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JOHNNIE TAYLOR +

Johnnie Taylor

Go to Johnnie Taylor special memory page

BIOGRAPHY

Despite Johnnie Taylor's awesome run of hit records, he remains somewhat of an enigma, perhaps the most underrated recording artist of all time. Never-the-less, over the past twenty-five years, this 48-year old singing sensation has been one of the most versatile and durable recording artists of the era. With a career than embraced Gospel, Pop, Blues, Doo Wopp, Memphis Soul, and even Disco, Taylor has proven he can handle any piece of music.

Johnnie Harrison Taylor was born in Crawfordsville, Arkansas on May 5, 1938, and reared in nearby West Memphis. Inspired equally by gospel and blues (the legendary bluesman Junior Parker as his neighbor), Taylor first recorded in the early fifties as part of the Five Echoes, a Doo-wopp group that had one release on the Chance label in Chicago. However, he didn't receive any real recognition of "SOMEWHERE TO LAY MY HEAD". Taylor's lead singing was strikingly close to Sam Cooke, so it wasn't surprising that he took Cooke's place in the Soul Stirrers in 1957. During the next two years, Taylor would make a number of fine recordings with that group, but he eventually left to pursue a short career as a preacher.

In the interim, Sam Cooke had formed the Sar label as a sideline to his own successful recording career. Ironically, Cooke recruited Taylor for the label with the intention of making him a Pop / R&B attraction. Taylor would score with "ROME WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY" in 1962, but his recording career bogged down temporarily when Sar's operations were suspended after the tragic death of Sam Cooke.

All that was remedied in 1966 when Taylor signed on with Stax Records in Memphis, scoring with the bluesy "I HAD A DREAM" and "I'VE GOT TO LOVE SOMEBODY'S BABY". Two years later, Taylor's style easily adapted to the demands of modern Soul with his recording of "WHO'S MAKING LOVE", which shot to the top of the R&B charts. The record sold more than two million singles, and established Taylor as one of the nation's premier Soul attractions.

For the next seven years, Taylor's name rarely left the bestseller list. His first million seller was followed by such classics as "TAKE CARE OF YOUR HOMEWORK", "JODY'S GOT YOUR GIRL", "STEAL AWAY" and "CHEAPER TO KEEP HER" to name a few. It's true that much ink has been spilled documenting the contributions Otis Redding, Booker T & The M.G.'s, Issac Hayes and Sam & Dave made to Stax Records, but in fact, Johnnie Taylor was their all time best selling recording artist.

With the demise of Stax, Taylor moved over to Columbia, waxing the mega-hit, "DISCO LADY", which was at the top of everybody's charts in 1975. Unfortunately, Columbia didn't fully recognize Taylor's talent, and they were content to mistakenly cast him as merely a Disco artist. Not surprisingly, his record sales slipped.

After leaving Columbia, he made a brief stop at Beverly Glen Records in 1982, recording a reasonable album and climbing back into the charts with the "WHAT ABOUT MY LOVE" single. But, as Taylor admits, at the time he was looking for a record company that would work closely with him just as Stax once had.

Taylor found that company, or rather they found him in 1984, when he joined Malaco Records. His initial Malaco album, "THIS IS YOUR NIGHT", was not only a well crafted piece of music, but sales wise, it was Taylor's biggest record in nearly a decade. The follow up "WALL TO WALL" proved to be just as satisfying, featuring some for the best material. Blues, Soul Ballads, down home Funk.....it doesn't matter to Taylor. He can do it all, and this album proved it.

Johnnie Taylor died of a heart attack on may 31st, 2000 and is buried at the Forrest Hill Cemetery, Kansas City, Missouri.
 

STAX DISCOGRAPHY

Singles

Sar 114 : A Whole Lotta Woman / Why Why Why
Sar 131 : Rome / Never Never
Sar 156 : Oh How I Love You / Run But You Can't Hide

Derby 1001 : Dance What You Wanna / Shine Shine Shine
Derby 1006 : Baby We've Got Love / (I'll Always Be) In Love With You
Derby 1010 : I Need Lots Of Love / Getting Married Soon

