{"id":661154,"date":"2026-05-11T00:08:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T00:08:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/661154\/"},"modified":"2026-05-11T00:08:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T00:08:11","slug":"embedded-in-my-soul-elton-john-accepts-glenn-gould-prize-with-speech-celebrating-canada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/661154\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Embedded in my soul\u2019: Elton John accepts Glenn Gould Prize with speech celebrating Canada"},"content":{"rendered":"

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

Elton John accepted the Glenn Gould Prize at a Gala event in Toronto. The famed singer donated the $100,000 prize back to the foundation.Shawn Goldberg\/Supplied<\/p>\n

With a speech that graciously celebrated Canada, potently spoke to the power of philanthropy and music, and jokingly referenced the rockstar hedonism of the past, Elton John<\/a> accepted the 15th Glenn Gould Prize in Toronto on Saturday. <\/p>\n

The 79-year-old pop star was saluted at a gala event drolly hosted by Toronto-born Will & Grace actor Eric McCormack. Presented by Canada\u2019s Glenn Gould Foundation and described by previous recipient Philip Glass as the \u201cNobel Prize of the Arts,\u201d the $100,000 Glenn Gould Prize is an international honour named after the iconic Canadian pianist. It is awarded every two years in recognition of lifetime artistic and humanitarian contributions.<\/p>\n

The glammy concert held in the Theatre at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto was performed by a who\u2019s-who cast of homegrown talent. Among the highlights: Diana Krall covered Your Song in an elegantly bluesy way, Sarah McLachlan dazzled both with a glitzy gold suit and with her rendition of Tiny Dancer, Saya Gray\u2019s bass solo rocked a funky Honky Cat in authentic 1970s style, and, with a triumphant version of I\u2019m Still Standing, Indigenous singer-pianist Jeremy Dutcher brought the house down and John up from his seat applauding.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s so nice to be in Canada and have a concert full of Canadian artists who I know of,\u201d John said at the end of the evening. \u201cIt\u2019s also nice to be in a country that has common sense.\u201d <\/p>\n

The five-time Grammy Award winner married Torontonian David Furnish in 2014. They have two children.<\/p>\n

\u201cCanada is part of my life, and is embedded in my soul,\u201d he said to a round of hoots, whistles and clapping hands. He further endeared himself to the sold-out 3,500-member crowd by proclaiming that the country was not the \u201c51st state,\u201d a reference to repeated imperialist remarks by President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

From left: Ron Sexsmith, Diana Krall, Sarah McLachlan, LOONY, Jeremy Dutcher, Elton John and Emily D\u2019Angelo sing Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.Shawn Goldberg\/Supplied<\/p>\n

He spoke of his time studying at Royal Academy of Music in London and of his boyhood home filled with a radio, 78 rpm records and a standup piano: \u201cMusic is my soul, my driving force. It is everything and has been everything to me for my whole life.\u201d <\/p>\n

John said the honour was a \u201chumbling experience,\u201d before musing about his partying days of the past. \u201cYears ago, I\u2019d be doing cocaine off of that, I tell you you,\u201d he said, holding the gold statuette created by Canadian artist Ruth Abernethy that depicts a solitary Gould walking on a winter\u2019s day. \u201cShocking!\u201d<\/p>\n

After his speech, John and all the guest performers gathered on stage for the finale, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, a 1973 hit with words written by the singer-composer\u2019s longtime collaborator, Bernie Taupin. <\/p>\n

John\u2019s lyricist did not attend the event, but other dignitaries and musicians did. Among them were Ontario Lieutenant-Governor Edith Dumont, former New Brunswick premier and past ambassador to the United States Frank McKenna, superstar classic-rock producer Bob Ezrin, British High Commissioner to Canada Rob Tinline, photographer Edward Burtynsky, musician Loreena McKennitt and film producer Martin Katz (one of the members of the Glenn Gould Prize jury that also included actor Jeremy Irons).<\/p>\n

