Then, the tribute performance began, with H.E.R. at the piano banging out Elton’s “Bennie and the Jets” — also singing the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road smash, and later whipping out the guitar for a ripping guitar solo. Then Carlile walked out to center stage in a very ’70s blazer and gold buttoned-down shirt to perform his mega-ballad “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me.” Finally, Demi Lovato took the stage in John’s trademark square glasses to perform his ’80s classic “I’m Still Standing” — even handing the mic to Sir Elton for him to fill in on one lyric.
After the medley and a time-filling return from Chris Martin, John accepted his Icon Award — raving about how radio is “where you hear things… where you discover things” and talking about the importance of promoting new artists on his own radio show. He also gave a special thanks to Lil Nas X, calling him “a wonderful artist [with] balls of steel.”
