Elton John Hits 35 Years Sober, Celebrates With Family

On July 29, Elton John marked 35 years without alcohol. His sons sent touching cards, and many fans worldwide shared their support. The 78-year-old posted several snapshots of gifts and notes.

"Grateful for all the love on my sobriety birthday," wrote John on Instagram, showing off cards from his sons Zachary, 13, and Elijah, 11, whom he shares with husband David Furnish.

"The life I was leading, flying on the Starship, living in beautiful houses, buying things left, right, and center — it was not a normal life," said John, according to Variety. "I used to have spasms and be found on the floor, and they'd put me back to bed, and half an hour later I'd be doing the same."

The death of his friend, Ryan White, from AIDS pushed him to seek treatment. His path to wellness started when he entered rehab at Chicago's Parkside Lutheran Hospital in 1990. "My soul was black, like a charred piece of steak, until I said, 'I need help.' And suddenly, a little pilot light in my soul came along going, 'Yes, I'm still here,'" John said per CBS News.

In his peak years during the 1970s and '80s, he fought hard battles with alcohol and drugs. His 2019 film, Rocketman, showed these tough times on screen. He also described his struggles with addiction in his autobiography, Me.

Now, Elton gives back by supporting other musicians who want to quit. He serves as Eminem's Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) sponsor, and he helped Boy George stay sober.

This big moment comes after Elton's final tour ended in 2023. The Farewell Yellow Brick Road shows ran for five years, and they had more than 300 stops. It was one of the most successful tours ever. Elton also collaborated with Spinal Tap on a new version of Stonehenge.