SIR Elton John brought Glastonbury festival to a close on Sunday night with his headline set on the Pyramid stage, which included crowd-pleasing hits such as Your Song, Tiny Dancer, Rocketman and Benny And The Jets.

Sir Elton’s highly anticipated set was billed as his final UK show before he retires from touring at the end of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.

He treated fans to hit after hit during a “special and emotional” two-hour set.

He also surprised the crowd with unexpected musical guests, putting paid to rumours of big names and famous collaborators.

He told festivalgoers: “I never thought I would ever play Glastonbury and here I am.

“It’s a very special and emotional night for me because it might be my last show ever in England, so I had better play well and I had better entertain you.

“You’ve been standing there so long and I really appreciate all the outfits and everything.”

Backing Sir Elton on drums was one of his longest music collaborators and a musician who was born in Wirral.

Nigel Olsson was born in Wallasey 74 years ago, the second of five boys for John and Elsa Olsson. 

He began his musical career playing the guitar in small bands before reverting to the drums. His first appearance on a record was with the band Plastic Penny who scored a top UK hit in 1968 with Everything I Am. 

Nigel’s first appearance on an Elton album was as the drummer on Lady, What’s Tomorrow? from Empty Sky, Elton's 1969 debut. He played on various songs on the albums Tumbleweed Connection, Friends and Madman Across The Water before Elton solidified his studio band of Nigel, Dee Murray (bass) and Davey Johnstone (guitars) on Honky Château in 1972.

Nigel was a busy man throughout this period also having a brief stint with the English hard rock band Uriah Heep, playing drums on two songs on their 1970 debut LP, as well as joining the Spencer Davies Group.

He also teamed up with the Liverpool trio, The Big Three, for their reunion album Resurrection in 1973.

In total Nigel has played drums and/or sung backing vocals on around 200 studio recordings released by Elton. This is more than any other drummer who has worked in the band. He has appeared on 18 of Elton's studio albums and three live releases.

Nigel has also performed around of 2,400 concerts with Elton, starting during the spring of 1970 in Elton’s original 3-piece touring band, with Dee Murray on bass.

He has a passion for automobile racing, having attended many competitive driving schools in the US and UK, and has driven both race cars and pace cars internationally.

He has been married to Schanda Butler since 1989 and resides in Los Angeles.