Elton John Performing at White House Event

Elton John will perform at an event taking place at the White House this Friday (September 23.)

Per CNN, the event is called "A Night When Hope and History Rhyme" and is a collaboration between A&E Networks and The History Channel. The event will air at a yet-to-be-determined later date. President Joe Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden will speak at the event.

CNN cites a release for the event saying it will "celebrate the unifying and healing power of music, commend the life and work of Sir Elton John, and honor the everyday history-makers in the audience, including teachers, nurses, frontline workers, mental health advocates, students, LGBTQ+ advocates and more."

The event marks the second time Sir Elton will perform at the White House. John performed at the famed residence in 1998 as part of a State Dinner when then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair visited the White House.

Elton John has some absolutely iconic hit singles, but one of the great pleasures of being a big Elton John fan is finding the lesser-known gems.

We’re partial to his hit-free album Tumbleweed Connection from 1970 (as you’ll see), as well as his criminally underrated Songs From The West Coast from 2001, and a few of the diamonds in the rough from albums that you may have overlooked.

For this list, we’re going with the best version of each song, which sometimes means a live version. And in one case, an alternate studio version that you may not have heard before. Enjoy!

In 2024, Sir Elton has earned two major honors. In January, he became an EGOT winner.

John achieved the entertainment milestone thanks to winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) for Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger’s Stadium. The special streamed live on November 20, 2022 on Disney+. It was John's final show in North America. It was also the first time Disney+ presented a live global event.

Before his Emmy win, John won five Grammy Awards in his career. In 2000, he won a Tony Award for Best Original Score for Aida. Additionally, John has won two Oscars. The first came in 1994 for Best Original Song for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from The Lion King. The second Oscar came in 2020 for "I'm Gonna Love Me Again" from Rocketman.

In March, just before his 77th birthday, John and his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin were honored with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

Per the Library of Congress's website, "The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song celebrates the work of an artist whose career reflects the influence, impact and achievement in promoting song as a vehicle of musical expression and cultural understanding."

Past Gershwin Prize recipients include Joni Mitchell (2023), Lionel Richie (2022), Garth Brooks (2020), Gloria and Emilio Estefan (2019), Tony Bennett (2017), Smokey Robinson (2016) and many more iconic musicians.

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said in a statement, "Elton John and Bernie Taupin have written some of the most memorable songs of our lives. Their careers stand out for the quality and broad appeal of their music and their influence on their fellow artists."