Sir Elton John just paid tribute to the late icon Brian Wilson at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday night.
The Crocodile rock the hitmaker performed the Beach Boys’ Only God knows as part of a tribute to the singer, who died in June aged 82, and also shared his memories of his former friend, including how terrified he was when they first met in Los Angeles.
Speaking on stage at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theatre, Sir Elton said: “We were scared because he was my idol. He was the one who influenced me more than anyone when it came to writing songs on the piano. It was a night we would never forget.”
“Meeting someone who was a true genius doesn’t happen very often,” added the pianist.
The 78-year-old star told the audience how he and Brian became friends over time and worked on each other’s records over the years.
He added: “We loved each other. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather pay tribute to than Brian Wilson and his family with this incredible song,” then delivered a sentimental rendition of the Beach Boys classic.
When Brian died earlier this year, Sir Elton remembered his friend as the person who had “the biggest influence on my songwriting ever.”
“He sang Someone saved my life tonight at a tribute concert in 2003 and it was an extraordinary moment for me. played on his solo records, he sang on my album, The Union, and even performed for my AIDS Foundation, Rocket Man wrote the singer.
“I grew to love him as a person and for me he was the biggest influence on my songwriting ever; he was a musical genius and revolutionary. He changed the goalposts of songwriting and shaped music forever. A true giant,” Sir Elton John concluded.
