Blues Giant Sam Taylor: R.I.P. 1934-2009

By Fred Mills

Sam "The Bluzman" Taylor, 74, died Monday, Jan. 5, at his Islandia, NY, home, from complications related to heart disease. The popular guitarist/singer had been performing since the ‘50s, working with some of the greats including Otis Redding, the Isley Brothers, Sam & Dave and B.T. Express (the latter for whom he served in a production and arranging capacity.

Ironically, though, it wasn't until 1995 that he released a quote/unquote straight blues album; Bluzman was followed by a steady string of critically hailed records, including his final album, 2006's The Funky Side of Fame. Taylor was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1995 and was also a member of both the Long Island Music Hall of Fame and the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame - he lived in Tucson for an extended period from the mid ‘80s to the mid ‘90s and was a familiar fixture on the club scene there.

Yours truly, in fact, saw him perform on a number of occasions during my own decade-long tenure in Tucson. You could spot him a mile away, perennially sporting a huge smile under one of his trademark captain's caps.

There's an excellent profile and remembrance of Tucson at the Arizona Daily Star currently on line. In the article, KXCI-FM blues DJ Marty Kool is quoted as saying, of Taylor, "Sam was dripping with soul. When he sang, he put everything he had into it. You could hear it in his songs. Not many people could sing like Sam Taylor, with that kind of feeling."

Amen to that.

BLURT contributor Rev. Keith Gordon also has a nice tribute to Taylor posted to his blog at the About.com Guide to the Blues.