British Singer Elton John, Who Sang at the White House, Receives Medal

Performance in front of 2,000 people including President Biden and First Lady on the 23rd (local time)
Connection with former Presidents Clinton and Trump as well

On the 23rd (local time), British pop singer Elton John is wearing a medal around his neck and standing with President Biden and the First Lady. Photo by AP News Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] Elton John (75), a pop singer representing the UK, performed at the White House in the United States on the 23rd (local time) and received a medal, according to reports by The New York Times and Bloomberg News.

At the evening concert titled "A Night Where Hope and History Align," President Joe Biden called Elton John "an eternal singer and songwriter" and awarded him the National Humanities Medal. This medal is given annually to individuals or organizations that have contributed to the field of humanities in the United States. Elton John has been actively involved not only in music but also in AIDS prevention efforts, including founding the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992.

President Biden said, "Jill and I express our gratitude to John on behalf of the American people," adding, "John's music has changed our lives."

At the event, John passionately sang his signature songs "Rocketman" and "Tiny Dancer," performing at the piano for 45 minutes.

Elton John has a special relationship with past U.S. presidents.

In 1998, when then British Prime Minister Tony Blair visited the U.S. and met with then President Bill Clinton, Elton John performed at the state dinner at the White House.

However, he declined an invitation to perform at the inauguration of former President Donald Trump in 2017.

Elton John sang at the wedding of Donald Trump and Melania Trump in 2005, and Trump publicly congratulated Elton John when he married his longtime same-sex partner David Furnish.

Their friendly relationship began to sour as Trump became involved in politics. Elton John also attended a fundraising event for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate and Trump's rival.

Nevertheless, Trump's infatuation(?) with Elton John did not fade.

At campaign rallies, Trump's team continuously played Elton John's songs "Tiny Dancer" and "Rocketman," and he even claimed to have played "Rocketman" during talks, referring to North Korean Labor Party General Secretary Kim Jong-un as "Little Rocketman."

Meanwhile, Elton John's music holds a special personal meaning for President Biden as well.

In his 2017 memoir titled "Promise Me, Dad," Biden revealed that his late eldest son Beau Biden used to sing Elton John's song "Crocodile Rock" when he was young, and when Beau was dying of brain cancer in 2015, Joe Biden softly played the song in his ear.