Tumbleweed Connection  by Elton John

Elton John and his close collaborator Bernie Taupin recorded and released John's third studio album titled Tumbleweed Connection in 1970. This particular album is one of the most interesting records in the career of the British songwriter and performer. Here the listener has the opportunity to hear a great variety of different genres. Country, blues rock, pop/rock, soul, all deeply influenced by American music.

The reason for such intense American music presence, according to Bernie Taupin, is The Band's album Music From Big Pink, which both of them liked very much. The album was created long before the two of them even went to the U.S., after all, Tumbleweed Connection was recorded in London. On the other hand, Taupin was a big fan of western films and country music. The album's producer was Gus Dudgeon, a regular collaborator with Elton John in the early period of his career. The cover photo, which alludes to the West and western films, was taken outside the Sheffield Park railway station, located 50 kilometers south of London (!)

Tumbleweed Connection reached No. 2 in the United Kingdom and No. 4 in the U.S., thus becoming the third consecutive Elton John album to enter the Top-10 of the Billboard. The album's sales have now far exceeded 1,000,000 worldwide.