getty_eltonjohndavidandkids_022519

Dan Mullan/Getty Images

Dan Mullan/Getty ImagesA main reason why Elton John is on a farewell tour now is he wants to spend more time with his kids Zachary, 8, and Elijah, 6.   He says the two boys understand what he does for a living…sort of…but he tries to keep them shielded from it.

“They know that daddy is famous but…when we are out in the summer and people are taking our photograph or asking for a photograph, they say, ‘Why do they want your photograph?'” he told reporters at his Oscar viewing party, reports US Weekly. “And we always say, ‘Because people like my music.'”

The pop-rock legend, who was born Reginald Dwight, went on to explain that his sons “know what daddy does, but I never bring ‘Elton’ home. I try to leave ‘Elton’ on the stage.”

He added, “They’re quite grounded, as far as that goes. They love their daddy’s music, but they also like a lot of other people’s music.” 

Interestingly, Elton revealed that, so far, the boys have only see their dad perform once, in New York. 

Elton says that once his farewell tour is over, he’ll “reassess’ what he wants to do. 

“I’d like to make more records, I’d like to write more musicals, but I would like to spend more time with my children and [my husband] David,” added Elton, who’ll be 75 when the tour wraps up.  And while he might consider some kind of residency, he doesn’t want to travel.

As he explained, “I just owe it to these children to be there for them.”

 Copyright © 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.