2 August 2026
Yes, after six decades of writing songs for others, most notably Elton John, Bernie is releasing an album of his own.
The Sea Has No Mercy is described as a folk-leaning “late-life manifesto” that serves as a personal soundtrack to the 76-year-old’s life, and acts as a companion piece to his 2023 memoir Scattershot.
The album is due out on 23 October, and the atmospheric title track, The Sea Has No Mercy, is out now:
The Sea Has No Mercy was recorded in Nashville with producer Frank Liddell and a studio band dubbed the Tennessee Stone Cutters. The record features guest spots from country star Lee Ann Womack, Brandi Carlile, and Taupin’s daughter, Georgey.
Meanwhile, Bernie says that Elton John’s 32nd studio album is fully recorded and slated for release in early 2027. Because of recent vision challenges, Elton wrote the instrumental melodies first before passing them to Taupin to overlay lyrics, completely reversing their lifelong songwriting process.
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