Tommy Taylor (born May 8, 1957) is an American musician, vocalist and songwriter, who is best known for being a touring and recording member with
Christopher Cross
Christopher Cross (born Christopher Charles Geppert; May 3, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter from San Antonio, Texas.
He won five Grammy Awards for his eponymous debut album released in 1979. The singles "Sailing" (1980), and "Arthur's T ...
and
Eric Johnson Eric Johnson may refer to:
Music
*Eric Johnson (guitarist) (born 1954) an American guitarist and recording artist
* Eric D. Johnson (born 1976), member of multiple indie-rock bands including Fruit Bats, The Shins and Califone
Politics
* Eric Joh ...
.
Early years
Developing an infatuation with many types of music at a very early age, he quickly expanded his interests, exploring the playing of various musical instruments and singing. He acquired his first guitar at the age of eight in December 1965, discovering by chance, that he was also potentially quite adept at playing the drums, drumming became his primary objective.
By age eleven he was working professionally as a drummer, and by age thirteen, he was headlining the most prominent night spots in
Austin, TX
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
.
Christopher Cross
In 1977, Taylor landed the drummer/vocalist slot with the burgeoning original music group, Christopher Cross. His performances on Cross's classic debut LP, "Christopher Cross," helped garner 5 Grammy Awards in 1981, Including Album of The Year, along with a 5× Platinum Certification.
Taylor also featured on two tracks on Cross' second album, ''
Another Page
''Another Page'' is Christopher Cross's second studio album, recorded in 1982 and released in early 1983. It was not as commercially successful as its predecessor (it was certified Gold by the RIAA, but only after his self-titled debut album ha ...
''. When touring the world, Christopher Cross opened for
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American blues singer and guitarist. In 1971, Raitt released her self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed roots-influenced albums that incorporated ...
,
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band, formed in London in 1967. Fleetwood Mac were founded by guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Jeremy Spencer, before bassist John McVie joined the line-up for their epony ...
,
The Eagles
The Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971. With five number-one singles and six number-one albums, six Grammy Awards and five American Music Awards, the Eagles were one of the most successful musical acts of the 1970s ...
,
Foreigner,
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, Nielsen and ...
, and
America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, as well as headlining their own concert dates.
Eric Johnson
In 1984, Taylor began what would become a lifetime partnership with fellow Austin musician
Eric Johnson Eric Johnson may refer to:
Music
*Eric Johnson (guitarist) (born 1954) an American guitarist and recording artist
* Eric D. Johnson (born 1976), member of multiple indie-rock bands including Fruit Bats, The Shins and Califone
Politics
* Eric Joh ...
. In 1988, Taylor played with Eric Johnson on the TV show, ''
Austin City Limits
''Austin City Limits'' is an American live music television program recorded and produced by Austin PBS. The show helped Austin become widely known in the United States as the "Live Music Capital of the World", and is the only television show t ...
'', it has since become the most requested episode in 40-year history of the show, and subsequently became a CD/DVD release, along with Gold Certification.
Taylor has been featured on almost every single album of Johnson's as either a drummer, percussionist, vocalist, writer, or arranger. Taylor is featured on the Grammy Award-winning smash hit, "
Cliffs of Dover
The White Cliffs of Dover is the region of English coastline facing the Strait of Dover and France. The cliff face, which reaches a height of , owes its striking appearance to its composition of chalk accented by streaks of black flint, deposi ...
" from the Platinum album ''
Ah Via Musicom
''Ah Via Musicom'' is the second studio album by guitarist Eric Johnson, released in 1990 through Capitol Records.Taylor, Robert"Ah Via Musicom - Eric Johnson" ''AllMusic''. All Media Network. Retrieved 2016-02-25. The album reached No. 67 on t ...
''
among many of the studio performances over the years.
