road. Don’t worry, it’s not like he’s quitting music. “That doesn’t mean I won’t still be creative,” John told Cooper. “But I won’t travel anymore...I don’t want to go out with a whimper. I want to go out with a bang. ...It’ll be the most fantastic show I’ve ever done.”

His icon status may make us forget that the poop music idol is in his seventies. “I’m 71. I can’t physically do the traveling anymore. I want to be at home. I really want to spend time with my children at home. I’ve had an incredible life, but life is all about change.” To be fair, I don’t think most 20-year-olds could have kept up with John. Even the costume changes alone must be exhausting—so many feathers.

There’s also the fact that John battled a potentially fatal, rare bacterial infection in South America just nine months ago, which forced him to cancel a series of shows. However, John insisted that his decision was not due to poor health, and the possibility of a residency is still very much on the table. “I definitely want to make a couple more albums, but that will be easy since I can do that at home. I want to see friends. I want to spend time at my house with my photography collection. I’m really looking forward to this tour and I’m really looking forward to the 300th date,” he said.

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