Fags In The News: Child Porn Mogul Elton John Misses His Own Tribute

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Elton John Misses His Own Tribute

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Elton John Misses His Own Tribute

Elton John was in Philadelphia last night with Billie Jean King, but he

missed his own tribute last night at Carnegie Hall-and it was a spectacular

one at that.

Elton's collaborator Bernie Taupin was on hand, however, at Carnegie Hall

for the second Music for Youth concert put upon by UJA Federation this year.

The last one, held in April, saluted Bruce Springsteen, and he showed up.

Sadly, Elton didn't get to hear a super selection of his and Bernie's songs

performed by an eclectic and very talented group of musicians including

Aimee Mann, Phoebe Snow, Shawn Colvin, Roger McGuinn of the Byrds, new hot

R&B sensation Ryan Shaw, Jill Sobule, Howard Jones, jazz great Roy Ayers,

and 60s pop duo Peter & Gordon.

I don't know if Bernie liked the show because he wasn't doing press, and

didn't come backstage to meet the performers. Elton, sources insist, now

only attends functions if a big check is drawn to his AIDS Foundation. (That's

what Billie Jean was doing with him and various tennis stars.)

I guess that's a legitimate request if it's a corporate function, but Music

for Youth has now raised millions to help put music programs in public

schools. They are collecting money, not disbursing it.

So Elton missed hearing Phoebe Snow's phenomenal rendition of "Empty

Garden," the song he wrote after John Lennon was murdered. Phoebe was so

powerful that she brought the crowd to its feet-and she was only the fourth

performer.

He also didn't get to see Howard Jones, the 80s balladeer whose own hit was

"No One Is to Blame." Jones started playing "Tiny Dancer" on an electronic

keyboard. But when a cable kept causing static, he stopped, retreated to the

grand piano on stage right, and played the song the old fashioned way. It

was beautiful, and he got a standing ovation, too.

I'd like to see some of today's pop performers react with such aplomb. Of

course, they'd have to know how to play a real instrument!

Some other highlights included a breathtaking version of "Levon" by Jill

Sobule with the Ethel ensemble; McGuinn resurrecting "Friends," an Elton

rarity; Aimee Mann - who apparently, like this reporter, loves John's

"Tumbleweed Connection" album-on "My Father's Gun"; and newcomer Joshua

Radin on "Border Song (Holy Moses)."

We were impressed with a bunch of lesser-known acts, in fact. Raul Malo, of

the Mavericks, was so good singing "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" that

his beautiful baritone should be selling CDs as fast as Josh Groban. Someone

get the guy a manager. And Ryan Shaw proved once again he is the real thing

in R&B, a soul man for the 2000s. He nailed "I Guess That's Why They Call It

the Blues."

What Elton really missed was hearing how resilient his and Taupin's songbook

is, and how the songs hold up. Many of them were from the mid-70s, but Peter

& Gordon found gold in a more recent track, "I Want Love," which Peter Asher

reworked from a dirge into an Everly Brothers type harmonic that literally

soared through Carnegie Hall. Reunited after 38 years, the singing duo has

really become a cult hit.

Asher (Peter)-who produced many of James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt albums

and managed them for years-and (Gordon) Waller should be in the Rock and

Roll Hall of Fame for many reasons including their vocal prowess. They also

are part of rock history, as they were the only group Paul McCartney wrote a

hit song for - "A World Without Love"-while the Beatles were in business.

Alas, Disco Queen Donna Summer may get there before they do. That's why we're

still boycotting Rolling Stone magazine!