Elton John denies he will play at Donald Trump inauguration

Elton John (left) and David Furnish attend an Aids benefit event in New York on Nov 2, 2016. PHOTO: AFP

(REUTERS) - Britain's Sir Elton John will not perform at the inauguration of Donald Trump in Washington as US president, the singer-songwriter's spokeswoman said on Wednesday (Nov 23).

Anthony Scaramucci, an economic adviser to Trump's campaign, said John would be performing in a BBC radio interview during which Scaramucci also said the Republican president-elect had a pro-gay rights stance.

"Elton John is going to be doing our concert on the Mall for the inauguration," Scaramucci added in the interview for HARDtalk, broadcast on Wednesday.

"Elton will not be performing at Trump's inaugural," the singer's publicist, Fran Curtis, responded.

John, a prominent gay rights activist, performed at fund-raisers for Democrat Hillary Clinton during the US presidential election campaign.

He also objected when Trump played his Rocket Man and Tiny Dancer songs without permission during rallies and campaign appearances earlier this year, saying that any use of his music "should not be seen as an endorsement of Donald Trump."

A spokesman for the Trump inauguration committee did not respond to a request for comment on Scaramucci's claim.

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