- Aussie woman Treena, and Lynn from the US are some of the world’s biggest Elton fans
- Lynn has seen her favourite music star over 60 times
- Treena has collected 50 pieces of Elton merch in her lifetime
Here they share their stories in their own words.
Lynn Kurtts, 63
Hanging out with school friends, we huddled around the radio.
‘I love this new Elton song!’ I cheered, cranking up the volume as we listened to ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’.
It was 1973 and, aged 14, I quickly became obsessed with music icon Elton John.
Soon, I’d accumulated Elton posters that covered my bedroom walls, and had all of his vinyl records.
When I was 16, my mother, Susan, let me go to my first concert.
‘He’s even better in real life!’
Watching Elton perform in the flesh was like an out of body experience.
‘He’s even better in real life!’ I beamed.
At 17, I went to England with my class.
Being my idol’s home country, I scored Elton merch left, right and centre – from fandom T-shirts to bobblehead dolls.
Leaving school at 18, I met my first husband, John, who I married two years later at 22.
Packing my expanding collection into a dozen boxes, I moved it all into the basement of our home.
By then, I even had a budgie called Hercules, which is Elton’s chosen middle name.
In 1984, aged 25, I heard rumours that Elton would retire.
Worried about this happening, I created a petition that I got my friends, family and strangers to sign so I could meet Elton at his next concert.
I’m his biggest fan, I have to meet him! I thought, collecting over 800 signatures.
I went up to everyone – old school friends, co-workers – and then I sent the petition to Elton with a letter.
Amazingly, I got access backstage to meet my idol, along with a bunch of 50 other adoring fans.
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Wearing a boater hat, like Elton’s, I was in shock as he shook my hand.
‘I love your hat!’ the singer smiled.
I was even lucky enough to score a pic with him before he performed.
Nine months later, I gave birth to my first child, who we named Elizabeth.
‘Friends joked that my daughter’s dad was Elton!’
‘Is she Elton’s?’ friends and family always joked.
Over the next four years, John and I had two more children, Jennifer and Ashley.
The Lion King movie came out in 1994, when the girls were between five and nine, and I’d play the song ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’, by Elton, as I drove them to school.
Over the years, I’ve continued collecting and attending concerts.
I was even fortunate enough to meet the star again three more times.
‘Elton, it’s me!’ I beamed.
In 2006, John and I went our separate ways.
Three months later, while working at a pet shop, one of my customers, Rob, asked me out.
‘One of our first dates was at an Elton concert.’
On one of our first dates, we went to an Elton John concert.
Marrying two years later, my wedding band was engraved with Baby, you’re the one, a line from Elton’s song ‘The One’.
And for our honeymoon, we flew to Las Vegas to see Elton live again.
Moving into Rob’s home with my girls that year, my merch came with us, as well as our Boston terrier Pinky, named after my favourite Elton song.
When Jennifer moved out at 22 in 2010, I slowly transformed her old room into an Elton shrine.
It started with wall posters, then before I knew it, I had Elton dolls and CDs lined up neatly on shelves.
‘This is so cool!’ Rob and my girls laughed, dancing under the disco ball I’d hung from the ceiling.
To date, I have more than 20,000 pieces of Elton memorabilia, worth tens of thousands of dollars.
‘I bought Elton’s sunnies!’
Some of my most valuable items are Elton’s glasses that I bought at an auction for $1200, and his Versace jacket which I got for a bargain $300!
Now, I have a cat called Bennie, named after Elton’s song ‘Bennie and the Jets’.
My five gorgeous grandchildren, aged between three months and nine, all love my Elton room too.
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‘Let’s dance!’ I chuckle with my tiny dancers.
In total, I’ve seen Elton John live 68 times!
I don’t plan on selling my gear or opening a museum – I just enjoy gazing at my treasures and reminiscing about my wonderful Elton memories from the last 50 years.
Treena Skeggs-Grant, 52, Perth, WA:
In 1976, when I was six, I watched Elton John sing on TV music program Countdown.
From that moment on, I was an avid fan!
Every time someone came over, I’d pop on one of his albums.
After my parents divorced when I was a teen, I felt low.
‘Elton help me in the tough times.’
I’d turn on Elton’s songs, especially ‘Blue Eyes’ and ‘Shine on Through’, to help me in the tough times.
My friends Rebecca, and Natasha, both now 53, love the singer too.
Together, we dress up in piano pants and Elton T-shirts, and whack on colourful sunnies to honour our favourite star.
My husband, Ian, 51, comes along with me to Elton’s shows.
‘I’ve spent five grand on Elton merch.’
I’ve collected roughly 50 pieces of Elton merchandise, costing me $5000.
I work paycheck to paycheck, but always save up any extra bucks I can for my idol’s next concert.
I’ve seen Elton live 14 times, and can’t wait to see him again when he returns to Australia this month.
Unlike a ‘Candle in the Wind’, my love for Elton will always stay strong!
This story was published in 2023.
