Elton John Wins Major Tour Of The Year At Pollstar Awards, Thanks Agent Of 50 Years And Has Advice For The Industry

Black Coffee Productions – Elton John
Pollstar Awards

The Pollstar Awards got a heaping helping of some royal touring star power when Sir Elton John himself delighted the crowd to accept his award for Major Tour Of The Year, acknowledging the importance of the concert industry, thanking his agent of 50 years and vowing to win the award again next year.

After explaining that he had just flew in from New Zealand making tonight his “second Thursday” after attending an Oscars party to pick up the award, Sir Elton added to roaring approval, “I’m very competitive so I want to win the fucking thing next year as well.”

“In all seriousness, when I played The Troubadour in 1970, I had an agent in Howard Rose who’s still my agent,” John said at the Beverly Hilton Hotel to cap off the 31st annual Pollstar Awards. “I think that’s pretty amazing, 50 years. He’s guided through a mine field and made my career interesting.” 

– Elton John
Pollstar Awards

Sir Elton, whose Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour continues into December, had some sincere advice to those in the room, a notoriously jaded industry crowd that rose to its feet in reverence for the one and only Captain Fantastic. 

“What I want now to say those who manage people who are young is don’t put them in big arenas too soon,” he said, adding that if he were Lewis Capaldi’s manager, he wouldn’t put him into arenas just yet, “make it interesting.”

“To have a career as long as I have, A you have to a bit of talent and B, you have to have people who think behind the scenes, like all you people out there tonight,” John added. “You’re the people who arrange for your artist to be on tour, you book them and advise them. I’ve had such great advice and that’s why I’ve lasted so long I think. 

“Plus the fact I love what I do, and I’m very lucky to be able to do what I do,” John said, thanking tour promoter AEG and saying “to win this award is very special.”