LOS ANGELES (AP) — Elton John has reached EGOT status.
The famed British singer and pianist won an Emmy Award for Best Variety Special (Live) on Monday night for “Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium,” a three-hour concert documentary streaming on Disney+.
John said he was “incredibly honored” to have joined the elite group of EGOT winners who have won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards.
“The journey to this moment has been filled with passion, dedication and the unwavering support of my fans around the world,” John, 76, said in a statement after winning his trophy.
The superstar actor has won five Grammys, most recently in 2001 for “Aida by Elton John & Tim Rice”; two Oscars for “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from “The Lion King” in 1994 and “(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again” from “Rocketman”; along with a Tony for his original score for “Aida.”
He is one of the best-selling solo artists of all time and holds the record for the best-selling physical single of all time thanks to the 33 million copies sold of “Candle in the Wind” in 1997.
John became the 19th person to achieve EGOT status after Viola Davis achieved the feat when she won a Grammy last year. Other artists who have EGOTs include Whoopi Goldberg, Jennifer Hudson and John Legend.
David Furnish, John's husband and producer of the concert special, said John was overjoyed about winning his first-ever Emmy on Monday night and was “screaming out loud.” Furnish said an “incredibly honored” John was unable to attend the awards ceremony as he was recovering from recent surgery.
“We contacted him via Facetime. We woke him up in the middle of the night,” Furnish said while holding John’s award backstage. “He’s back in the UK. His left knee was replaced – which isn’t surprising considering how many pianos he jumped off.”
John's concert was the last of three nights at the Los Angeles stadium as part of the North American leg of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which began in September 2018 with the first of over 300 scheduled dates. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was suspended in 2020 and resumed in 2021.
His last show, which drew more than 50,000 people, featured guest appearances from a new generation of stars, including Dua Lipa and Brandi Carlile.
The singer's broadcast special topped Apple Music's Super Bowl halftime show starring Rihanna, as well as ABC's Academy Awards, CBS's Tony Awards telecast and Netflix's “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage.”
“Tonight is a testament to the power of the arts and the joy it brings to all of our lives,” John said. “Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my career. I am incredibly grateful.”