Sir Elton John Cancelled Shows After Hospitalization

Even knights in blinged-out shining armor get sick. Sir Elton John was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles early Wednesday morning with a serious respiratory infection.

Doctors performed a series of tests on the 65-year-old performer and ultimately ordered him to rest for the next week, saying he needed “complete rest and antibiotic treatment to prevent damage.” He was released from the hospital, but was forced Elton to have to cancel four shows in Las Vegas this weekend in order to comply with doctors’ orders.

Those with tickets for the cancelled shows will be offered refunds or exchanges through The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

Elton wrote on his website, “It feels strange not to be able to perform these Million Dollar Piano concerts at the Colosseum. I love performing the show and I will be thrilled when we return to the Colosseum in October to complete the 11 concerts.”

The Million Dollar Piano shows Elton is mentions refers to the special piano Yamaha manufactured for him over the course of four years, and it reportedly cost $1 million to make.

He also offered an apology to fans about the cancelled shows this weekend: “All I can say to the fans is ‘sorry I can't be with you.’ I hope to see you soon at this wonderful theatre at Caesars Palace."

This has been a year of unfortunate events for Elton, as he also had to cancel two shows in February due to a bout with food poisoning.

Despite all the unfortunate cancellations, however, Elton did celebrate an impressive milestone in the past year – his 3,000^th show in Las Vegas. He celebrated with the audience and a huge cake that read EJ3K.

Elton is one of the most successful musicians of all time. He has sold more than 250 million records and has an extensive collection of awards, including six Grammy Awards, four Brit Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony Award. Though he has a long list of hits, his most famous, “Candle in the Wind,” is the bestselling single in Billboard history; the song was performed at Princess Diana’s funeral and has sold more than 33 million copies worldwide. His musical accomplishments and “services to music and charitable services” are also what earned him his knighthood, granted by Queen Elizabeth II.