Elton John to Give Rare Performance at 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony

In a rare live appearance following his recent retirement from touring, Elton John is scheduled to perform at the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Friday (November 3).

“Almost 30 years after his own Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, 1994 Inductee and absolute icon [Elton John] will perform in honor of the [2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame] inductees, live, Nov 3,” read a post by the Rock Hall on social media.

John’s performance will likely honor 2023 inductee George Michael, who died in 2016. In 1991, John and Michael duetted on John’s 1974 hit “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me.” Originally written by John and longtime songwriter Bernie Taupin, the song was released on John’s eighth album, Caribou, and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. When released by John and Michael, their rendition topped the Billboard charts and went to No. 1 internationally.

[RELATED: 6 Songs You Didn’t Know Bernie Taupin Wrote for Other Artists, Outside of Elton John]

This year, Michael will be posthumously inducted, along with Willie Nelson, Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, The Spinners, and Rage Against the Machine are the 2023 inductees in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The 2023 inductees include four artists who were nominated for the first time: Nelson, Elliott, Crow, and Michael.

DJ Kool Herc and Link Wray are also set to receive the Musical Influence Award. The Musical Excellence Award will be given to Chaka Khan, Al Kooper, and Bernie Taupin, while the late Don Cornelius will be honored with the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

“This historic live stream on Disney+ and special on ABC is a testament to the diverse sounds and enduring power of rock ‘n’ roll,” John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, in a statement. “Over the last three decades, the annual live Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction has become music’s highest honor, celebrating the artists who’ve defined generations and changed music forever.”

Dave Matthews, Brandi Carlile, New Edition, St. Vincent, Chris Stapleton, and H.E.R. are also scheduled to perform during the ceremony, along with inductees John, Crow, Elliott, Khan, and Nelson.

“This year’s incredible group of Inductees reflects the diverse artists and sounds that define rock and roll,” said Sykes. “We are honored that this November’s induction ceremony in New York will coincide with two milestones in music culture: the 90th birthday of Willie Nelson and the 50th Anniversary of the birth of hip-hop.”

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame show will be live streamed on Disney+ on November 3, and broadcast on ABC on January 1, 2024.

Photo: Samir Hussein/WireImage, Courtesy of Getty Images