# In 2010, Elton John was ready to stop making albums. One phone call changed his mind

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-2010-elton-john-was-ready-to-stop-making-albums-one-phone-call-changed-his-mind/
- Published: 2026-10-25T19:45:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-25T20:11:55+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/in-2010-elton-john-was-ready-to-stop-making-albums-one-phone-call-changed-his-mind/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- A call to Leon Russell changed John’s plans.
- They made the 2010 album *The Union*.
- The collaboration renewed John’s interest in recording.

## Summary

Elton John was considering giving up making albums after becoming disillusioned by the poor promotion of *The Captain and the Kid*. A chance phone call to musician Leon Russell, whom John admired, led to their 2010 collaboration *The Union* and renewed his enthusiasm for recording.

Russell was in poor health when they reconnected, and John saw the album as a way to honour and support his musical hero. Though *The Union* was not a commercial project, it became a turning point: John grew more willing to make music for his own satisfaction and later worked with artists including Gorillaz and Dua Lipa.

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