31 Facts About Bernie Taupin

Bernie Taupin is best known for his songwriting partnership with Elton John, recognised as one of the most successful partnerships of its kind in history.

Bernie Taupin co-wrote the majority of John's songs, dating back to the 1960s.

In 1967, Bernie Taupin answered an advertisement in the music paper New Musical Express placed by Liberty Records, a company that was seeking new songwriters.

Bernie Taupin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Musical Excellence Award category in 2023.

Also in 2024, Bernie Taupin won the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music.

Bernie Taupin was born at Flatters House, a farmhouse located between the village of Anwick and the town of Sleaford in Lincolnshire, the son of Robert Bernie Taupin and Daphne.

Bernie Taupin's father was educated in Dijon and was employed as a stockman by a large farm estate near the town of Market Rasen, Lincolnshire.

Bernie Taupin's mother spent most of the Second World War living in Switzerland.

In 1959, Bernie Taupin's father decided to try independent farming, and the family moved to the north Lincolnshire village of Owmby-by-Spital, where they lived at the run-down 10-acre Maltkiln Farm, the income from which derived from battery-farming chickens for eggs.

Bernie Taupin soon left that job, and spent the rest of his teenage years hanging out with friends, hitchhiking the country roads to attend youth club dances in the surrounding villages, playing snooker in the Aston Arms pub in Market Rasen, and drinking.

Bernie Taupin had worked at several part-time jobs when, at 17, he answered the advertisement that eventually led to his collaboration with Elton John.

Bernie Taupin's mother had studied French literature, and his maternal grandfather John Leonard Patchett "Poppy" Cort, a classics teacher and graduate of the University of Cambridge, instilled in him an appreciation for nature and literature and narrative poetry, both of which influenced his early lyrics.

However, by 1983's Too Low for Zero, the two renewed their partnership on a full-time basis and from that point forward Bernie Taupin was again John's primary lyricist for his solo releases.

In September 1997, Bernie Taupin rewrote the lyrics of "Candle in the Wind" for "Candle in the Wind 1997", a tribute to the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

On 25 March 2007, Bernie Taupin made a surprise appearance at John's 60th birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden, briefly discussing their 40-year songwriting partnership.

Bernie Taupin was mentioned specifically as being one of the reasons American Gothic was selected by the writers and editors for inclusion in the book, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Bernie Taupin collaborated on the book Burning Cold with photographer Gary Bernstein.

In 1971, Bernie Taupin recorded a spoken-word album titled Bernie Taupin, in which he recites some of his early poems against a background of impromptu, sitar-heavy music created by some members of Elton's band, including Davey Johnstone and Caleb Quaye.

Bernie Taupin stated in interviews that he was not pleased with the album.

In 1980, Bernie Taupin recorded his first album as a singer, He Who Rides the Tiger.

Bernie Taupin later suggested in interviews that he did not have the creative control he would have liked over the album.

In 1996, Bernie Taupin formed a band called Farm Dogs, whose two albums were conscious throwbacks to the grittier, earthier sound of Tumbleweed Connection.

In 1977, Bernie Taupin collaborated with rock photographer David Nutter on It's A Little Bit Funny, adding text and helping chronicle Elton John's year-long Louder Than Concorde Tour.

In 1988, Bernie Taupin published an autobiography of his childhood, A Cradle of Haloes: Sketches of a Childhood.

In 1991, Bernie Taupin self-published a book of poems called The Devil at High Noon.

However, it does not appear that Bernie Taupin was intimately involved in this project, as it contains multiple misspellings and outright misrenderings of the lyrics.

In 1992, Bernie Taupin was asked to produce a benefit for AIDS Project Los Angeles.

Bernie Taupin's artwork has been seen at Art Miami, Art Southampton, the LA Art Fair, and in various galleries.

Bernie Taupin moved to the United States from England in the mid-1970s.

Bernie Taupin was part-owner of the American bucking bull Little Yellow Jacket, who competed in the Professional Bull Riders circuit and was PBR Bull of the Year from 2002 through 2004.

Bernie Taupin was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire, in the 2022 New Year Honours, for services to music.