“There was a guy checking out people who were coming in, and he’d go over the microphone, ‘Now here’s Elton John and his band!’”: Davey Johnstone on guitar shopping with Elton John – and how he ended up with his iconic Les Paul Custom

Elton John and Davey Johnstone perform at the piano during their 2012 tour, with Johnstone playing the Les Paul Custom 'Black Beauty' that John originally bought for himself, but gave it to Johnstone after the band had all their gear stolen.

Davey Johnstone was on top of the world looking down on creation and he couldn’t believe what he was seeing and hearing. It was his first time in New York City. Here he was on the 20th floor of the Plaza Hotel, towering over Fifth Avenue, taking in the sound and fury of the street below.

“I was there for the first time, going, ‘Holy shit! This is like something I remember from movies and TV shows, and I’m here listening to fucking police sirens and all this shit going on down on the street,” he says. “It was quite a shocking moment for me.”