With Watt and Taupin, the pair wrote and recorded the album at Los Angeles’ Sunset Sound Studios over a three-week period, joined by a core band composed of Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Pino Palladino (Nine Inch Nails, Gary Numan and David Gilmour) and Josh Klinghoffer (Pearl Jam, Beck).

Elton John‘s history as a collaborator has long been a significant and not-so-secret part of his success over the past half-century. From the 1976 No. 1 “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” with Kiki Dee and a 1993 duets album to stage and film work with songwriter Tim Rice and his longtime partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin,