Bernie Taupin Tells His Own Story On The Sea Has No Mercy, His First Solo Album In Nearly 40 Years, Out Now Via Vertigo Records & MCA

October 23, 2026: Today, legendary songwriter Bernie Taupin releases The Sea Has No Mercy, his first solo album in nearly 40 years and the first album he has entirely self-written, out now via Vertigo Records and MCA. One of the most celebrated storytelling songwriters of all time, Taupin has spent nearly six decades shaping the landscape of popular music through his historic partnership with Elton John. Now, with The Sea Has No Mercy, he turns his attention to his own story, distilling 76 years of lived experience into 10 deeply personal songs that reflect on the people, places and experiences that have shaped him.

Listen to The Sea Has No Mercy (out now) HERE .

Described by Taupin as a late-life manifesto, The Sea Has No Mercy is a record that presents a master craftsman at his most personal, with songs that are reflective, vivid and thoughtful. Inspired by his acclaimed 2023 New York Times best-selling memoir Scattershot and a retrospective documentary that has been in development for several years, the album offers an intimate portrait of the man behind some of the most enduring songs in music history.

Taupin says, "I couldn't have made this album as a younger man. I couldn't have written any of these songs. They're all completely indicative of Bernie Taupin at 76-years-old. They need the life behind them. Everything on this record is hugely personal. Every single line, every word, means something to me, whether from a past, present or storytelling perspective."

Recorded in Nashville with producer Frank Liddell, The Sea Has No Mercydispenses with volume and sparkles in favor of warm, atmospheric folk informed by intimacy and closeness. Taupin is joined by a core band of Music City veterans: guitarist Adam Wright, bassist Glen Worf and keyboard player Michael Rojas, collectively nicknamed The Tennessee Stone Cutters. The album also features guest vocals from Brandi Carlile and Taupin's daughter Georgey Devon Taupin, with additional contributions fromLee Ann Womack, the Jeremy Jordan Ensemble and percussionist Jay Bellerose.

Among the album's most personal moments is " One Hundred Ways ," a moving collaboration with Georgey that closes the record with a reflection on family, mortality and what we leave behind for those we love. On " Come On California ," Taupin reunites with Brandi Carlile for a sweeping love letter to his adopted home, looking back on more than five decades of love, life and music in California. The album's title track , meanwhile, uses the vastness and intimidation of the open sea as a metaphor for difficult experiences from Taupin's past.

The album's release comes ahead of another major milestone for Taupin, who will make his Grand Ole Opry debut on Saturday, November 7, marking his first public musical performance in nearly 30 years. Taupin will take the stage for two shows, at 7:00PM and 9:30PM, at the historic Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, joining a lineup that also includes Carrie Underwood. He will be accompanied by The Tennessee Stone Cutters, with daughter Georgey Devon Taupin joining him onstage for a special performance of "One Hundred Ways."

Tickets are on sale now for the 7:00PM show HERE and the 9:30PM show HERE .

The Opry debut follows Taupin's first-ever appearance at AMERICANAFEST last month, where he joined Brandi Carlile for the festival's 2026 Keynote Conversation, an intimate, moderator-free discussion exploring songwriting, collaboration, artistic longevity and storytelling. Taupin also took the stage at the Americana Honors & Awards at the historic Ryman Auditorium, where he presented the Song of the Year Award to Carlile for "Returning to Myself."

Having enjoyed phenomenal success in an enduring career that spans almost sixty years, The Sea Has No Mercy marks a remarkable new chapter for Taupin and proves that his lifelong creativity is as strong as ever. He has continued to collaborate with Elton John, while his eagerly anticipated documentary project continues to take shape, and his bestselling, critically acclaimedScattershot memoir has been optioned for development.

Tracklisting

1.Fisherman

2.Old Church Road

3.The Sea Has No Mercy

4.Elephant Boy

5.Ghosts of Greater Men

6.Joker

7.Come On California featuring Brandi Carlile

8.The Favor

9.Old Dog

10.One Hundred Ways featuring Georgey Taupin

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For more information on Bernie Taupin, please contact:

Allison Elbl & Taylor Perry at Shore Fire Media