Rocker Elton John will hold his farewell tour on the South Lawn on Friday, the White House announced Tuesday, a week after singer James Taylor and hosts Jonathan and Drew Scott of HGTV’s “Property Brothers” helped celebrate a new health care and climate change. law. John is among a number of entertainers who refused to perform for then-President Donald Trump. Taylor sang and strummed his guitar to open last week’s event while the Scotts were among hundreds of people in the audience. Along with running mate Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, they filmed an impressive video promoting the provisions of the Climate Change Act. Since taking office during a pandemic that has put a pause on excessive camaraderie, 79-year-old Biden has also opened up the White House to teenage singer Olivia Rodrigo to talk about young people and vaccinations for COVID-19 and South Korea. boy band BTS, to discuss Asian inclusion and representation. Last year, the Democratic president resumed the tradition of holding a private reception at the White House for artists receiving honors from the Kennedy Center. Actress Jennifer Garner accompanied first lady Jill Biden to West Virginia last year to visit a school COVID-19 vaccination site in Charleston. Garner also hosted a PBS special “In Performance” celebrating the holidays at the White House. John’s concert is called “A Night When Hope and History Rhyme,” a reference to a poem by Irishman Seamus Heaney that Biden often quotes. The show is part of a partnership with A+E Networks and the History Channel that will “celebrate the unifying and healing power of music, celebrate the life and work of Sir Elton John, and honor everyday history-makers in the public eye.” . the White House said. Guests will include faculty, health professionals, students, LGBTQ+ advocates and others. John also has a concert scheduled for Saturday night at Nationals Park in Washington as part of a tour that concludes his 50-plus year career. He opened the final leg of his North American farewell series in Philadelphia in July. The 75-year-old British singer is among the celebrities who have avoided the Trump White House, starting with the Republican’s inauguration in 2017. John had declined an invitation to perform at Trump’s inauguration festivities, saying he didn’t think it was appropriate for someone of British heritage. to play at the inauguration of an American president. Trump had included high praise for John in some of his books and played John’s songs at his campaign rallies, including “Rocket Man” and “Tiny Dancer.” Trump had also called North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s nickname “missile man” because of Kim’s habit of test-firing missiles. Country music singers Toby Keith and Lee Greenwood were among the most notable entertainers who played to help Trump take office. Longer names from other genres were refused or not considered. Hollywood has always leaned heavily Democratic. For Democrat Biden’s inauguration, singers Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez and Garth Brooks were among those who appeared. Aretha Franklin and Beyonce were among the celebrities who took part in a massive show of force for Democrat Barack Obama, from fundraising to his two inaugurations to performances inside the White House or on the field. They disappeared under Trump, but are coming back under Biden. Biden relied on celebrities during his 2020 campaign when in-person conversations were largely suspended due to the coronavirus. A parade of movie and TV stars, pop icons and sports executives stepped up to help Biden raise money and energize supporters. Sir Elton—knighted in 1998 by Queen Elizabeth II—has sold more than 300 million records worldwide, played more than 4,000 concerts in 80 countries and recorded one of the best-selling singles of all time, his remix of ” Candle In The” in 1997 Wind” to praise Princess Diana, which sold 33 million copies. He scored more than 70 top 40 hits, including nine No. 1s, and released seven No. 1 albums in a 3 1/2-year span from 1972 to 1975, a pace second only to that of the Beatles. John has five Grammy Awards, a Tony Award for “Aida” and Academy Awards for songs from “The Lion King” and “Rocketman.” He has played at the White House in the past. John and Stevie Wonder appeared together at a 1998 state dinner hosted by Democratic President Bill Clinton in honor of British Prime Minister Tony Blair. They played under a tent on the roof of the West Colonnade. John has been critical of Republican President George W. Bush, telling a British magazine in November 2004 that Bush and his administration “are the worst thing that has ever happened to America.” But he was more diplomatic at a White House reception in December 2004 for a group of Kennedy Center honorees that included himself. The rock legend said receiving the honor “is the icing on the cake. … It’s incredible for someone who is British to receive such an accolade from America, which has given me so much already in my career.”
Associated Press writer Chris Megerian in Washington and AP News reporter Jennifer Farrar in New York contributed to this report.