Stax 186 : I Had A Dream / Changes
Stax 193 : I Got To Love Somebody's Baby / Just The One I've Been Looking For
Stax 202 : Little Bluebird / Toe Hold
Stax 209 : Ain't That Loving You (For More Reasons Than One) / Outside Love
Stax 226 : You Can't Get Away From It / If I Had It To Do All Over
Stax 235 : Somebody's Sleeping In My Bed / Strange Things
Stax 247 : Next Time / Hello Sundown
Stax 253 : I Ain't Particular / Where There's Smoke There's Fire
Stax 0009 : Who's Making Love / I'm Trying
Stax 0023 : Take Care Of Your Homework / Hold On This Time
Stax 0033 : Testify / I Had A Fight With Love
Stax 0040 : Soul-A-lujah Pt. I / Pt. II (with E. Floyd, W. Bell, C. Thomas, etc.)
Stax 0041 : Never Let You Go / Ain't That Good (with M. Staples)
Stax 0042 : Just Keep On Loving Me / My Life (With C. Thomas)
Stax 0046 : I Could Never Be President / It's Amazing
Stax 0055 : Love Bones / Mr Nobody Is Somebody
Stax 0068 : Steal Away / Friday Night
Stax 0078 : I Am Somebody Pt. I / Pt. II
Stax 0085 : Jody's Got Your Girl And Gone / A Fool Like Me
Stax 0089 : I Don't Wanna Lose You Pt. I / Pt. II
Stax 0096 : Hijackin' Love / Love In The Streets (Ain't Good As The Love At Home)
Stax 0114 : Standing In For Jody / Shakin' Up
Stax 0122 : Doin' My Own Thing Pt. I / Pt. II
Stax 0142 : Stop Doggin' Me / Stop Teasin' Me
Stax 0155 : Don't You Fool With My Soul Pt. I / Pt. II
Stax 0161 : I Believe In You / Love Depression
Stax 0176 : Cheaper To Keep Her / I Can Read Between The Lines
Stax 0193 : We're Getting Careless With Our Love / Poor Make Believer
Stax 0208 : I've Been Born Again / At Night Time
Stax 0226 : It's September / Just One Moment
Stax 0241 : Try Me Tonight / Free
Stax 0251 : I'm So Glad I Met You / I'm So Grateful
Stax 0253 : Just Keep On Loving Me / It Don't Pay To Get Up In The Morning

Stax 3201 : Just Keep On Loving Me / It Don't Pay To Get Up In The Morning

Albums

WANTED ONE SOUL SINGER - Stax 715 : I Got To Love Somebody's Baby / Just The One I've Been Looking For / Watermelon Man / Where Can A Man Go From Here / Toe-Hold / Outside Love / Ain't That Loving You (For More Reasons Than One) / Blues In The Night / I Had A Dream / Sixteen Tons / Little Bluebird.  (reissued on CD)

WHO'S MAKING LOVE - Stax 2005 : Who's Making Love / I'm Not The Same Person / Hold On This Time / Woman Across The River / Can't Trust Your Neighor / Take Care Of Your Homework / I'm Trying / Poor Make Believer / Payback Hurts / Mr. Nobody Is Somebody / I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water.  (reissued on CD)

SOUL EXPLOSION - Stax 2-2007 (part) : Save Your Love For Me / Twenty Years From Today / Boy Meets Girl.  (reissued on CD)

RAW BLUES - Stax 2008 : Where There's Smoke There's Fire / Hello Sundown / Pardon Me, Lady / Where Can A Man Go From Here / That Bone / That's Where It's At / Part Time Love / If I Had It To Do All Over / You're Good For Me / You Can't Keep A Good Man Down / You Can't Win With A Losing Hand.  (reissued on CD)

RARE STAMPS -Stax 2012 : Who's Making Love / You Can't Get Away From It / Toe Hold / Just The One (I've Been Looking For) / I Ain't Particular / Take Care Of Your Homework / I've Got To Love Somebody's Baby / Little Blue Bird / I Had A Dream / Outside Love / Somebody's Sleeping In My Bed / If I Had To Do It All Over.  (reissued on CD)

TESTIFY (I WONNA) THE JOHNNIE TAYLOR PHILOSOPHY CONTINUES - Stax 2023 : Testify (I Wonna) / Separation Line / Love Bones / Love Is A Hurting Thing / I Had A Fight With Love / I Could Never Be President / It's Amazing / Who Can I Turn To / Games People Play / It's Your Thing.  (reissued on CD)

BOYS MEET GIRLS - Stax 2-2024 (part)  (reissued on CD)

ONE STEP BEYOND - Stax 2030 : Time After Time / Party Life / Will You Love Me Forever / I Am Somebody (pts. I & II) / I Don't Wanna Lose You (pts. I & II) / Don't Take My Sunshine / Jody's Got Your Girl And Gone / A Fool Like Me.  (reissued on CD)

GREATEST HITS - Stax 2032 : Steal Away / Who Can I Turn To / I Ain't Particular / Mr Nobody Is Somebody / I Could Never Be President / Testify (I Wonna) / Who's Making Love / Love Bones / Hold On This Time / I'm Not The Same Person / Take Care Of Your Homework / Somebody's Sleeping In My Bed.