Former prime minister Kim Campbell and Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, gave short speeches.<\/p>\n

The gowned and tuxedoed VIPs snacked on appetizers and sipped on wine (including Elton John Zero, a non-alcoholic sparkling white launched by the long-sober singer earlier this year). They sat at tables spread across the theatre\u2019s floor, while other attendees sat in the stands. <\/p>\n

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

Elton John with his husband, Torontonian David Furnish, at Saturday’s gala.Shawn Goldberg\/Supplied<\/p>\n

As a recording of John\u2019s Rocket Man played in the theatre, John had made his way to a centre table helped by his husband. From there he took in the show, often singing along to himself as the guest artists performed his music. Given his history of outrageous glasses, the yellow spectacles he chose for the gala barely raised an eyebrow. <\/p>\n

Vancouver piano prodigy Ryan Wang<\/a> opened the concert with Chopin\u2019s Preludes, Op. 28. <\/p>\n

Among the hand-picked performers previously championed by John were singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith, pop singer LOONY and rock group the Beaches. They covered Blues For My Baby And Me, Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters, and The Bitch is Back, respectively. <\/p>\n

Host McCormack, a friend of John, cracked wise and smoothly facilitated the evening. \u201cLook, you guys, I\u2019m playing casinos now,\u201d he said early on. The actor also mentioned the annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party, which has raised millions of dollars since 1993.<\/p>\n

National Ballet of Canada\u2019s Noah Parets, who began his career as a pre-teen in the title role of North American Broadway Tour of Billy Elliot the Musical (with music written by John), danced to the musical\u2019s Electricity. He pirouetted his way down the catwalk that ended in front of the table occupied by John and Furnish.<\/p>\n

Glenn Gould Prize laureates select a young artist for a prot\u00e9g\u00e9 award worth $25,000. John chose mezzo-soprano Emily D\u2019Angelo, a 31-year-old Canadian who recently performed at London\u2019s Royal Opera House in the title role of Handel\u2019s Ariodante. At the gala, she sang the Scottish\/Irish folk ballad Wild Mountain Thyme, and I Know the Truth from the John\/Tim Rice musical Aida. <\/p>\n

\u201cI know a star when I see one,\u201d John said, after giving D\u2019Angelo her award. She returned later to sing with the Toronto Children\u2019s Chorus, one of her alma maters. <\/p>\n

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

Elton awarded the Glenn Gould Protege prize to Canadian opera singer Emily D\u2019Angelo.Shawn Goldberg\/Supplied<\/p>\n

John, who retired from touring in 2023, was heralded for his successes \u2212 the dozens of Top 40 hits, the 300 million records sold, the philanthropy and the EGOT (winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award) that Glenn Gould Foundation chief executive officer Brian Levine suggested should now be a \u201cGEGOT.\u201d<\/p>\n

What presented itself as just as meaningful an accomplishment was a phone call he made to Michael Bubl\u00e9 when the Canadian crooner\u2019s eldest son was diagnosed with cancer in 2016. In an emotional video, Bubl\u00e9 said John, whom he did not know, contacted him and offered any help he might need. <\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for allowing me to be just a little part of your life,\u201d Bubl\u00e9 said to John on the taped testimonial.<\/p>\n

In his own speech, John said reaching out to Bubl\u00e9\u2019s comments was an example of artists supporting one another. <\/p>\n

\u201cCommunicate with people, help people, encourage people,\u201d he said, his voice rising as the crowd reacted with enthusiasm. \u201cBe there for people, all of the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pop star donated his $100,000 in prize money back to the Glenn Gould Foundation. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Open this photo in gallery: Elton John accepted the Glenn Gould Prize at a Gala event in Toronto.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":661155,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[49,48,75,2922,1398,208],"class_list":["post-661154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-entertainment","tag-noastack","tag-nodelphi","tag-review"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/661154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=661154"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/661154\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/661155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=661154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=661154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=661154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}