Melvin Taylor

Last updated
Melvin Taylor
Melvin Taylor 0333.png
Taylor performing in Kyiv, Ukraine, 2010
Background information
Born (1959-03-13) March 13, 1959 (age 65)
Jackson, Mississippi, United States
Origin Chicago, Illinois, United States
Genres Electric blues [1]
Occupation(s) Guitarist
Instrument(s)Guitar
Website melvintaylor.com

Melvin Taylor (born March 13, 1959) [1] is an American electric blues guitarist, based in Chicago. [2]

Contents

Career

Taylor was born in Jackson, Mississippi. He moved to Chicago with his parents in 1962. [1]

He joined the Transistors, a popular music group. He switched his focus to blues music when the group disbanded in the early 1980s. He found work playing in clubs on the West Side of Chicago, [1] often at Rosa's Lounge. [3]

During the 1980s he joined Pinetop Perkins and the Legendary Blues Band in a year-long European tour. He has returned to Europe several times with his own group, which has opened for B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Santana. [1]

Taylor's recordings include two albums for Isabel Records, a French record label, Blues on the Run (1982) and Plays the Blues for You (1984). Recordings in the United States include Melvin Taylor and the Slack Band (1995), with John Snyder, released by Evidence Music, and Dirty Pool (1997). [1] Taylor's Beyond the Burning Guitar was recorded in Misty Creek Studios, in Fairfax, Virginia. He also recorded a cover of the Skylar GreyEminem song "Love the Way You Lie", with the rapper, Matt Christian, at Misty Creek Studios.

Discography

See also

Related Research Articles

Blues rock is a fusion genre and form of rock music that relies on the chords/scales and instrumental improvisation of blues. It is mostly an electric ensemble-style music with instrumentation similar to electric blues and rock. From its beginnings in the early to mid-1960s, blues rock has gone through several stylistic shifts and along the way it inspired and influenced hard rock, Southern rock, and early heavy metal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Taylor</span> American electric blues musician

Eddie Taylor was an American electric blues guitarist and singer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carey Bell</span> American blues musician

Carey Bell Harrington was an American blues musician who played harmonica in the Chicago blues style. Bell played harmonica and bass guitar for other blues musicians from the late 1950s to the early 1970s before embarking on a solo career. Besides his own albums, he recorded as an accompanist or duo artist with Earl Hooker, Robert Nighthawk, Lowell Fulson, Eddie Taylor, Louisiana Red and Jimmy Dawkins and was a frequent partner with his son, the guitarist Lurrie Bell. Blues Revue called Bell "one of Chicago's finest harpists." The Chicago Tribune said Bell was "a terrific talent in the tradition of Sonny Boy Williamson and Little Walter." In 2023, he was inducted in the Blues Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Chesterfield Kings</span> American rock band

The Chesterfield Kings are a rock band from Rochester, New York, who began as a retro 60's inspired garage band, and evoking the sounds and styles of 1960s psychedelic rock music. The current lineup features longtime members: Andy Babiuk, Mike Boise Jeff Okolowicz, Ted Okolowicz, and newcomer John Cammarosano. Former singer Greg Prevost left the band in 2009 to pursue a solo career. The band, named after a brand of unfiltered cigarette, was instrumental in sparking the 1980s garage band revival that launched such groups as the Unclaimed, Marshmallow Overcoat, The Fuzztones, The Pandoras, Mystic Eyes, The Cynics, the Secret Service, and the Stomachmouths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marc Ford</span> American guitarist

Marc Ford is an American blues-rock guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is a former guitarist of the rock and roll band The Black Crowes, the former lead guitarist of The Magpie Salute and the leader of his own bands: Burning Tree, Marc Ford & The Neptune Blues Club, Marc Ford & The Sinners, Fuzz Machine, and Jefferson Steelflex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carl Weathersby</span> American musician

Carl Weathersby is an American electric blues vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter. He has worked with Albert King and Billy Branch, among others. He is now a solo artist. He was nominated for the W. C. Handy Award for Best New Blues Artist in 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Chastain</span> American guitarist

David Taylor Chastain is an American heavy metal guitarist and the owner of Leviathan Records and Diginet Music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Primer</span> American singer and guitarist (born 1945)

John Primer is an American Chicago blues and electric blues singer and guitarist who played behind Junior Wells in the house band at Theresa's Lounge and as a member of the bands of Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters and Magic Slim before launching an award-winning career as a front man, carrying forward the traditional Windy City sound into the 21st century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lurrie Bell</span> American blues guitarist and singer

Lurrie Bell is an American blues guitarist and singer. His father was renowned blues harmonica player Carey Bell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harvey Mandel</span> American guitarist (born 1945)

Harvey Mandel is an American guitarist best known as a member of Canned Heat. He also played with Charlie Musselwhite and John Mayall as well as maintaining a solo career.

