Bernie Taupin

Bernie Taupin

Bernie Taupin (born May 22, 1950) is an English lyricist famous for his collaboration with Elton John.

Biography

Taupin was born in Anwick, a village outside Sleaford, Lincolnshire, in England. His family moved while he was young, and he grew up in another Lincolnshire village, Owmby-by-Spital, where his father managed a farm. He went to school in nearby Market Rasen, where he used to go out drinking with his friends. He was rather wild in behavior when he was young and was not a diligent worker at school, though he showed an early flair for writing.

Many of his early lyrics look back to his rural upbringing, though from the beginning he showed an interest in the USA and American culture.

In 1967, he answered an advertisement for a lyric writer placed in the New Musical Express by Liberty records A&R man Ray Williams. Thus began the famous and well-loved songwriting team of Elton John and Taupin. The pair have collaborated on more than 30 albums to date, though Elton worked with other lyrics writers between 1977 and 1983. Taupin's lyrics include such memorable tunes as "Candle in the Wind", "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", and 1970's "Your Song", his and Elton's first hit.

The 1991 film documentary Two Rooms described the Elton/Taupin writing style, which involves Taupin writing the lyrics on his own and Elton then putting them to music, with no further interaction between the two. Previously they worked by fax; today the lyrics are e-mailed to Elton.

In addition to writing for Elton John, Taupin has also written lyrics for use by other composers, with notable successes including "We Built This City", which was recorded by Starship, and "These Dreams", recorded by Heart. He has recorded three solo albums and two albums with his band Farm Dogs.

Taupin has written a book The One Who Writes the Words for Elton John, a book of poems called The Devil at High Noon, and has recorded two works for the aural medium. He used to own a restaurant in downtown Los Angeles called Cicada. These days he has taken to painting, although he is still actively involved in music.

In 2006, he won a Golden Globe Award for his lyrics to the song "A Love That Will Never Grow Old" from the film Brokeback Mountain.

Bernie has recently written lyrics for 10 new songs by Elton John on his new album "The Captain and The Kid" (sequel to "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy").

Personal life

Taupin has been married four times: Maxine Feibelman (1971 - unknown); Toni Lynn Russo (1979 - 1991); Stephanie Haymes (21 August, 1993 - 1998); and Heather Lynn Hodgins Kidd (27 March, 2004 - present). He has two step-daughters with Stephanie Haymes, and a daughter Charley Indiana, born 18 May, 2005 with Heather Lynn Hodgins Kidd

Taupin co-owns bucking a bull named Little Yellow Jacket, which he keeps at his home, the Roundup Valley Ranch in Santa Ynez, California

Discography

Solo albums

• 1971 Taupin
• 1980 He Who Rides The Tiger
• 1987 Tribe (album)

With Farm Dogs

• 1996 Last Stand in Open Country
• 1998 Immigrant Sons

See also

• Songs written by Bernie Taupin