Elton John 2000–present
 At the age of 15, with the help of mother Sheila and stepfather Derf, Reginald Dwight became a weekend pianist at the nearby Northwood Hills pub, playing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. He played everything from Jim Reeves country songs (He'll Have to Go) to Irish folk numbers (When Irish Eyes Are Smiling), decades-old ditties (Beer Barrel Polka), hits of the day (King of the Road), and songs he had written himself. He received a modest, steady income and substantial tips. During that whole period, I don't think I ever missed a gig, he said later. A stint with a short-lived group called the Corvettes rounded out his time.
In 1964, Dwight and his friends formed a band called Bluesology. By day, he ran errands for a music publishing company; he divided his nights between solo gigs at a London hotel bar and working with Bluesology. By the mid-1960s, Bluesology was backing touring American soul and R&B musicians like The Isley Brothers, Major Lance, Doris Troy and Patti LaBelle and The Bluebelles. In 1966, the band became musician Long John Baldry's supporting band and began touring cabarets in England.
After failing lead vocalist auditions for King Crimson and Gentle Giant, Dwight answered an advertisement in the New Musical Express placed by Ray Williams, then the A&R manager for Liberty Records. At their first meeting, Williams gave Dwight a stack of lyrics written by Bernie Taupin, who had answered the same ad. Dwight wrote music for the lyrics, and then mailed it to Taupin, and thus began a partnership that continues to this day. In 1967, what would become the first Elton John/Bernie Taupin song, Scarecrow, was recorded; when the two first met, six months later, Reginald Dwight had changed his name to Elton John, by deed poll, in homage to Bluesology saxophonist Elton Dean and Long John Baldry.
Empty Sky, Elton John's 1969 debut album, went largely unnoticed.The team of John and Taupin joined Dick James's DJM Records as staff songwriters in 1968, and over the next two years wrote material for various artists, like Roger Cook and Lulu. Taupin would write a batch of lyrics in under an hour and give it to John, who would write music for them in half an hour, disposing of the lyrics if he couldn't come up with anything quickly. For two years, they wrote easy-listening tunes for James to peddle to singers.
Their early output included an entry for British song for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1969, called Can't Go On (Living Without You) It came sixth of six songs.
During this period John also played on sessions for other artists including playing piano on The Hollies' He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother and singing backing vocals for The Scaffold.
On the advice of music publisher Steve Brown, John and Taupin started writing more complex songs for John to record for DJM. The first was the single I've Been Loving You (1968), produced by Caleb Quaye, former Bluesology guitarist. In 1969, with Quaye, drummer Roger Pope, and bassist Tony Murray, John recorded another single, Lady Samantha, and an album, Empty Sky. Despite good reviews, none of the records sold well.
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