50 years later, I am Still Standin’, but how?
My husband spoiled me and took me to Elton John on Saturday. E.J. is currently on his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour” and sold out the State Farm Arena both Friday and Saturday. He has been at this whole music thing over 50 years and still at the TOP of his game. I can’t imagine doing anything for over 50 years and still being one of the best. Sitting there watching him play, you don’t think about his age, you are just in awe of his skill, and his ability to captivate, not a room full of people, but an ARENA of people. His songs make people dance, cry, laugh, it is truly an experience. I have been to other concerts, but nothing like this. He is a legend, a rock God. That guy knows how to put on a show!
It made me wonder how a person achieves that caliber of greatness, and even more impressive, maintains it. After 3 hours at that amazing event I had some thoughts:
- Humbleness- Elton John in all his splendor, sparkly jackets, lights, brilliance, showed humbleness on stage. He began the concert by saying that this was his farewell tour and he chose the songs that he loved to sing live, and then he apologized, sincerely apologized to anyone if he missed one of their favorites.
- Vulnerability – He discussed his addiction to drugs and alcohol and how it came to a head in 1990. He thanked a man named Hugh in the audience for saving his life, and helping him to get sober.
- Love – He thanked the audience profusely for buying his records, but mostly for coming to his concerts. He thanked his band mates individually saying specific things about each person as people and about their talents. He had and ability to make you feel like he was talking to just you in a room of 21,000 people.
- Presence – Elton John is 5 foot 8 inches. He sits at a piano. He fills that entire arena with his presence. That is something I cannot explain.
A lot of people have talent, but an overwhelming thought I had while listening on Saturday was that the piano was invented, so that people like Elton John could play it. It was captivating. I sobbed like a baby more than once. He is a truly magnificent musician, but I think what makes him great is his humanity, and his love of humanity. You feel it in his songs, in his lyrics, in the notes that he plays, in his presence, in his small speeches. He left us with this, “I truly believe that love can cure what is wrong with the world.” I truly believe that he believes that, and I believe that he is doing his part.
