Larry Hill Taylor - Spirit of the Blues
LITTLE MAN, BIG VOICE: Larry Taylor, West Side singer and drummer, is one of the most powerful blues band leaders in Chicago, a 21st century griot. Rhythms convulse his slender body, and blues flows from his heart and soul, as he belts out his own tune "Tell Me Baby" based on a haunting Howlin' Wolf riff, or James Brown's command, "Get on up!" Larry rallies his fellow musicians to raise the spirits of people of all ages, nations, and neighborhoods.
HISTORY: Born in 1955, Larry Hill Taylor grew up in North Lawndale on the West Side of Chicago, surrounded by the songs of his Mississippi mother, Vera Taylor, and stepfather, guitarist Eddie Taylor, who laid the lump and boogie rhythms behind Jimmy Reed on VeeJay Records. Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Freddie King and Elmore James often stopped by their house. Larry's brothers and sisters performing today include guitarist and singer Eddie Taylor Jr., drummer Tim Taylor, and singers Demetria and Brenda Taylor. Larry toured Europe with Willie Dixon's New Generation of Chicago Blues in 1977. www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=5SJF57WthzU From then on, he played on the local, national and international stage with many of the blues and soul greats including Albert Collins, Otis Clay, Big Moose Walker, Junior Wells, Hubert Sumlin, A.C. Reed, Honeyboy Edwards.
Larry's own 21st century act has featured powerful West Siders like the late guitarist Willie Davis. Larry organized the Taylor family act and a West Side Revue for the Chicago Blues Festival in 2008. He played at the Vicksburg, MS 2006 Wang Dang Doodle Fest. He appears on several Delmark and Wolf records. Wolf re-issued his CD, They Were in This House, in 2011. Larry sang at the Howlin' Wolf Foundation tribute show at Willie Dixon's Blues Heaven, June 2012.
Larry's autobiography, Stepson of the Blues: A Chicago Song of Survival (Peaceful Patriot Press 2010) shows his faith, love of music and sense of history overcoming the real-life inner city blues.
LARRY's ACT: Larry Taylor leads a band of drums, bass, guitar, keyboard and/or sax, bursting with dozens of favorite tunes. His bandmates conjure rhythms that put fans onto the dance floor: Jerry-O, guitar master both in head and heart; bass player Joe Harrington, son of Houston Harrington who ran the Atomic-H record label; and versatile drummer and emcee, West Side Wes.
REAL MUSIC FOR ALL: Larry Taylor: 773-823-1623 or 872-223-1198; or Facebook
Publicity: Barrelhouse Bonni: bonni@barrelhousebonni.com or 773-209-4712
