From Stage to Screen: Elton John Gets Another Chance at Oscars Gold

Since John burst onto the music scene over five decades ago with his debut album, Empty Sky, he has sold over 300 million records, released more than fifty Top 40 hits, and celebrated seven consecutive number-one albums in the United States, making him one of the top-selling musical artists of all time.

On his first trip to the Oscars, John earned three nominations for his work with lyricist Tim Rice on The Lion King: "Circle of Life," "Hakuna Matata," and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." The latter of which won Oscar gold. On March 27, 1995, John dedicated the win to his late grandmother, who passed away the week before. "She was the one who sat me down at the piano when I was three and made me play, so I'm accepting this in her honor."

---

Three short years later, The Lion King came to life on the Broadway stage under the brilliant direction of Julie Taymor. Though the updated score was Tony-nominated in 1998, John lost in the category to Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens' Ragtime (though the show did win Best Musical and five other Tony Awards). In 2000, he earned his first Tony Award for another collaboration with Tom Rice and Disney, Aida. Since then, he has gone on to score two other Broadway musicals, the ill-fated Lestat and Billy Elliot, which played for over three years at the Imperial Theatre.

If the results of last month's Golden Globe Awards are any indication of John's Oscars fate on Sunday, his odds are good. His co-nominee, long-time writing partner Bernie Taupin said of their Globes win: "This is not just about a song we wrote for a movie. This is a song we wrote for a movie which deals with our relationship. It's a relationship that doesn't happen very much in this town. It's a 52 year-old marriage."