Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight, 25 March 1947) is a British singer, composer and pianist. An influential figure in popular culture, he is known for his flamboyant fashion, showmanship and songwriting partnership with the lyricist Bernie Taupin. With over 300 million records sold worldwide, he is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. An EGOT winner, John's accolades include five Grammy Awards, two Academy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Tony Award, two Golden Globe Awards, a Laurence Olivier Award and the Kennedy Center Honors.

John is an HIV/AIDS charity fundraiser and has been involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980's. In 1992 he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which has raised over £300 million since its inception, and a year later he began hosting his annual AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Party, which has since become one of the biggest high-profile Oscars parties in the Hollywood film industry.