Betty Loo Taylor (February 27, 1929 – December 21, 2016) was an American

jazz pianist Jazz piano is a collective term for the techniques pianists use when playing jazz. The piano has been an integral part of the jazz idiom since its inception, in both solo and ensemble settings. Its role is multifaceted due largely to the instru ...

and musician, known as

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...

's "First Lady of Jazz." She was the subject of the 2003 documentary, ''They Call Her Lady Fingers: The Betty Loo Taylor Story'', by husband-and-wife filmmakers, Patricia Gillespie and Sam Polson. Taylor was born on February 27, 1929, and showed a natural musical ability as a child. She moved from Hawaii to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

in the 1940s, where she attended music school and became a pianist. She returned to Hawaii during the 1950s. Taylor performed regularly at the Trappers club in

Waikiki Waikiki (; haw, Waikīkī; ; also known as Waikiki Beach) is a neighborhood of Honolulu on the south shore of the island of Oahu in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Waikiki is most famous for Waikiki Beach, which is one of six beaches in the district ...

during the 1970s and 1980s, alongside her longtime musical partner, singer Jimmy Borges, who also died in 2016. She continued to perform at the Kahala Hotel & Resort on

Oahu Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over two-thirds of the population of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The island of O� ...

throughout the 1990s and 2000s. In 2008, Taylor won a 2008

Na Hoku Hanohano Award The Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, occasionally called the Nā Hōkū Awards or Hoku Awards, are the premier music awards in Hawaii.Berger, John"A night of Na Hoku Hanohano" ''Honolulu Star-Advertiser''. May 22, 2011.Haug, Kawehi"Hoku awardees shine ...

for a jazz album she recorded with Joy Abbott. She also received praise for her arrangements and accompaniment of

Alvin Ing Alvin Y. F. Ing (May 26, 1932 – July 31, 2021) was an American singer and actor. His career included movies, television, musical theatre, and cabaret acts. Early life, family and education Ing was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. He studied music at ...

on his 2010 CD, "Swing With Ing" which included Loo's nephew Steve playing bass. In 2012, she was also awarded Na Hoku Hanohano's

lifetime achievement award Lifetime achievement awards are awarded by various organizations, to recognize contributions over the whole of a career, rather than or in addition to single contributions. Such awards, and organizations presenting them, include: A * A.C. ...

. Betty Loo Taylor died at Palolo Chinese Home in

Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...

on December 21, 2016, at the age of 87. Taylor, who was being treated for pneumonia at the time, had suffered a stroke approximately six months before her death. She was survived by her husband, Kenneth L. Taylor, and daughter, Karen Lindsey.

References

1929 births 2016 deaths Na Hoku Hanohano Award winners Musicians from Hawaii American jazz pianists American women pianists 21st-century American women {{Hawaii-stub