Present Day and Solo Album
In 2018–2019, Taylor played a sold-out tour with Eric Johnson and Kyle Brock, re-playing the ''Ah Via Musicom'' album from cover to cover, along with new cuts from Johnson's record ''Collage''. The tour featured a headline spot at 2019's
Crossroads Guitar Festival
The Crossroads Guitar Festival is a series of music festivals and benefit concerts founded by Eric Clapton. The festivals benefit the Crossroads Centre founded by Eric Clapton, a drug treatment center in Antigua. The concerts showcase a variety ...
, returning to the festival after 15 years.
In 2020, Taylor was due to release a solo LP titled, ''What To Say of The Gold.'' It is co-produced by
Mark Hallman
Mark Hallman (born August 1, 1951) is an American producer, songwriter, engineer and multi-instrumentalist. He has worked with Carole King (appearing on six of her albums as a performer and producer), Ani DiFranco, and Eliza Gilkyson.
In the m ...
, and features
Michael Omartian
Michael Omartian (born November 26, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, keyboardist, and music producer. He produced number-one records in three consecutive decades. He has earned 11 Grammy Awards nominations and won three. He sp ...
,
Roscoe Beck
Charles Roscoe Beck is an American bassist with a reputation as "a solid bottom-liner". Beck has played with artists like Robben Ford, Eric Johnson, Leonard Cohen, and The Dixie Chicks. He is also a successful record producer with two Grammy ...
,
David Lee Holt
David Lee Holt (born December 6, 1960) is an American guitarist, vocalist and songwriter who is best known for being a member of the Austin-based group, Storyville (band), Storyville, which included guitarist David Grissom, vocalist Malford
Mill ...
, and
Mark Andes
Mark Andes (born February 19, 1948) is an American musician, known for his work as a bassist with Canned Heat, Spirit, Jo Jo Gunne, Firefall, Heart, and Mirabal.
Early life
Andes was born in Philadelphia, but grew up in Los Angeles, one of ...
among others.
On October 15, 2022, Taylor released his debut single, "Summit," from his upcoming solo album.
Discography
Solo
*''What To Say of The Gold'' (TBA)
Appearances with Eric Johnson
* ''
Tones'' (1986)
* ''
Ah Via Musicom
''Ah Via Musicom'' is the second studio album by guitarist Eric Johnson, released in 1990 through Capitol Records.Taylor, Robert"Ah Via Musicom - Eric Johnson" ''AllMusic''. All Media Network. Retrieved 2016-02-25. The album reached No. 67 on t ...
'' (1990)
* ''
Venus Isle
''Venus Isle'' is the third studio album by guitarist Eric Johnson, released on September 3, 1996, through Capitol Records. The album reached No. 51 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200,[Souvenir
A souvenir (), memento, keepsake, or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. A souvenir can be any object that can be collected or purchased and transported home by the traveler as a m ...]
'' (2002)
* ''
Bloom
Bloom or blooming may refer to:
Science and technology Biology
* Bloom, one or more flowers on a flowering plant
* Algal bloom, a rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae in an aquatic system
* Jellyfish bloom, a collective n ...
'' (2005)
* ''
Live from Austin, TX (Eric Johnson album)
''Live from Austin, TX'' is Eric Johnson's first live album, released in November 2005. The album showcases Johnson's seminal 1988 performance at ''Austin City Limits''. The performance included a number of songs from ''Ah Via Musicom'' before ...
'' (2006)
* ''
Up Close (Eric Johnson album)
''Up Close'' is Eric Johnson's sixth studio album, released on December 7, 2010. It is Johnson's first studio release since his 2005 album '' Bloom''. The album features guest appearances by Malford Milligan, Sonny Landreth, Steve Miller, Jimmie ...
'' (2010)
* ''EJ'' (2016)
* ''Collage'' (2017)
* ''EJ Vol. 2'' (2019)
* ''The Book of Making'' (2022)
* ''Yesterday Meets Today'' (2022)
Appearances with Christopher Cross
*''
Christopher Cross
Christopher Cross (born Christopher Charles Geppert; May 3, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter from San Antonio, Texas.
He won five Grammy Awards for his eponymous debut album released in 1979. The singles "Sailing" (1980), and "Arthur's T ...
