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Empty Sky is the debut studio album by British singer-songwriter Elton John, released in the United Kingdom on 6 June 1969. Although imported UK copies of the album were available in the United States, Empty Sky was not issued in the US until January 1975 (on MCA Records), with different cover art, well after John's fame had been established internationally.
John plays harpsichord on several tracks, including "Skyline Pigeon", which John has described as being "the first song Bernie Taupin and I ever got excited about that we ever wrote.""Skyline Pigeon" track from "Here And There", Disc 1, Track 1. Released 30 April 1976, MCA Records.
John used musicians who were friends of either him or Brown or both. Guitarist Caleb Quaye and drummer Roger Pope, both at the time members of the band Hookfoot, played on many of the tracks. (Quaye and Pope would rejoin John a few years later as part of his studio and touring band behind Rock of the Westies in 1975 and Blue Moves in 1976.) Tony Murray from The Troggs played bass. Empty Sky is the first appearance with John of then Plastic Penny and Spencer Davis Group member Nigel Olsson, who played drums on "Lady What's Tomorrow?" (Olsson and fellow Spencer Davis bandmate, bassist Dee Murray, would soon join John as his early 1970s touring band.) Also listed in the production credits is Clive Franks, who would later produce John's live sound in concert for much of his touring career, and would occasionally co-produce with John on albums such as A Single Man and 21 at 33. The original sleeve design was done by David Larkham (billed as "Dave"), who would go on to create designs for John and other artists.
"Skyline Pigeon" is the most popular and best-known song on the album, which John, albeit infrequently, performed as part of his live shows. The more definitive version of "Skyline Pigeon" featuring an orchestra and piano backing in place of harpsichord was recorded for 1973's Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player, and initially appeared as the B-side of "Daniel" in 1973. Another appearance of the song was in 1974, when a version recorded in London was featured as the opening track on the Here and There live LP and its 1995 CD reissue. The only other song from the album that was played live was the title track, "Empty Sky", was included at various stops on John's 1975 Rock of the Westies Tour.
Although John has since called the album naïve, he does have fond memories of making the record. These include walking home from recording at 4 a.m. and lodging at The Salvation Army Regent Hall on Oxford Street, which was run by Steve Brown's father. "I remember when we finished work on the title track – it just floored me. I thought it was the best thing I'd ever heard in my life," John recalled.Liner notes from "Empty Sky". 1995 Rocket/Island CD Reissue. He later recalled that he was "unsure what style I was going to be ... maybe Leonard Cohen sounds like."
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