Click Here to read more about The Tom Fontaine Elton John Collection presented in this auction.
Please Note: A portion of the proceeds from sale of the Elton John lots, 229–281, will be donated to The Elton John Aids Foundation.
Presented is a complete press kit for the "1974 Elton John Tour," which includes an Elton John signed MCA promotional photo. The kit includes reprinted glowing reviews of both Elton John and Kiki Dee from various media, biography sheets for each band member, several 8 x 10 glossy photos of Elton, and an MCA Records sell sheet with his latest album, Caribou, and his entire back catalog of LPs featured. Elton has signed his full name on the paper promotional photo.
The 1974 tour was supporting Caribou (which had been released six months after it was recorded in January) and Elton’s first Greatest Hits album (issued in November), the tour comprised 45 concerts in 31 cities over a period of 70 days. It began at the Dallas, Texas Convention Center on September 25 and ended at The Spectrum in Philadelphia on December 3. The packed together tour dates required the use of a private plane, which was nicknamed "The Starship." The real highlight of the tour was on Thanksgiving, when John Lennon joined the band on stage for three songs at New York’s Madison Square Garden: "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night," "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds," and "I Saw Her Standing There." What wound up being the former Beatle’s last concert performance was a career highlight for everyone in the band. We'll forgive the offered press kit for not foretelling of that historic surprise of the tour!
The photo is accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Beckett Authenticated. The signed photo measures 8 x 10 inches, and the press kit folder measures 8 3/4 x 11 1/2 inches. All materials are very well preserved in Near Mint or better condition.