Bernie Taupin
From Freepedia
Bernie Taupin (born May 22, 1950) is a lyricist famous for his collaboration with Elton John.
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 printed in the New Musical Express which began the famous and well-loved team of John/Taupin. John and Taupin have collaborated on over 30 albums. Taupin's lyrics include such memorable tunes as "Candle in the Wind", "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", and 1969's "Your Song", his and John's first hit.
The 1991 film documentary Two Rooms described the John/Taupin writing style, which involves Taupin writing the lyrics on his own, and John then putting them to music, with no further interaction between the two.
Taupin has written a book, The One Who Writes the Words for Elton John, and has recorded two works for the aural medium. These days he lives on a ranch in southern California and has taken to painting, although he is still actively involved in music.
