'How lucky am I?': Elton John's message to fans as he wraps up live touring career after 52 years
The Rocket Man has officially retired from the road.
Elton John performed over the weekend in what he says is the last show on the final tour of his career. The iconic, award-winning musician, 76, took the stage for purportedly the last time ever as a touring artist in Stockholm, Sweden, according to his website.
According to The Independent, John closed the show with Your Song and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – plus a heartfelt message to his fans.
Watch the video above.
Elton John took his final ever bow on-stage over the weekend. Getty
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"I've had the most wonderful career, beyond belief. 52 years of pure joy playing music, how lucky am I to play music? But I wouldn't be sitting here if it wasn't for you," John told the audience from the stage as he closed what he says is his final show ever.
"You bought the singles, albums and CDs and more importantly you bought the tickets to the shows and you know how I love to play live."
"It's been my lifeblood to play for you guys and you've been absolutely magnificent – thank you," John continued.
"I will never forget you guys. I've played so many concerts, how could I forget? You're in my head, and my heart and my soul and I thank you so much."
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In the caption for a video posted before the show to his official Instagram, the British music legend wrote, "What a journey this tour has been and now we find ourselves at the end of it. Tonight is the final night."
The video includes a clip from a 2018 interview he did with CNN's Anderson Cooper in which the musician announced his retirement from touring.
"It's the last time that I will be touring and traveling the world," John says in the clip.
The five-time Grammy winner's Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour kicked off in 2018 and was originally meant to end in 2021, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tour has been publicised as his last after more than five decades of touring.
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John will now be focusing on his kids. WireImage
The tour featured more than 300 shows and was attended by more than 6 million fans across the world, according to John's Instagram video. The 76-year-old musician headlined the Glastonbury Festival as his final UK stop on his farewell tour.
During his 2018 interview with Cooper, John attributed his retirement from life on the road to his decision to focus on his family. The musician has two sons with husband David Furnish.
"We had children and had changed our lives and in 2015, we sat down with their school schedule and we said I'm going to miss too much of this," he told Cooper at the time.
He said at the time that although he was done touring, he would continue working on new music.
