Sort of. He lost his head voice after a surgery to remove polyps in around 1986 (see the Australia live album) After which (around this video) he studied with a vocal coach who taught him to embrace his lower baritone range which was more sustainable for the long term health of his voice. He can still do it, just chooses not to. Every so often though, he goes there.
Good God! I still marvel at Elton's piano skills!! Sounds like he would have been right at home in my church on Sunday morning! He plays with soooo much soul!!! The best performance of this song I've ever heard. Love my boo Elton soooooo much. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I remember the the Bob Macki Duck Costume! He had so much fun with that! 1980 Central Park NY. Watch the entire concert on RU-vid. He was SO great!! Still is!❤❤
100%, before his voice sorta changed towards 2000 (around the “England’s Rose” version of Candle in the Wind (no shade, everybody’s voice changes a bit when you compare recordings 10-20 years apart)), I could listen to him 24/7. Definitely one of my top three singers from the 70s
His voice sounds fantastic here, a blend of his younger-prime voice and you can also hear the experience in it too. It’s a shame he lost it as he got older.
I’ve just watched that ( it’s not on You Tube, I found it on Vimeo). It’s really interesting. He’s newly sober, wanting to do something worthy with his life, and I guess not so tolerant of asinine questions.
None of that was falsetto, he stopped singing falsetto notes in 1986 because of nodules. Had them removed and never bothered to work his way back up to falsetto again even though he probably could have.