SIR ELTON JOHN
2006 We Are Family Humanitarian Award Honoree

The monumental career of international singer/songwriter and performer Elton John has spanned more than three decades. He is one of the top-selling solo artists of all time with over 200 million records sold worldwide. Elton has won a wide array of industry awards including Grammy's, Tony's and an Oscar and continues to add innovative work to his personal catalog of 35 gold and 25 platinum albums. In December of 2004, Elton received the Kennedy Center Honor for his lifetime contributions to American culture and excellence through the performing arts.

Elton is currently in the studio recording a new CD "The Captain and The Kid" the sequel to his triple platinum album "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy," which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary with an expanded deluxe edition.

He continues to perform his critically acclaimed "Red Piano" show exclusively at Caesars Palace.

Tony award-winning "Aida" and long-running "The Lion King" musicals have reigned on Broadway and continue to tour the world. This past year, the stage production of "Billy Elliot — The Musical," in which Elton wrote the music, debuted in London's famed West End theatre district to rave reviews. According to Variety magazine editor Peter Bart, 'Billy Elliot' will clearly rank as one of the best musicals of its generation" (May 31, 2005). Elton and long time writing partner Bernie Taupin have written the score for Warner Brothers Theatre Ventures' musical "Lestat" which will open on Broadway at the Palace Theatre in New York City on April 25, 2006.

His commitment to the fight against AIDS led to the inception of the Elton John AIDS Foundation (Los Angeles and London) which has dispersed a combined total of grants surpassing $80 million to date making the Elton John AIDS Foundation one of the largest public non-profit organizations in the AIDS arena.

In 1998, he was knighted by the Queen of England who honored him with the title Sir Elton John, CBE.