Elton John Honors David Bowie As Someone Who 'Danced To His Own Tune'

In a moving tribute to the late David Bowie, Elton John performed the rock legend's music and reflected on his influence in the industry.

The salute was part of John's SiriusXM Town Hall concert and Q&A at Los Angeles’ Wiltern Theatre Wednesday night, recorded by the radio station for release in February. After delivering an instrumental cover of Bowie's 1969 hit "Space Oddity," John mused on Bowie's legacy.

"We all know how inspiring he is," John told the event's moderator David Fricke of Bowie, Billboard reported. "We all know that his music stands. We don't have to say anything about the music: It speaks for itself. He was innovative, he was boundary-changing, and he danced to his own tune -- which in any artist is really rare."

John also praised the late star for maintaining a private life during his 18-month battle with cancer -- which he lost on Sunday -- and throughout his career.

"He kept [his illness] private in an age we're living in with Twitter when everyone knows everything about everything -- he kept it to himself," John said. "He made two albums without anybody knowing he was making them. ... And that is the mystique of the man, because we know David Bowie the figure, the singer, the outrageous performer, but actually, we don't know anything about him -- and that's the way it should be in music and should be in any art form whatsoever."

Reacting to the news of Bowie's death earlier this week, John posted on Instagram that he was shocked and "never saw it coming."

Also on HuffPost: