1. Nigel Olsson was born on 10 February 1949 and is an English drummer, best known for being a lifelong member of the Elton John Band.
21 Facts About Nigel Olsson
1. 2.
Nigel Olsson has had an equally long career as a session musician and composed, recorded and produced albums as a solo artist.
3.
Nigel Olsson's family were originally from Gothenburg and he spent his early life living in Sunderland, where he worked on the pilot boats on the River Wear.
4.
Nigel Olsson began his musical career playing the guitar in small bands, including the Sunderland based Fireflies; and took up the drums at a gig where the drummer did not show up at the last minute.
5.
Nigel Olsson was spotlighted on one song on that album, "I Want You," performing both lead vocals and a drum solo.
6.
Nigel Olsson had a brief stint with the English hard rock band Uriah Heep, playing drums on two songs on their 1970 debut LP, Very 'eavy.
7.
Nigel Olsson played during all of John's tours, and confesses that he still gets nervous before going on stage.
8.
Nigel Olsson teamed up with the Liverpool trio, The Big Three, for their reunion album Resurrection.
9.
Olsson's second solo album, Nigel Olsson, appeared later that year on John's own record label, The Rocket Record Company, and featured a cover of the Bee Gees'-penned "Only One Woman", which had been recorded with John and his band in August 1974 during the sessions for Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, and was produced by Gus Dudgeon.
10.
Nigel Olsson continued working as a studio musician, releasing another self-titled album produced by Paul Davis on Columbia in 1978, while managed by Martin Pichinson.
11.
That same year, Nigel Olsson returned to Elton John's band for what was to be a four-year tenure, appearing on John's albums 21 at 33 and The Fox.
12.
In 1991 Nigel Olsson reunited with Johnstone in the band Warpipes, releasing Holes in the Heavens.
13.
On 31 March 2000, Nigel Olsson sang backing vocals alongside Billy Trudel and Ken Stacey when John appeared on The Today Show to promote the soundtrack to the film The Road to El Dorado.
14.
In January 2001, Nigel Olsson took over the full-time drumming chores when Bisquera left to pursue other projects.
15.
In 2001 Nigel Olsson released another solo album titled Move The Universe on 81 Records.
16.
On 9 November 2014, Nigel Olsson played his 2000th concert with Elton John at the Ice Hall Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
17.
On his 68th birthday, 10 February 2017, Nigel Olsson played his 2,267th concert with Elton John at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada.
18.
On 25 June 2023, Nigel Olsson played with headliner Elton John at the Glastonbury Festival.
19.
Nigel Olsson was married to Lisa Gombatz, twin sister to Dee Murray's wife Maria, from 1980 to 1989; they have one son.
20.
In 1989, Nigel Olsson married Schanda Butler, daughter of music producer Larry Butler.
21.
Nigel Olsson is a longtime car and racing fanatic, and has been associated with the Vintage Auto Racing Association and the Historic Motor Sports Association in the United States as both a race car driver and a pace car driver.