Elton John

Elton began playing piano at age 3, and would play at family gatherings. His father played trumpet, and his mother was also musically inclined.

He began formal lessons at age 7. He was noted for being able to play like Jerry Lee Lewis at school functions

Elton was affected and influenced by rock and roll records his parents brought home including those by Elvis Presley and Bill Haley and The Comets

At age 11, he won a scholarship to The Royal Academy of Music, and was classically trained. He enjoyed playing the music of Chopin and Bach. One of his instructors claimed he could play back note for note, a four page piece by composer Handel having only heard it the one time. He was taking additional lessons  from private tutors in his later years as well, so he had extensive keyboard training.

At age 15, he became the house pianist for a local pub, and in 1962, he formed BLUESOLOGY,  his first serious band

He 1967, he met lyricist Bernie Taupin, with whom he would eventually write dozens of hit songs. He still has a relationship  with  Bernie to this day

He claims his wild costumes and flamboyant stage antics were a result of his wanting to rebel against the restrictive childhood he endured

You don’t often see Elton improvising on piano, but in these clips you do, plenty