'' (1980)
*''
Another Page
''Another Page'' is Christopher Cross's second studio album, recorded in 1982 and released in early 1983. It was not as commercially successful as its predecessor (it was certified Gold by the RIAA, but only after his self-titled debut album ha ...
'' (1983)
Various appearances and guest work
*
Alessi - ''Long Time Friends'' (1982)
*Lisa Rhodes - ''Shivers'' (1985)
*The Sweaters (1985)
*
Eliza Gilkyson
Eliza Gilkyson (born August 24, 1950, Hollywood, California) is a Taos, New Mexico-based folk musician.Gilkyson moved her base from Austin, Texas, to Taos in 2020. She is the daughter of songwriter and folk musician Terry Gilkyson and his wife, J ...
- ''Legend of Rainmaker'' (1987)
*''Various – Guitar Speak'' (1988) - track "Western Flyer"
*
Will and the Kill
Will and the Kill were an American rock band from Austin, Texas.
Will and the Kill's members included Will Sexton, brother of guitarist Charlie Sexton, and David Grissom, later of Storyville. The group released one self-titled album on MCA Recor ...
- ''Will and the Kill'' (1988)
*Tommy Elskes - ''King of Dixie'' (1992)
*
Sara Hickman
Sara Hickman (born March 1, 1963) is an American singer, songwriter, and artist.[Sara Smile Still ...](_blank)
- ''Necessary Angels'' (1994)
*Barry Richman - ''The Moment Of Now'' (1994)
*Will Sexton - ''Keep To Myself Sound Service'' (1994)
*Hamilton Pool - ''Return To Zero'' (1995)
*Kris McKay - ''Things that Show'' (1996)
*Barry Richman - ''Temporary Eternity'' (1997)
*Chris Holzhaus - ''Welcome to Bluzhill'' (1998)
*
Jake Andrews - ''Time to Burn'' (1999)
*Newmatics - ''Up Popped Pancho'' (2000)
*Elizabeth Rice - ''The Wishing Tree'' (2001)
*
Double Trouble - ''Been A Long Time'' (2001)
*Mandy Mercier - ''Wild Dreams of The Shy Boys'' (2001)
*Kay Kay and The Rays - ''Big Bad Girl'' (2003)
*Sarah Hamman - ''Breath by Breath'' (2003)
*
David Lee Holt
David Lee Holt (born December 6, 1960) is an American guitarist, vocalist and songwriter who is best known for being a member of the Austin-based group, Storyville (band), Storyville, which included guitarist David Grissom, vocalist Malford
Mill ...
- ''Perpetual Motion'' (2004)
*Lorrie Singer & Bradley Kopp - ''Walk Tall'' (2005)
*Brandon McHose - ''Life Eclipse (2007)
*Mandy Mercier - ''Run Out of Darkness'' (2007)
*Carson Brock - ''Signs'' (2010)
*Mandy Mercier - ''Singer In A Roadhouse Band'' (2010)
*All ATX - ''All ATX'' (2013)
*All ATX - ''British Invasion'' (2014)
*All ATX - ''Austin Goes Psychedelic'' (2015)
*''Friends of Sims'' (2015)
*Van Wilks - ''21st Century Blues'' (2015)
*
Ina Forsman
Ina Forsman (born 1994) is a Finnish blues and blues rock singer-songwriter. She has been involved in the recording of six albums since 2013.
Career
She was born in Helsinki, Finland. At the age of six, Forsman decided she wanted to be a singe ...
- ''Ina Forsman'' (2016)
*Ross William Perry - ''Open'' (2016)
*Texas Horns - ''Get Here Quick'' (2019)
*
Whitney Shay
Whitney Shay (born September 16) is an American blues, soul, and rhythm and blues singer and songwriter. To date, Shay has released three albums including her 2012 debut issue, ''Soul Tonic''.
She has won four San Diego Music Awards, including ' ...
- ''Stand Up'' (2020)
* Gabe Stillman - ''Just Say The Word'' (2021)
*Texas Horns - ''Everybody Lets Roll'' (2022)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Tommy
1957 births
Living people
American guitarists
Musicians from Texas