Fan Fare, What's New, Pussycat?
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Backup Singer Does Good
Friday, October 20th, 2006It’s Tom Jones fan legend: The musicians union was about to pull the plug on the recording session for Daughter of Darkness in 1969. The union gave Tom 10 minutes — until 10 p.m.— to complete the work. As the clock struck the hour when the musicians must leave or get paid overtime — a true budget-busting measure — there were still 30 seconds left to record. When the trumpeter put down his horn and stopped the session back up singer Reg Dwight objected, noting that the musician had been five minutes late that morning. Shouting ensued, but the session went on and the song was done.
Of course, Reg Dwight changed his name to Elton John and forged a pretty remarkable careeer and life.
We saw Sir Elton John’s show at Caesars Palace tonight and, aside from what we may have thought of the show itself, we have to comment on how gracious John was to his band — introducing each by name and giving a short bio of each individual (including a “go Tigers” for the musician from Detroit) — and the fact that, as he came out for his encore, he thanked the United States of America.
“I had my first hit here and this country has always been wonderful to me,” he said before he dedicated his closing number to “all of you.”
It was nice to hear.
He did note that, unlike every member of his band, he does not live in Los Angeles.
