During Elton John’s performance at Dodgers Stadium Saturday evening, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced a $1 million donation to the artist and performer’s activist organization, the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
The Rocketman’s final United States tour concluded over the weekend with three sold-out shows at Dodger Stadium. During the 75-year-old singer’s penultimate performance, Dodgers chairman and principal owner Mark Walter and tennis legend and Dodgers co-owner Billie Jean King took the stage to present the baseball organization’s donation to the singer — giant check in tow.
“Beyond the obvious impact and joy of his music, Elton has been a social leader in fostering LGBTQ acceptance and equality and has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of those living with HIV and AIDS through the Elton John AIDS Foundation,” Walter said. “We at the Dodgers share Elton’s commitment to community, equality and service and are pleased to be able to support the work of the foundation. Billie Jean and I thank Elton for all he has achieved and congratulate him on his iconic career.”
The Elton John AIDS Foundation was established in 1992 with the mission statement of finding an end to the AIDS epidemic.
“I want to thank the Los Angeles Dodgers for their incredible generosity in making this amazing donation to the Elton John AIDS Foundation,” John said. “I am thrilled to play my three final shows of my Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in the U.S. at Dodger Stadium, an iconic venue which has meant so much to me and my career.”
Reviewing the first performance of John’s three-night final stand, Variety senior music writer Chris Willman hailed the legend, writing that the singer turned in “a top-of-his-game performance that didn’t make it seem like he should be going anywhere but right back on stage.”