Elton John Caps Off His Final UK Performance At Glastonbury With Surprise Brandon Flowers Duet

Jun 28, 2023

Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight) is an English singer best known for his fantastical, theatrical piano playing and stage presence. He earned the nickname "Rocket Man" after achieving tremendous commercial success with his hit single of the same name. 

He's since released dozens of albums, which launched his other well-known tunes, like "Your Song," "Candle in the Wind," "Tiny Dancer," " Crocodile Rock" and "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues," onto the radio. 

The legendary singer-songwriter won an Academy Award at the 2020 Oscars ceremony, and two special boys were more than excited to see him win: his sons, Zachary and Elijah. John and his longtime collaborator, Bernie Taupin, were awarded the Oscar for Best Original Song for their song "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" from "Rocketman," a biopic based on John's very own life. 

At 76, John is still packing huge stadiums across the world with his music. In 2018, he started the final tour of his career, the “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour. The tour began in Pennsylvania in 2018 and is scheduled to end in Stockholm, Sweden, on July 2023. By the time the concert ends, John would have performed 300 concerts from this tour alone. 

As John wraps up the final shows of the tour, he performed at Glastonbury Festival 2023 at the main Pyramid Stage for the last day of the annual music festival. In his gig, he brought out a special guest that many did not anticipate at all. Read on to learn more about John and his final performance in the United Kingdom.  

Over the course of his decades-long career, John has had the opportunity to perform at a handful of important events, especially for the royal family. Namely, he sang at the funeral of the late Princess Diana at Westminster Abbey in 1997, giving a haunting rendition of "Candle in the Wind." Also known as "Goodbye English Rose," the song was a rewrite of a tune John had originally penned for Marylin Monroe in 1973. 

Re-tweaked with his long-term writing partner, lyricist and songwriter Taupin, "Candle in the Wind," won John the Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the Grammys in 1998. The song also went on to be one of the highest-selling physical singles of all time, behind only Bing Crosby's "White Christmas." John directed that all global proceeds from the song go towards Princess Diana's charities. 

John has a long history of using his musical appearances to bring attention to or honor world events. In 1986, John recorded a cover with Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder called "That's What Friends Are For." Originally released by Rod Stewart, the aim of the song was to raise funds for the American Foundation for AIDS Research.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, John performed alongside Kesha, The Killers, Hozier, and countless others to raise funds as well as spirits as a part of the "One World: Together At Home" TV special in April 2020. 

It is very clear from his appearances at various events that John enjoys performing live; which is why he got emotional as he closed out Glastonbury Festival 2023 with a banger setlist. For context, Glastonbury is the biggest music festival in the United Kingdom and one of the most attended in the world – so being tapped to perform at it is a huge feat for artists. 

John’s Glastonbury Festival performance marked the last time that John will perform live in the United Kingdom and England. It perfectly weaved into his tour calendar as the annual music festival is the perfect ending to his illustrious career that he very well dedicates to his home country. 

“I never thought I would ever play Glastonbury and here I am,” he told the audience as quoted by Sky News. “It's a very special and emotional night for me because it might be my last show ever in England, in Great Britain, so I'd better play well and entertain you.”

Aerial shots of John’s final performance were breathtaking as thousands of people flocked to the Worthy Farm Field in Somerset, England to see the legendary music icon perform his final show in the UK. 

He performed a medley of classics, including “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” “The B*tch is Back,” “Tiny Dancer” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” among many others. John also brought out a few artists like Rina Sawayama, Stephen Sanchez, Jacob Lusk of Gabriels, and Brandon Flowers of The Killers. Rumors that Britney Spears would appear in the show came about but did not materialize. 

While performing “Tiny Dancer” with Flowers, John even witnessed a couple get engaged in the audience during the magical performance. 

“I want to thank you also for 52 years of amazing love and loyalty you’ve shown me, it’s been an incredible journey and I’ve had the best, best time. I will never forget you, you are in my head, my heart and my soul,” John emotionally told the audience. 

After Glastonbury Festival, John has seven remaining shows before he wraps up the “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” Tour.  

Are you a fan of Elton John? What is your favorite song of his? Wasn’t their performance amazing? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends and other Elton John fans!