Michele Crowe/CBSThis past Friday saw the release of Revamp and Restoration, two Elton John tribute albums featuring contemporary stars covering some of the biggest hits that the pop-rock legend wrote with lyricist Bernie Taupin. Tonight on CBS, you can watch the albums come to life, as many of the same stars take the stage to perform those same songs on Elton John: I’m Still Standing — A GRAMMY Salute.
The concert, taped in New York City a few days after the Grammy Awards, features a wide range of artists, including Lady Gaga, Coldplay‘s Chris Martin, Miley Cyrus, John Legend, Valerie Simpson, Ed Sheeran, Kesha and Sam Smith, all singing Elton’s legendary tunes.
“For all these artists to have come together and voluntarily agreed to do this…without much cajoling, I have to say, is a huge tribute to us, and it gives me a warm feeling,” says Elton. “It’s the most wonderful feeling when someone…sings your song and so I’m absolutely thrilled and delighted.”
Elton himself takes the stage at the end of the special, playing two of his chart-topping 1970s hits, “Bennie and the Jets” and “Philadelphia Freedom” with his longtime backing band before being joined by all of the guest artists for a finale performance of “I’m Still Standing.”
One of the older artists who performed on the special was R&B singer/songwriter Simpson, who, with her late husband Nickolas Ashford, wrote a variety of classic Motown tunes. On the show, Simpson plays piano as Hamilton star Christopher Jackson recites Taupin’s lyrics to “Border Song.”
Simpson says Elton and Bernie helped show her about writing an enduring tune, adding, “if it has legs it can go on and keep standing.”
Here are the performances you’ll see on the two-hour special, which airs at 9 p.m. ET/PT:
“The Bitch Is Back” — Miley Cyrus
“Candle in the Wind” — Ed Sheeran
“Daniel” — Sam Smith
“I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues” — Alessia Cara
“Your Song” — Lady Gaga
“Rocket Man” — Little Big Town
“Border Song” — Recitation by Hamilton star Christopher Jackson, piano accompaniment by Valerie Simpson
“Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” — SZA & Shawn Mendes
“Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters” — Maren Morris
“We All Fall in Love Sometimes” — Chris Martin
“My Father’s Gun” — Miranda Lambert
“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” — Kesha
“Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” — John Legend
“Bennie and the Jets” — Elton John
“Philadelphia Freedom” — Elton John
“I’m Still Standing” — Elton John and Ensemble
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