Elton John - Empty Sky

Empty Sky is the debut studio album by British singer-songwriter Elton John, originally released in June 1969 via DJM Records in the UK. The album was not released in the US until January 1975 via MCA Records with different cover artwork.

Empty Sky was recorded in the winter of 1968 and into the spring of 1969 at an 8 track studio with friend and DJM (Dick James Music) staffer Steve Brown at the production helm.

The album’s most notable song is “Skyline Pigeon” that John often sites as being the first song that he and Taupin wrote together that they were truly happy with. For this recording, John plays harpsichord on “Skyline Pigeon” and also on a number of other songs.

The musicians that played on the album were friends of either Elton John or Steve Brown. Nigel Olsson made his first appearance on an Elton John recording, playing drums on “Lady What's Tomorrow?". Olsson and fellow Spencer Davis Group band member Dee Murray would soon join Elton as the first version of the Elton John Band, helping to launch his career with a dynamic live trio of piano, drums and bass.

Caleb Quaye (guitars) and Roger Pope (drums) were both members of the folk band Hookfoot and played on many tracks on this album, and would later become full time Elton John Band members for the Rock of the Westies (1975) and Blue Moves (1976) albums. Tony Murray from The Troggs played bass.

The album shows early promise of John’s talent, and the strongest songs are “Empty Sky” and “Skyline Pigeon”.

The album failed to chart when it was released, however in 1975 when it was released in the US following the chart topping success of Elton’s albums at that time, it reached #6 on the US Billboard 200 Albums chart.

Check out the tracks:  “Skyline Pigeon”; “Empty Sky”; “Lady What’s Tomorrow”; “Hymn 2000”; and “Skyline Pigeon (Live)”.

This LP record is a 2017 reissue on 180 gram heavyweight vinyl with gatefold sleeve, remastered audio and digital download code, pressed in Europe.