Sir Elton John pays sweet tribute to Brian Wilson

Sir Elton John just paid tribute to the late icon Brian Wilson at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday night.

The Crocodile Rock hitmaker performed the Beach Boys’ God Only Knows as part of a tribute to the singer, who died in June aged 82, and also shared his memories of his former friend, including how terrified he was when they met for the first time in Los Angeles.

Speaking on stage at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater, Sir Elton said: “We were scared s**tless because he was my idol. He was the one that influenced me more than anybody else when it came to writing songs on the piano. It was an evening we would never forget.”

“Meeting someone who was a true genius doesn’t happen very often,” the pianist added.

The 78-year-old star told the audience how he and Brian became friends over time and worked on each other’s records over the years.

He added: “We loved each other. I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather pay tribute than Brian Wilson and his family with this incredible song,” and then delivered a sentimental rendition of the Beach Boys classic.

When Brian passed away earlier this year, Sir Elton remembered his friend as the person who had the “biggest influence of my songwriting ever.”

“He sang Someone Saved My Life Tonight at a tribute concert in 2003, and it was an extraordinary moment for me. played on his solo records, he sang on my album, The Union, and even performed for my AIDS Foundation,” the Rocket Man singer wrote.

“I grew to love him as a person, and for me, he was the biggest influence on my songwriting ever; he was a musical genius and revolutionary. He changed the goalposts when it came to writing songs and shaped music forever. A true giant,” Sir Elton John concluded.