Larry Taylor

Album Reviews

Roadhouse: by Jim White

"Larry Taylor has created the best kind of tribute band."

...Accompanied by veterans who honed their craft playing the “real deal” in genuine blues settings, Larry, Eddie Jr. (both as a guitarist and a vocalist), Demetria and especially Brenda sound surer, with greater timbral and emotional resonance and flexibility, than they ever have. Let’s hope the Taylors can continue to work and grow in settings like this as they move forward. --David Whiteis

African-American Folklore Magazine

The studio making of "No Shine," the talents of each Taylor sibling, and much more...

Blues @ Greece: Q& A with Larry Taylor

The Taylor family stands treetop tall as a fully-fledged and remarkably enduring Chicago Blues dynasty... The Taylor legacy now extends to a third generation as Larry’s teenaged son, rapper Liljet2x, brings his contemporary sensibilities to the equation. There’s just no end to this family’s talent, as Larry Taylor and the Taylor Family: Generations of Blues so powerfully illustrates.

The Taylors in "Making a Scene"

Arguably, no single family has been more important to the blues than the Taylor family, headed by Jimmy Reed’s renowned guitarist and bandleader in his own right, Eddie Taylor, Sr. and his wife, singer Vera Taylor, part of the Great Migration that settled on Chicago’s West Side in the early ‘50s...

La Hora del Blues review (Spain): "13 songs of the most genuine, pure, hard and exclusive Chicago blues"

American Blues Scene Review of Chicago Blues Fest including Taylor Fam

...The entire family kicked it into high gear when all four singing Taylors took their act out to the audience on the floor and cajoled the crowd to join in on Demetria’s “Bad Girl,” her first release on Delmark Records..

Review reprinted in Atlanta Blues Society by Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro "

...An original of Mama’s, titled “I Found Out”, features daughter Brenda plotting revenge for the things she ‘found out’ her man was up to and, from what I’m hearing, she’s gonna have fun doing it...

“Big Town Playboy”, another Chicago blues style shuffle, not only features Eddie Jr. on the smokin’ blues guitar leads but sounding real smooth on his only vocal performance as well. Another highlight is Matthew Skoller nailing the Jimmy Reed thing as he blows some of the disc’s best harmonica.

...On a song he wrote – with a raspy, gravely tone to his voice – Larry belts the blues right out of the park on “I Paid My Dues”.

--The disc closes with a laid back instrumental titled “Larry & Eddie Jr. Groove (Blues In The Rain)”. It’s four-and-a-half minutes of slow, foot tappin’, knee slappin’, body swayin’, slow blues bliss, with Larry (drums), Michael Riley (bass) and Stanley Banks (piano) trippin’ out in a lazy rhythm groove; Eddie Jr. finessing out some wonderfully soft blues guitar licks; and Matthew Skoller– literally from opening to closing notes – putting on a most amazing low key, yet absolutely phenomenal harmonica performance. Yeah, this one got replayed many times.

Global Music Award for "Generations of Blues"

Global Music Awards is a merit based competition. We judge and curate based on creativity and quality of musical craft.

...We want the artist to remind us why we care about music so much in the first place. Our judging process honors both polished artists and those in which we sense future potential.

Blues Matters , by Stephen Harrison (UK)

...She Treats Me Just the Same” is the opening track, written and sung by Larry Taylor. What a way to kick off an album, so much blues and soul packed into this great tune. The plethora of musicians enhances every note perfectly. With just one song, this album has completely engaged my blues juices. “Bad Girl,” written by Eddie Taylor, features his sister, Demetria Taylor on vocals. Now, many of you will be familiar with Demetria, as I am, but this tune is one hell of a belter.

...This album produces song after amazing song, each one holding its own alongside the previous ones. Not to be outdone by her sister, Brenda Taylor lends the vocals to “I Found Out,” and “Talk To Your Son,” an adaptation of “Talk to Your Daughter...” Generations of Blues is exactly what this album professes to be. Every blues enthusiast should get a copy of this album.

West Side newspaper highlights Taylor family album: Austin Weekly News

Taylor unveiled the new album in a heartfelt and energetic performance on June 18, on the Juneteenth weekend and during Black Music Month... For years, Taylor has pushed for the West Side blues to be celebrated, enjoyed and remembered by the community.

At FitzGerald’s, the historic musical venue at 6615 Roosevelt Rd., Berwyn, IL, Taylor and his family took the stage to present their musical interpretation of songs inspired by Chicago blues and recorded on the West Side.

TED Rhythm n Music Review :

... Reunion of a family united by their deep roots in and dedication to the blues, which their parents passed down to them...

Nola-Blue to Release Taylor album

"Generations of Blues"

Larry with his brothers and sisters play their parents' music and their own. Pre-Orders on BANDCAMP

FULL STORY

Taylor Fam in Chi Blues Fest

Honoring Eddie Taylor 100tth Bday

The Taylor family-- Larry, Brenda, Tim, Edna, Demetria--all on stage at the Fest together for the first time since 2008, to honor their late father Eddie Taylor (1923-1985) and mother Vera Taylor (1943-1999).

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Taylors, Primer,Bell burn it down at Antones

Austin Chronicle Previews Eddie Taylor centennial

Link to Article

"Bad Boy/Bad Girl"VIDEO

Living Blues Hails Eddie Taylor 100th

Family Playing at Antone's Jan. 27 2023

In honor of what would have been their father’s 100^th birthday, guitarist Eddie Taylor’s surviving children are celebrating in appropriate fashion. The four of them are taking to the stage in a show that’s part family reunion, part celebration of their father.

Eddie Taylor, who died in 1985 at the age of 62, was born in the Mississippi Delta, came of age in Memphis, and became a Chicago blues legend. He’s perhaps best known for playing alongside Jimmy Reed but had modest success as a solo artist as well. His wife Vera was a singer and songwriter as well, and died in 1999.

Taylor’s children, Brenda, Demetria, Larry and Tim are putting on a concert in honor of his centennial. It will take place Friday January 27 at Antone’s in Austin Texas. Taylor’s birthday is January 29. Along with being a legendary venue in a renowned music city, Antone’s was a popular stop for Reed and Taylor is still remembered fondly there.

“It will be a delight, you know,” Larry, Taylor’s stepson, said. “The thing I was hoping for was that I really wanted us all to come together and be a family band. Well, other things won’t allow that to happen, so we just have to do what we’re doing individually. I’m glad that now we can come together at least this one major time to honor our dad.”

Larry is a singer, drummer and fixture in the Chicago blues scene. Tim is a drummer as well. Brenda and Demetria are vocalists, and Demetria’s solo album Doin’ What I’m Supposed to Do was released in August on Delmark Records to excellent reviews.

The siblings, along with the late Eddie Taylor Jr. recorded an album together a few years ago and are hopeful it will be released in the near future.