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Penitentiary Blues 5:060:00/5:06
“People get into the rhythms of our music. I’m blessed to honor the blues ancestors and share my feelings in a way that brings people together.” - Larry Taylor
BIO
Larry Taylor : West Side Blues Ambassador
Larry Taylor—West Side Chicago blues singer, songwriter, producer, drummer was born in Chicago in 1955, oldest of the musical children of Mississippi singer Vera Taylor and guitarist Eddie “Playboy” Taylor Sr. He brings fans of all backgrounds to the dance floor with a huge trove of songs in the blues tradition of his parents and the R&B, funk and soul of his West Side neighborhood. Musical influences include Howlin’ Wolf, Magic Sam, Elmore James, Little Milton, ZZ Hill, Johnnie Taylor and James Brown.
From the late 1970s, Larry drummed around the city, nationally and abroad with his father and other blues masters like Junior Wells, Little Milton, A.C. Reed, Otis Clay, Son Seals, and John Lee Hooker. Touring with his own band since 2004, he produced the acclaimed CD, "They Were in This House," (reissued by Wolf Records in 2011) and the 2017 EP-CD “New Chicago Sounds.” He produced Generations of Blues, a family album with his siblings Brenda, Tim, Demetria, and the late Eddie Taylor Jr, issued by Nola-Blue Records in 2023.
Larry was named one of 13 "Esteemed Artists" of 2020-21 by the Chicago Dept. of Culture and Special Events, and starred in a series of all-ages outdoor concerts in 2022-23, partnering in efforts to bring peace and positivity to his disinvested neighborhood. In 2024, with help from another DCASE grant, he plans to bring blues shows to highlight local businesses.
PRESS REVIEWS: Click HERE
Press Photos
Larry Taylor studio photo by Dean Moten
Taylor family: Demetria, Tim, Brenda, Larry, Edna, Eddie Jr 2018
Soul Blues Healers: Veterans Peace Park concert 2023.jpg