Elton John has revealed that a chance encounter with Paul McCartney in Abbey Road Studios left a big impression on him when he was just a session musician.
The then 21-year-old – then still known as Reginald Dwight – met the Beatle in 1968 in the famous recording venue during a session he was recording with the Barron Knights.
In an interview for the recent Disney+ documentary If These Walls Could Sing, Sir Elton revealed that he and song-writing partner Bernie Taupin were star-struck when McCartney entered their studio to exchange pleasantries.
It was shortly after the release of Hey Jude, he told If These Walls Could Sing director Mary McCartney.
‘I froze, and Bernie did too’
“I was standing with Bernie and your Dad came in and said hello to the Barron Knights,” he said.
“That was the first time I’d seen anyone that famous in my life. And I froze. And Bernie did too.
“And the Barron Knights asked Paul to play Hey Jude on the piano, and he did.
“Can you imagine? For young kids..it was just startling. How can you not dine out on that story? And Bernie and I still talk about it.
“Your Dad’s given me a lot of pleasure in my life. And he has no idea what that moment meant to me, but hopefully he will now.”
