Tom Cridland
Anglo-Portuguese musician from London. He performs worldwide as Sir El Tom and writes and produces original music of his own.
The musician
Tom Cridland started playing piano at 30, during the Covid-19 lockdowns, as part of his recovery from alcoholism. He learned Elton John's catalogue song by song and gave his first performance in January 2022 at the Carrollton Station, a juke joint in New Orleans. Three years later he had played Carnegie Hall and the Adelphi Theatre.
He now tours the world as Sir El Tom, performing the songs of Elton John and Bernie Taupin with a six piece band, 100% live, with no backing tracks, lip syncing, avatars, holograms or AI. Read the full story of how it happened on The Story.
Songwriter and producer
Tom is a songwriter and producer in his own right, and has recorded original music with the likes of Shania Twain, Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones, Kenji Suzuki of Simply Red and Bill Champlin of Chicago. He has worked at studios such as Abbey Road, Metropolis, Sunset Sound and The Village.
Greatest Music of All Time
He also hosts the Greatest Music of All Time podcast, interviewing the musicians behind the records he grew up on.
Where he has played
- Carnegie Hall
- Adelphi Theatre
- Teatro Tivoli
- Casino Estoril
- Qualistage
- The Troubadour
- McKelligon Canyon Amphitheatre
- Théâtre du Gymnase Marie Bell
- Emerson Colonial Theatre
- The Granada Theatre
- Balboa Theatre
- The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center
- Perot Theatre
- Sioux City Orpheum
- Robinson Center
- Koger Center for the Arts
- Buskirk-Chumley Theater
- Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo
- Scottsdale Performing Arts Center
- Sunrise Theatre
- Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts
- Attucks Theatre
- Polk Theatre
- Poncan Theatre
- State Theatre of Ithaca
- Royal Oak Music Theatre
- Kirkland Performance Center
- Bank of America Performing Arts Center
- Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts Center
- Paramount Theatre
- Midwest Trust Center
- Macomb Center for the Performing Arts
- F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre
- Le Petit Theatre
- Miniaci Performing Arts Center
- Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall
- Toronto Opera House
- Teatro Acacia
- Alaska Center for the Performing Arts
- Superbock Arena
- Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
- Sheffield City Hall
- New Wimbledon Theatre
- Bristol Beacon
- New Theatre Oxford
- Birmingham Symphony Hall
- Vivo Rio
- Teatro Positivo
- Ulysses Centro de Convenções
- Vibra São Paulo
- Teatro San Gabriel
- Kursaal
- Gemeinschaftshaus Langwasser
"From first piano note in late 2020 to performing a concert in front of 1,500 people at McKelligon Canyon Amphitheatre in Texas in 2023"
The Guardian
"Tom Cridland has made it his career to play the songs of Elton John"
KCRW
"Learning to play the piano — especially Elton John's music — helped him overcome a life-threatening drinking problem"
Men's Health
"It was learning the piano and all Elton's songs that kept him sober and lead to a successful new career as a tribute act"
BBC
"I love Tom and Deborah Cridland"
Nigel Olsson
"Olsson — who is still Sir Elton's drummer today — took to the stage at the Troubadour to perform with Elton tribute act"
Virgin Radio