Billy Taylor
Listen to, buy or share
Buy
7digital
iTunes
Amazon
eBay
-
104,781
scrobbles
-
24,977 listeners
Biography
Billy Taylor was born in Greenville, North Carolina on July 24, 1921. Dr. Taylor, one of jazz’s most influential pianists, composers, and educators, is currently the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.
Taylor graduated from Virginia State College with a B.S. in Music in 1942, and has been playing piano professionally since 1944, starting with Ben Webster’s Quartet on New York’s 52nd Street. He later became the house pianist at Birdland, where he performed with the likes of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis.
In 1958, he was the Musical Director of NBC’s The Subject Is Jazz, the first ever television series on the subject of jazz.
He has received two Peabody Awards, an Emmy, a Grammy and twenty three honorary doctoral degress. He earned his combined Masters and Doctorate in Education from the University of Massachusetts in 1975.
Among his most notable works is “I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel to Be Free)”, composed in 1954, and subsequently achieving more popularity with Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Nina Simone covered the song in her 1967 album Silk and Soul. It is widely known in the UK as a piano instrumental version, used for BBC1’s Film programme, hosted by Barry Norman and subsequently Jonathan Ross. Derek Trucks, The Lighthouse Family and Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra have also recorded versions.
His daughter, Kim Taylor-Thompson, is Professor of Clinical Law at New York University. His son, Duane Taylor, was an artist who died in 1988.
Taylor graduated from Virginia State College with a B.S. in Music in 1942, and has been playing piano professionally since 1944, starting with Ben Webster’s Quartet on New York’s 52nd Street. He later became the house pianist at Birdland, where he performed with the likes of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis.
In 1958, he was the Musical Director of NBC’s The Subject Is Jazz, the first ever television series on the subject of jazz.
He has received two Peabody Awards, an Emmy, a Grammy and twenty three honorary doctoral degress. He earned his combined Masters and Doctorate in Education from the University of Massachusetts in 1975.
Among his most notable works is “I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel to Be Free)”, composed in 1954, and subsequently achieving more popularity with Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Nina Simone covered the song in her 1967 album Silk and Soul. It is widely known in the UK as a piano instrumental version, used for BBC1’s Film programme, hosted by Barry Norman and subsequently Jonathan Ross. Derek Trucks, The Lighthouse Family and Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra have also recorded versions.
His daughter, Kim Taylor-Thompson, is Professor of Clinical Law at New York University. His son, Duane Taylor, was an artist who died in 1988.
Top Tracks
Top Albums
-
The Billy Taylor Touch
2,096 listeners11 tracks
Released:
-
1952-1953
548 listeners21 tracks
Released:
-
One For Fun
1,307 listeners9 tracks
Released:
-
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free
93 listeners8 tracks
Released:
Listening Trend
24,977listeners all time
104,781scrobbles all time
Recent listeners trend:
Start scrobbling and track your listening history
Last.fm users scrobble the music they play in iTunes, Spotify, Rdio and over 200 other music players.
Create a Last.fm profileShoutbox
Leave a comment.
Log in to Last.fm or sign up.
-
RedjMusic
so glad I got to meet you sir. RIP
-
javiikiller
RIP
-
Strawb77
so sorry RIP
-
Chiaroscurist
RIP
-
Kariooka
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free -> <3
Top Listeners
-
craffert
Top Listener -
shamwowza
Top Listener -
julianmoncada_
Top Listener -
anenov
Top Listener
Email Newsletter
Get exclusive tour, release & promotion updates on Billy Taylor from Universal Music.
