Defending My Man

If I went to go see Nolan Ryan, no one would have any beef. If I hung with Sean Connery, there would be no quips or jokes made. Just jealously. If Arnold Palmer and I played some Wii Golf, again, the haters would have nothing to say.

But not with Elton John.

For some crazy reason, in the days before and after last Saturday's Elton John concert, I've gotten all sorts of flak, rolled eyes, dismissive sighs, and plenty of "you would"s in response to my excitement about rocking out with Elton. Well, people, although there are no hard feelings, I'm taking a stand to defend my man.

Along with Madonna, Aretha Franklin, and Paul McCartney, Elton John is one of the handful of music legends still walking this marvelous Earth. However, whether it is because of his incredible flamboyance or the Lion King soundtrack, Sir Elton just does not get the respect he unquestionably deserves from us 20 and 30-somethings. Well, "kids," let me educate you:

Who has had more Top 40 hits that anyone not named Elvis Presley? Elton John. 56 of them. That's more than Madonna, more than Stevie Wonder, more than the Stones, and even more than the Beatles. Having sold at least 250 million albums, there are only three, THREE, people who have sold more records than Sir Elton: Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Elvis.

So people, give the man some props. Sure, he doesn't quite fall into the "rockstar" category, but the man is the most successful pianist of all time and a true music legend. While his concert wasn't quite as fun as a Gaga or Britney show, the depth and richness of his music makes modern pop classics like "E-Mail My Heart" and "Dear Diary" look slightly foolish.

Case closed.