# Vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Sam Taylor

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2017/09/03/vocalist-guitarist-songwriter-sam-taylor/
- Published: 2017-09-03T14:17:03+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**Vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Sam Taylor is the son of the late saxophonist
Sam “the Man” Taylor. The younger Taylor didn’t really grow up with his father, 
though, as Sam Sr. left the family to find a better career in New York. **

Taylor’s family eventually moved to Brooklyn, and the young Sam was influenced by
his mother, who also came from a performing background in vaudeville shows. He began
singing in church at age five and later trained to become a boxer. He eventually
fought as a pro boxer for 86 bouts and then found a more peaceful pursuit with his
guitar. But through it all, he kept up his gospel singing and songwriting efforts.

Taylor has been recording since 1959. His discography and sessionography credits
include Atlantic, Colpix, Capitol, Roulette, Stax and Road Show Records. As a songwriter,
he’s written songs recorded by Sam and Dave, Elvis Presley, Freddie King, Jackie
Wilson, Jimmy Witherspoon, Esther Phillips, Brook Benton, the Beach Boys, Maxine
Brown and Joey Dee and the Starlighters. As a guitarist and singer, he’s accompanied
the likes of Otis Redding, the Isley Brothers, Albert Collins, T-Bone Walker, Tracy
Nelson and Mother Earth, Big Joe Turner and the Drifters.

Taylor recorded two albums for the Tucson-based Trope Records in 1995, Desert Soul
and Bluz Man. On both his records for Trope, Taylor is accompanied by Heather “Lil
Mama” Hardy on violin, Ed DeLucia on guitar, Mike Nordberg on bass and Jerome Kimsey
on drums. Taylor continues to tour regionally around the Southwest. Trope Records
had plans to release two more recordings of Taylor’s in 1996 or 1997. In the meantime,
Taylor is a regular at B.B. King’s in Los Angeles and remains active on the southern
California and Southwest festival circuit.

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