Mississippi Heat is an American blues band based in Chicago, led by harmonica player Pierre Lacocque. Formed in 1991, the band has toured in the United States, Canada, and Europe, with occasional performances in South America and North Africa.

<i>So, Its Like That</i> 2002 studio album by Joe Bonamassa

So, It's Like That is the second studio album by American blues-rock musician Joe Bonamassa. Recorded largely at Harddrive Recording Studio in North Hollywood, California and Blue Iron Gate Studio in Santa Monica, California, it was primarily produced by Clif Magness, with additional production by Dave Bassett, Matt Chiaravalle and Richard Feldman. The album was released on August 13, 2002 by Medalist Entertainment and topped the US Billboard Top Blues Albums chart.

"King" Ernest Baker was an American blues and soul singer. He recorded "I Feel Alright" and "That's When I Woke Up." Baker was born in Natchez, Mississippi, and died in a car crash in 2000, just after finishing recording an album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chico Banks</span> American guitarist and singer

Chico Banks was an American Chicago blues guitarist and singer. He released one album, in 1997 on Evidence Music, produced by Larry Hoffman. Banks was both a band leader and sideman, having played with Chicago's blues musicians from his late teens until his death at the age of 46. He is best known for his tracks "Your Fine" and "Candy Lickin' Man". He was the son of the guitarist Jessie Banks, who played backing for the Mighty Clouds of Joy.

Bob Stroger is an American electric blues bass guitarist, singer and songwriter. He has worked with many blues musicians, including Eddie King, Otis Rush, Jimmy Rogers, Eddie Taylor, Eddy Clearwater, Sunnyland Slim, Louisiana Red, Buster Benton, Homesick James, Mississippi Heat, Snooky Pryor, Odie Payne, Fred Below, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, and Billy Davenport.

Nelson Wilborn, better known as Red Nelson or Dirty Red, was an American blues singer and occasional guitarist. His recording career lasted well over a decade. Two of his standout songs are "Crying Mother Blues" and "Streamline Train". His accompanists on record variously included Cripple Clarence Lofton, Blind John Davis, Black Bob, Kansas Joe McCoy, Papa Charlie McCoy, Big Bill Broonzy and Lonnie Johnson.

<i>The Dollar Done Fell</i> 1980 live album by Buddy Guy

The Dollar Done Fell is the second live album by Buddy Guy.

Willie James Lyons was an American Chicago blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He worked primarily in the West Side of Chicago from the late 1950s up to his death. Lyons was an accompanist to many musicians who included Luther Allison, Jimmy Dawkins and Bobby Rush. A noted performer in his own right, Lyons work was influenced by B.B. King and Freddie King, T-Bone Walker and Lowell Fulson. His only solo album was Chicago Woman, recorded in France in 1979.

<i>Bang That Bell</i> 1999 studio album by Melvin Taylor

Bang That Bell is an album by the American musician Melvin Taylor, released in 2000. He is credited with the Slack Band. Taylor supported the album with a North American tour.

<i>Dirty Pool</i> 1997 studio album by Melvin Taylor & the Slack Band

Dirty Pool is an album by the American musician Melvin Taylor, released in 1997. He is credited with his Slack Band. Dirty Pool was Taylor's second album for Evidence Music.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Skelly, Richard. "Melvin Taylor – Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved 2023-09-21.
  2. Du Noyer, Paul (2003). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music. Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing. p. 181. ISBN   1-904041-96-5.
  3. Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books. p. 175. ISBN   1-85868-255-X.
  4. "Melvin Taylor – Blues on the Run (vinyl LP) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-03-18.
  5. "Melvin Taylor Band "Taylor Made" . Retrieved 11 December 2015.