Elton John Played an Instrument on The Hollies’ ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’

Elton John made contributions to classic rock before he was famous. For example, he played an instrument on The Hollies’ “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.” Subsequently, John’s work on the song was overlaid by a harmonica.

The Hollies’ Bobby Elliot recalled working with Elton John before he was called Elton John

Bobby Elliot is the drummer of The Hollies. In his 2020 book It Ain’t Heavy, It’s My Story: My Life in The Hollies, Elliot said a certain piano player worked on “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.” “Hollies music publisher Dick James had signed a guy called Reg Dwight who we’d heard was a fine piano player,” Elliot wrote. “He was booked for the session and arrived in the control room of Studio Two, eager to get to work.”

The piano player would later take on a stage name. “Not much was said as Reg, Bernie and I made our way down the wooden stairs to the parquet floor of the famous old studio,” Elliot recalled. “I set my drums by the grand piano at which Reg, who told us he was changing his name to Elton John, was seated.”

Bobby Elliot revealed what it was like working with Elton John on The Hollies’ ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’

The Hollies’ Bernie Calvert also worked on the song. “Bernie plugged his Fender bass into an amp and sat on a spare piano stool,” Elliot wrote. “We were set to go. The red studio light lit up and Reg/Elton counted: ‘One, two, three…'”

Elliot praised John. “Playing alongside the lad was a breeze,” he opined. “His rhythmic piano style would later be overlaid by [Allan Clarke’s] haunting harmonica introduction. We nailed the track first or second take.” Elliot said the song raised the band’s profile. He felt “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” became The Hollies’ anthem over time.

‘He’s Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’ became a massive hit in the United Kingdom during the 1960s and the 1980s

According to The Official Charts Company, The Hollies’ “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” became a massive hit in the United Kingdom. In 1969, the song reached No. 3, staying on the chart for 14 weeks. Later that year, “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” charted at No. 35 for a single week.

In the late 1980s, “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” reached its peak of popularity in the U.K. It recharted at No. 1 for two weeks, staying on the chart for 14 weeks in total. The track appeared on the album Hollies’ Greatest, which reached No. 1 for seven weeks. It stayed on the chart for 27 weeks altogether.

“He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” became a huge success and it has an interesting connection to John.