The 70-year-old music icon lost his 92-year-old mother on Monday (04.12.17), and dedicated his rendition of ‘Your Song’ to her as he played in Hamburg, Germany, on Tuesday (05.12.17).
He told the audience: “Yesterday was a sad and hard day for me because my mother passed away.
“I’m glad to say she passed away peacefully, with no pain. But maybe sooner than she should have done, so I was quite shocked.”
Sir Elton revealed he’d been contemplating how he could pay tribute to his mother prior to the show.
Explaining his song choice, he said: “I was thinking how I could pay tribute to her tonight, and what song I should choose.
“Well, this next song I wrote at her house or her apartment. I can remember every single minute of writing this song with Bernie [Taupin].
“So this is the song I want to dedicate to her. And it’s taken me from nowhere to somewhere. So thank you, mum.”
Sir Elton was Sheila’s only son and she played a major role in his career success, encouraging the chart-topping star to play the piano from the age of three.
But in recent years, their relationship had been turbulent, with Sir Elton asking his mother to distance herself from two old friends, Bob Halley and John Reid.
The duo fell out when she refused, but they eventually reconciled on her 90th birthday and spent some quality time together last week, prior to Sheila’s sudden passing.
Sir Elton informed his fans of her death on Facebook.
Alongside a picture of them together, he wrote: “So sad to say that my mother passed away this morning.
“I only saw her last Monday and I am in shock. Travel safe, mum. Thank you for everything.”