TAYLORED IN SILK - Stax 3014 : We're Getting Careless With Our Love / Starting All Over Again / Cheaper To Keep Her / Talk To Me / I Believe In You (You Believe In Me) / One Thing Wrong With My Baby / I Can Read Between The Lines / This Bitter Earth.  (reissued on CD)

SUPER TAYLOR - Stax 5509 : It's September / Darling I Love You / Try Me Tonight / Free / I've Been Born Again / At Night Time (My Pillow Tells A Tale On Me) / I Don't Pay To Get Up In The Morning / Just One Moment.  (reissued on CD)

ACE VARIOUS - Ace 074 : You Don't Know Like I Know ; Ace 102 : Sixty Minutes Of Your Love / Water.

WHO'S MAKING LOVE + - Ace CDSXE 130 : Who's Making Love / I'm Not The Same Person / Hold On This Time / Woman Across The River / Can't Trust Your Neighor / Take Care Of Your Homework / I'm Trying / Poor Make Believer / Payback Hurts / Mr. Nobody Is Somebody / I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water / Twenty Years From Today / Save Your Love For Me / Rumors (67, previously unissued) / Lovin' On Borrowed Time (67, previously unissued).

LIFETIME - FANTASY/ACE 3-CD SET 3SCD-4432-2 :
DISC 1 -
SAR RECORDS: I Dreamed That Heaven Was Like This / Heaven Is My Home (take 1) / The Love Of God (take 7 - previously unissued alternate) / Out On A Hill (take 1 - alt.) / Until Then (take 3 - alt.) / When The Gates Swing Open / Never, Never / Rome (Wasn't Built In a Day) / Dance What You Wanna / Baby, We've Got Love. BLUE STAX RECORDS: I Had A Dream / Easy Lovin' (previously unissued) / I've Got To Love Somebody's Baby / Just The One I've Been Looking For (take 7 - previously unissued alt.) / Part Time Love (take 2 - previously unissued alt.) / Sixteen Tons (take 6 - previously unissued alt.) / Somebody's Sleeping In My Bed / Blues In The Night (take 1 - previously unissued alt.). YELLOW STAX RECORDS: Save Your Love For Me (take 2 - previously unissued alt.) / I Need Lots Of Love (previously unissued) / You Can't Win With A Losing Hand (take 3 - previously unissued alt.) / Rumors / You Don't Know Like I Know (take 3 - previously unissued) / Twenty Years From Today (take 4 - previously unissued alt.) / Twenty Years From Today (take 7 - previously unissued alt.).
DISC 2
- BLUE STAX RECORDS: Little Bluebird / Toe Hold / That's Where It's At. YELLOW STAX RECORDS: I Ain't Particular / Woman Across The River / Who's Making Love / I'm Not The Same Person / I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water / Mr. Nobody Is Somebody Now / Take Care Of Your Homework / Testify (I Wonna) / Separation Line / I Could Never Be President / Love Bones / Steal Away / Steal Away (live - previously unissued) / I Am Somebody (parts 1 & 2) / Jody's Got Your Girl And Gone / I Don't Wanna Lose You (parts 1 & 2) / Don't Take My Sunshine / Hijackin' Love.
DISC 3
- YELLOW STAX RECORDS: Standing In For Jody - Doing My Own Thing (part 1) / Stop Doggin' Me / I Believe In You (You Believe In Me / Cheaper To Keep Her / We're Getting Careless With Our Love / Starting All Over Again / I've Been Born Again / It's September. CBS RECORDS:  Try Me Tonight / Free / Disco Lady / Running Out Of Lies. MALACO RECORDS:God Is Standing By / Play Something Pretty / Lady, My Whole World Is You / Lover Boy / Last Two Dollars / Soul Heaven.

JOHNNIE TAYLOR / LIVE AT THE SUMMIT CLUB (LA, september 1972) - Concord Records/Stax: Introduction (featuring Rufus Thomas) / Take Care Of Your Homework / Little Bluebird / Steal Away (Ver.1) / I Don't Wanna Lose You / Who's Making Love / Hello Sundown / Steal Away (Ver.2) / Stop Doggin' Me / Jody's Got Your Girl And Gone.

Thanks to Yoni Neeman for part of the infos. The complete discography, including pre and post Stax records can be found on The Soul Of The Net web site (see the LINKS page).


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