Does Elton John Really Live In Buckhead?

Of all the places in the world, Sir Elton John has chosen Buckhead as one of his main homes for more than 25 years. Newcomers are often surprised to learn that the world-famous superstar does not live somewhere more exotic, but it seems Elton John found normalcy here which is what he was after.

“People always ask me, ‘Why do you have a place in Atlanta?'” John said in a 1998 AJC interview. “It’s because people here have always been that nice to me… I’ve always been welcomed. I feel at home.”

It all started in 1991 when John’s estate in England near Windsor became too full of memories and possessions, he gutted the residence and auctioned off many belongings while on his path to sobriety. In his search for a new home in the United States he found Los Angeles to be overwhelming and New York unsafe, and he fell in love with the Southern charm of Atlanta. He was fond of the peach state and living in Atlanta was comfortable. John settled into the Peachtree Heights West neighborhood and became a Buckhead citizen in 1991. Now 72 years old, John’s condo in Park Place is one of his two main residences.

He started out with a 5000 square foot condo and over the years has acquired and expanded into many of his neighbors condos. John’s 12,000 + square foot condominium stretches over seven units on multiple floors in Park Place, above the intersection of Peachtree Road and W Wesley Rd in the heart of Buckhead. Park Place has always attracted the notable names of Atlanta, from former Atlanta Braves center fielder Andruw Jones, to Martin Luther King Jr.’s late widow, Coretta Scott King, and many foreign diplomats.

Some of John’s favorite Atlanta pastimes include attending Braves games. John quickly learned the rules of America’s game and watched it on TBS, the station of the Braves. The Braves slowly became his team as he fell in love with the game. MLB.com says that John watches baseball even when he’s on the road, as he finds it relaxing.

While in town, John is regularly spotted doing mundane things, enjoying roller coasters with friends at Six Flags and eattending parties and dining on Sushi at Umi. The owner of Buckhead Diner, Gerry Klaskala, once sent a waiter out to buy three different kinds of whole-wheat bread when he heard that John had a reservation.

John was the inaugural performer at State Farm Arena in 1999 and has held subsequent concerts at the Arena. Between 1989 and 1999 John was often found in Tower Records in Buckhead early on Tuesday mornings. He always stopped in on new album release day to purchase multiple copies of the new releases. Joi Chesnut, buyer for the now closed shop, said that he came in early to avoid crowds but that he was always welcoming to fans, signing autographs and taking photos.

In recent years, John visited with rapper Young Thug in his Park Place apartment. The musicians share a mutual admiration and the rapper was sharing his new song, “Rocket Man,” with the Rocket Man himself.