By Kate Holden and Sarah Young
LONDON (Reuters) – Elton John will headline the prestigious music festival at Worthy Farm for the last British show of his long global farewell tour at Glastonbury next summer.
John, one of the best-selling artists of all time, has never played to the music festival frenzy and says appearing on the Pyramid Stage on the final night of the 2023 event is the perfect way to say goodbye to the UK.
The 75-year-old singer has been on the road for more than 50 years on the “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour.
John had his first big hit with “Your Song” in 1970, the same year as the first Glastonbury festival in south-west England, where tickets cost a pound and revelers drank free farm milk.
“Every week I talk to new artists on my radio show and Glastonbury is often cited as a pivotal moment in launching their careers – I’ve long admired the festival’s genuine and enthusiastic support of great emerging talent,” he said. Report.
Given the strength of previous lineups with stars ranging from Beyoncé to David Bowie, Dolly Parton to Bruce Springsteen and the Rolling Stones, Glastonbury was unique even before any of the attractions were announced.
Paul McCartney, 80, played at Glastonbury last year, returning to the festival after a three-year absence due to the Covid pandemic.
Tickets for the 2023 show sold out within an hour.
“This will be the last UK show of Elton’s final tour, so we will close the festival and mark this great moment in both our histories with a fond farewell for everyone,” Glastonbury co-organiser Emily Eavis said.
John, who reigned pop music with hits like “Candle in the Wind,” announced a farewell tour in 2018 saying he wanted to focus on his family.
