If Ron Camilleri were so inclined, his choosing of the phrase “To Sir, with Love” to promote his musical tribute to Sir Elton John, one of the most prolific singers and songwriters of all time, would be well justified. In borrowing the title of the 1967 British film and subsequent hit song by Lulu, Camilleri would not only show deference to Elton John’s 1998-awarded knighthood but would also express his unabashed adoration of England’s favourite son.
That said, the stage moniker Elton Rohn has served the Toronto native very well indeed for a number of years now, as he has firmly established himself as one of the top Elton John tribute acts in the business — not only in voice, but in spirit and body as well, costumed as the piano master was during his 1970s heyday.
When performing his free-admission concert with his band on Saturday, August 3rd at Del Crary Park as part of Peterborough Musicfest’s 37th season, Camilleri will tackle an all-too-familiar challenge — what songs to perform from the massive hit song catalogue that has put Sir Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin in the same stratosphere as Lennon and McCartney.
Returning to Musicfest for the first time since 2017, Camilleri can be sure of one thing: whatever John-Taupin songs he and his band perform, there will be a connection with the audience.
During a late 2017 interview with Keith Sharp of The Music Express, Camilleri said paying homage to such an iconic performer is about much more than replicating the music.
“I would not want to walk out on stage in my T-shirt and jeans and just sing a bunch of Elton John songs,” he explained. “We want the audience to feel like they are at an Elton John concert — to feel like they are experiencing one of his old tours.”
VIDEO: “Elton Rohn 2024” promo
As a youth, Camilleri attended dozens of concerts with his father, an executive with CBS Records Canada. He first saw Elton John perform in 1975.
Following graduation from the University of Toronto, Camilleri worked in the Canadian music industry, eventually heading up Columbia Records for Sony Music Canada, for which his twin brother Rick served as president.
“Marketing is so important — I learned that at Columbia,” said Camilleri, a writer, composer, and musician of his own standing. “When I started out, I checked out all the other Elton John tribute bands and I found there wasn’t anybody else out there that I didn’t think I could compete against.”
“Then I checked all the best tribute bands of other artists to see what they were doing (and) whether I felt they projected the original band’s proper concert experience. Some impressed me, but a lot didn’t. I would not have done it myself if I didn’t feel I could be competitive.”
After leaving Columbia Records in 1996, Camilleri took a break from writing his original material during the day to perform cover songs at night with a band that featured his brother.
“I played guitar, so we were doing Beatles, Oasis, and (Paul) McCartney (songs), but when I did sit down at the piano and played some Elton John tunes, the audience loved it,” he recalled. “Eventually, we did a whole set of Elton John songs. We changed the band’s name to Ronnie and The Jets before I decided to pursue the Elton Rohn tribute full time.”
VIDEO: “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me” performed by Elton Rohn
What followed was a steady progression, from playing bars to theatres and casinos. Along the way, band members were added to give a fuller concert experience.
“I’ve had so many agents come to me and say `If you could limit your band to a four-piece and play to tracks, you could make a fortune.’ But one thing I will never do Is play to tracks. I know a number of name tribute bands that play to tracks. To my mind, that’s cheating. Playing live is what makes it so much fun.”
In going the Elton John route all those years ago, Camilleri chose very well in terms of the breadth of material he could choose from. He could lead a three-hour Elton Rohn set and still not come close to performing all of the singer’s hit songs.
Elton John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in Middlesex, England, adopting his stage name at age 20 and legally changing it five years later. He met lyricist Bernie Taupin in 1967 quite by chance, when they both applied for work with London-based Liberty Records. In what has proven to be the most astute move ever, Liberty teamed the pair up to see what they could do together.
They did a lot and then some, their songwriting partnership at the heart of the more than 50 top 40 hits and 300 million-plus album sales that followed.
While the 1970s will long be remembered as the decade of Elton John — a crazy global ride that began in earnest with “Your Song” and carried on with “Rocket Man,” “Daniel,” “Candle in the Wind,” “Bennie and the Jets,” “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting,” “The Bitch Is Back,” and “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” to name but a few — Elton John’s ability to reinvent himself over the following decades is what has earned him the tag of legend and the admiration of millions.
VIDEO: Elton John performs at Princess Diana’s funeral (1997)
In 1980s, despite a life-threatening drug and alcohol addiction complicated by bulimia, Elton John emerged from rehab to release album after album, collaborating in many cases with other lyricists. The 1990s release of Disney’s The Lion King provided yet another kickstart, and an Oscar for Sir Elton who performed the film’s hit soundtrack.
In 1997, he was asked to perform at Princess Diana’s funeral and did, serving up a reworded version of “Candle in the Wind” in the form of “Goodbye England’s Rose,” which has remained the second best-selling single since record charts started in 1950, surpassed only by Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas.”
When he performed at the Peterborough Memorial Centre in September 2012, Elton John’s solo concert created a demand for tickets never seen previously or since. Seven years later, the biopic Rocketman starring Taron Egerton introduced Captain Fantastic to a whole new generation of fans and reignited the passion of followers of the longtime variety. What followed was a three-year farewell tour that sold out venues around the globe.
Married to Toronto-born filmmaker David Furnish and with two adopted sons, Elton John has continued his remarkable philanthropy, most notably for the Elton John AIDS Foundation which has raised close to $600 million since it was established back in 1992.
VIDEO: “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” performed by Elton Rohn
As for Camilleri’s Peterborough Musicfest performance, he will bring to the stage the best of the iconic 1973 album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road as well as play Elton John’s early hits. He often askes his audience in advance for the songs they’d like to hear.
“I get the occasional call for songs off The Lion King,” Camilleri said in his interview with The Music Express. “We will always insert a couple of album tracks to keep the set list fresh, but there’s a bunch of songs we have to play. We could easily do a five-hour set if they’d let us.”
That is indeed music to the ears of any Elton John fan.
Peterborough Musicfest is presenting 16 free-admission concerts during its 37th season, each staged on Wednesday and Saturday nights until August 17th.
Overseen by executive director Tracey Randall and staff, a board of directors, and numerous volunteers, Peterborough Musicfest’s stated mission remains “to provide diverse, affordable live music to enrich cultural and economic prosperity in our community.”
For more information on this concert or the 2024 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca or phone the Peterborough Musicfest office at 705-755-1111.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a headline sponsor of Peterborough Musicfest’s 2024 season.
