Elton John Pays Tribute to ‘Brilliant, Delightful’ George Martin

Elton John paid tribute to George Martin with a touching Instagram post Wednesday morning. The late record producer had helmed John’s Grammy-winning re-recording of “Candle in the Wind” in 1997.

“So sad to hear about Sir George,” he wrote. “It is the end of a wonderful era. I had the privilege to have known him as a friend and work with him as an artist. He was a delightful, brilliant man. We won’t see his like again. My deepest condolences to the wonderful Judy and his family.”

John and Martin collaborated a few times in the Nineties. The singer contributed two songs, “Someone to Watch Over Me” and “Love Is Here to Stay,” to the Martin-produced George Gershwin tribute compilation, The Glory of Gershwin, in 1994. The next year, Martin arranged and conducted a strings and French horn accompaniment to John’s Made in England track “Latitude.”

Most famously, Martin produced John’s tribute to Princess Diana, “Candle in the Wind 1997.” The original version of the song, in 1973, honored Marilyn Monroe. The new recording stayed at the top of the Billboard chart for 14 weeks and has been certified 11 times platinum. It won the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance. 

Ringo Starr announced Martin’s death with a tweet Tuesday night. “God bless George Martin,” he wrote. “Peace and love … George will be missed.” In another post, Starr wrote, “Thank you for all your love and kindness” accompanied by a photo of Martin with the Beatles.