Elton John remains firm that once he wraps his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour he’s permanently closing the chapter on touring.
Speaking with the U.K.’s The Hits Radio Breakfast Show, the legendary singer said, “I can assure you it’s the final tour. I will be doing some charity shows, if I’m asked, but … I’m really adamant that I’m not touring again. I can’t.”
Elton continued, “I’ll be 76 when I finish [this tour]. I need to be with my family. My boys will be teenagers!”
But just because he’s done with touring doesn’t mean he’s writing music out of his life. “I will always make music,” the Grammy winner professed. “I will always be doing my radio stuff and whatever. But, I’ve been playing music since I was 17, professionally — that’s 57 years!”
Elton admits he doesn’t know what’ll happen once he wraps his current tour, adding, “Life is full of surprises.”
“I wasn’t expecting to do a record this year and look what happened,” the “Hold Me Closer” singer continued, referencing his new collaboration with Britney Spears.
Elton added “one phone call” can significantly alter his plans, as happened with the 1994 Disney animated movie The Lion King — a movie he says “changed my life.”
He said he got a phone call from lyricist Tim Rice, who asked Elton to collaborate with him in composing the movie’s soundtrack. “Look what happened,” the Oscar winner said. “You never know what the phone’s going to [have].”
Elton and Rice composed the tracks “Circle Of Life,” “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” “Hakuna Matata,” “Be Prepared” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” the latter of which won an Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy.
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