Elton John Marks 35 Years of Sobriety: ‘Grateful for All the Love’

John, 78, has long been open about his past struggles with addiction and the transformative power of recovery.

His battle with alcohol, marijuana and what he once called his “worst best friend” — cocaine — was dramatized in the 2019 biopic Rocketman. In interviews, he has spoken candidly about the extremes of his life during the height of his fame.

“It nearly destroyed my soul,” he told CBS News in October 2019 of his addiction. “My soul was black, like a charred piece of steak, until I said, ‘I need help.’ And suddenly, a little pilot light in my soul came along going, ‘Yes, I’m still here. I’m still here. I’m still here. I can still be rescued.’”

The turning point, John has said, came after the 1990 death of Ryan White, a teenage AIDS activist whom he befriended. That same year, John checked himself into Chicago’s Parkside Lutheran Hospital on July 29, beginning what would become a decades-long journey in recovery. In 2023, he posted a photo of his sobriety chip with the words: “34 years clean and sober. My life has never been better.”

“My sobriety has brought me everything that I could possibly wish for,” he reflected in a 1994 interview. “I am a survivor. I’ve survived a lot of things. Life is full of pitfalls, even when you’re sober. I can deal with them now because I don’t have to run away and hide.”

Now, John continues to be a source of support for others in recovery. He’s publicly helped artists like Boy George through sobriety and revealed in his memoir Me that he was Eminem’s Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor.