In 2001, a producer helped Elton John make one of his best songs. They haven’t spoken since

In 2001, Elton John worked with producer Pat Leonard on *Songs from the West Coast*, an album that helped him return to a more direct, singer-songwriter sound. John later called their song “Original Sin” one of the best he had written, while saying he regretted that he and Leonard had drifted apart.

Leonard had previously worked with Madonna and Roger Waters, and his approach gave John a creative push as he sought to move beyond familiar hit-making. John said they had been close during the album’s making, but he never made another record with Leonard; the article gives no further detail about when or why they stopped speaking.