ICON PRESENTS: ELTON JOHN’S 2nd ALBUM and PRODUCER STUART EPPS

SUPER PRODUCER STUART EPPS

Stuart Epps is a British record producer and audio engineer who has worked with many artists, including: Kiki Dee, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Oasis, Twisted Sister, Bill Wyman, George Harrison, Robbie Williams, Mark Owen, Paul Weller, Cliff Richard, Bad Company, Barry White and Chris Rea. He has contributed to more than 100 records and has been associated with many popular hard rock records by such bands as Twisted Sister, Wishbone Ash, Bad Company, Vandenberg, The Firm, Jagged Edge UK and Shooting Star. Besides his work with Led Zeppelin, Epps has been involved in other projects with their guitarist Jimmy Page as well as on many occasions with Rolling Stone member Bill Wyman.

They are instantly recognizable, the music and albums that have shaped popular culture for generations. ICON explores the inside story of the most memorable albums that you know and love – with those that were there. Your hosts are music industry professionals, production company CEO Paul Doty and radio personality Roman Guzman. iconpauldotyromanguzman.com/

ELTON JOHN

Elton John is the second album by English singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1970. However, because it was his first album released in America, many people assumed it was his first album, as “Empty Sky” was not released in the US until 1975.  Elton John includes his breakthrough hit, “Your Song”, and helped to establish his career during what was considered the “singer-songwriter” era of popular music. In the US, it was certified gold in February 1971 by the RIAA. In the same year, it was nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

In 2003, the album was ranked No. 468 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. This was the first of many Elton John albums produced by Gus Dudgeon. On 27 November 2012, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as an album cited as exhibiting “qualitative or historical significance”.