Elton John Confirms He Will 'Never Be Touring Again' After 52 Years of 'Pure Joy Playing Music': 'There's No Going Back'
When Elton John sang "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" in Stockholm in July 2023, he meant the lyrics literally.
The famed singer recently confirmed the final concert of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in Sweden last summer was definitely the conclusion of his touring days, as the 77-year-old wants to focus on time with his husband, David Furnish, and their two children, Zachary, 13, and Elijah, 11.
In a new interview with a news outlet published Thursday, June 27, John confidently answered "no" when asked if he would ever consider touring again.
The "Tiny Dancer" singer's hubby, 61, helped elaborate on John's firm decision to retire, explaining: "We’ve got our sons, you know, they’re getting into their teenage years now. We don’t want to miss anything. We want to be present for that."
"It’s sort of a key decade, I think, in a child’s life," Furnish continued. "He’s been doing it for 60 years, so it’s nice to have that time to spend at home with family."
The "Rocket Man" hitmaker chimed back into the conversation to admit he was pleased with the way he wrapped up his final tour.
"The last show in Stockholm on the farewell tour after Glastonbury, I got in the car and went, 'Yes! Yes!' We went out on the biggest high, just the way I wanted to, and there’s no going back [after] that," he declared.
At the time, John thanked his crowd full of fans for a "magical" finish to his touring life while expressing gratitude for his "wonderful" career.
"Fifty-two years of pure joy, playing music. How lucky am I to play music? But I wouldn’t be sitting here and talking to you if it wasn’t for you. You bought the singles, the CDs, the albums, the cassettes. But more importantly, you bought the tickets to the shows. And you know how much I love to play live. It’s been my lifeblood to play for you guys. You’ve been absolutely magnificent. Thank you," the "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" vocalist told the audience.
Elsewhere in his and Furnish's joint interview, John noted that while he'll "never be touring again," there's always room for a "one-off" performance in the future.
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- Elton John, 77, Admits His 2 Young Sons 'Worry About My Mortality' After Singer's String of Health Complications
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"But that’s miles away. I want to appreciate my family, my sons, my husband, everything," the dad-of-two clarified.
John and Furnish have been together for decades — though they technically married one another twice.
The longtime lovers first met in the early '90s, however, at the time, two men tying the knot was not yet legal in the United Kingdom. Regardless of marital laws, John proposed to Furnish in March 2005. By then, the U.K. allowed for the implementation of civil partnerships between gay couples. The spouses would become the first to do so.
Fast forward to 2014, the country's justice system finally ruled in favor of same-s-- marriage, allowing for John and Furnish to officially say "I Do" during a December wedding ceremony.
Entertainment Tonight interviewed John and Furnish.