Elton John | Reginald Kenneth Dwight

Many music fans are aware that Elton John is not his actual name. Part of the reason Reginald Dwight changed his name to Elton John was that he spotted a photo of John Lennon in the office of his musical publisher. As a result, the singer decided that it would be an excellent name. However, Elton John and John Lennon had something in common: they both worked with the same musical publisher, Dick James, who had been with the Beatles since 1963. Therefore, Elton John took John Lennon’s name as a tribute to the Beatle with whom he had a close relationship.

John was born in the Pinner neighborhood of Greater London and began playing the piano at a young age. By 1962, he had founded Bluesology, an R&B band with whom he remained until 1967. Later in his career, the multitalented singer-songwriter sold more than 300 million records, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. He’s also a record producer and has been in a few films to his credit.