1968
Elton John performs "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again," nominated for the award for best original song, from "Rocketman" at the Oscars in Los Angeles in February 2020.
Image Credit: AP
It was on a flight back to the UK following a successful US tour that Reginald Dwight, a singer whose career was burgeoning, decided he needed a stage name.
His backup band, Bluesology, featured horn player Elton Dean and lead singer Long John Baldry. Dwight asked them if he could use their names to create a new one for himself and that’s how the name Elton John was born. He legally changed his name to Elton Hercules John in 1972,