When Taylor signed with Chicago’s Vee-Jay Records in the 1950s, he was able to string together a string of hits. Thanks to his skills, Taylor also backed several other well-known Chicago blues acts, such as Jimmy Reed, John Lee Hooker, Sunnyland Slim, Howlin’ Wolf and many others. Other artists such as Freddie King, “Baby Face” Leroy Foster and Magic Sam saw Taylor as a mentor who adopted and used his techniques.
Taylor started out as an accompanying guitarist and his techniques greatly impressed the blues community. Unfortunately, Taylor’s reputation grew, but his bank account remained faltering. He never received compensation for those who found his work “inspirational.”
The Rolling Stones covered Taylor’s “Ride ‘Em On Down” without Taylor receiving a cent for it. Taylor’s hit single “Bad Boy” has been covered and re-recorded over 20 times by other artists without Taylor or his estate ever receiving any compensation.
The rhythm and the blues The film will draw attention to another groundbreaking black musician whose work and legacy were stolen.
At the screening The TRiiBE spoke briefly with Brenda Taylor, Eddie Taylor’s eldest daughter. When asked how it feels to see her father being recognized for his work, she replied, “It’s just a fire in my soul. I’m just glad this day happened because it’s about time.”
Taylor continued to call her father a “hidden icon” and stated that when people heard a blues guitar, they mostly heard Eddie Taylor.
“He’s recorded with some of the greatest, but he hasn’t gotten the recognition he deserves,” she told us. “You know how it is.”
This project is being directed and produced by Darryl Pitts, a Chicago native who feels a responsibility to carry forward the stories of Chicago’s great black visionaries.
“It’s a great feeling to be from Chicago and to be able to tell a Chicago story about an unsung hero,” he said The TRiiBE.
“Chicago is the epicenter of black culture,” Pitts said. “If Sam Cooke and Nat King Cole and Earth, Wind & Fire had come from somewhere else, we’d have monuments to them everywhere.”
The official premiere date of The rhythm and the blues has not yet been decided, but the film is to be a three-part series that deals with Taylor’s life and music.
“My job is to create monuments for these people. It’s a great feeling. This is just the beginning,” Pitts said. The TRiiBE.
