Melvin Taylor

{{Short description|American electric blues guitarist}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Melvin Taylor | image = Melvin Taylor 0333.png | caption = Taylor performing in Kyiv, Ukraine, 2010 | image_size = | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | birth_name = | alias = | birth_place = Jackson, Mississippi, United States | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|03|13|mf=y}} | death_date = | origin = Chicago, Illinois, United States | instrument = Guitar | genre = Electric blues<ref name="Allmusic"/> | occupation = Guitarist | years_active = | label = | website = {{URL|https://melvintaylor.com/}} }}

'''Melvin Taylor''' (born March 13, 1959)<ref name="Allmusic">{{cite web|last=Skelly |first=Richard |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/melvin-taylor-mn0000351304/biography |title=Melvin Taylor – Biography |publisher=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=2023-09-21}}</ref> is an American electric blues guitarist, based in Chicago.<ref name="Music">{{cite book | first= Paul | last= Du Noyer | year= 2003 | title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music | edition= | publisher= Flame Tree Publishing | location= Fulham, London | isbn= 1-904041-96-5 | page= 181}}</ref>

==Career== Taylor was born in Jackson, Mississippi, United States.<ref name="LarkinBlues"/> He moved to Chicago with his parents in 1962.<ref name="Allmusic"/>

He joined the Transistors, a popular music group.<ref name="LarkinBlues"/> 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,<ref name="Allmusic"/> often at Rosa's Lounge.<ref name="russell">{{cite book | first= Tony | last= Russell | year= 1997 | title= The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray | edition= | publisher=Carlton Books | location= Dubai | page= 175 | isbn= 1-85868-255-X}}</ref>

During the 1980s he joined Pinetop Perkins and the Legendary Blues Band in a year-long European tour.<ref name="LarkinBlues"/> He has returned to Europe several times with his own group, which has opened for B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Santana.<ref name="Allmusic"/>

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).<ref name="LarkinBlues">{{cite book|title=The Guinness Who's Who of Blues|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1995|edition=Second|isbn=0-85112-673-1|page=342}}</ref> Recordings in the United States include ''Melvin Taylor and the Slack Band'' (1995), with John Snyder, released by Evidence Music, and ''Dirty Pool'' (1997).<ref name="Allmusic"/> Taylor's ''Beyond the Burning Guitar'' was recorded in Misty Creek Studios, in Fairfax, Virginia. He also recorded a cover of the Skylar Grey–Eminem song "Love the Way You Lie", with the rapper, Matt Christian, at Misty Creek Studios.

==Discography== *''Blues on the Run'' (Isabel [Fr], 1982; Evidence, 1994)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Melvin-Taylor-Blues-On-The-Run/release/3631263 |title=Melvin Taylor – Blues on the Run (vinyl LP) at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |date= |accessdate=2013-03-18}}</ref> *''Plays the Blues for You'' (Isabel [Fr], 1984; Evidence, 1993) *''Melvin Taylor and the Slack Band'' (Evidence, 1995) *''Dirty Pool'' (Evidence, 1997) *''Bang That Bell'' (Evidence, 2000) *''Rendezvous with the Blues'' (Evidence, 2002) *''My Heart Belongs to Jesus'' (Melvin Taylor Productions, 2007) *''Beyond the Burning Guitar'' (Melvin Taylor Productions, 2010) 2-CD *''Sweet Taste of Guitar'' (Melvin Taylor Productions, 2012) *''Taylor Made'' [6-song EP] (Melvin Taylor Productions, 2013)<ref>{{cite web|title=Melvin Taylor Band "Taylor Made|url=http://ejazznews.com/?p=11313|accessdate=11 December 2015}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://melvintaylor.com/ Melvin Taylor's official website] * [http://www.evidencemusic.com/artists/artist.cfm?artistID=blues324 Biography] * [http://www.rosaslounge.com/ Rosa's Lounge] * [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE0D7123FF934A15751C0A96F948260 New York Times Music Review]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Melvin}} Category:1959 births Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Jackson, Mississippi Category:American blues guitarists Category:American male guitarists Category:Chicago blues musicians Category:Electric blues musicians Category:Contemporary blues musicians Category:Guitarists from Chicago Category:Guitarists from Mississippi Category:20th-century American guitarists Category:20th-century American male musicians