Blackie Taylor "A Tribute to one of my heroes"

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 4 Nov 2004 11:21 am

I was on another topic about A6th tuning a little earlier and I mentioned Blackie Taylor. It got me to thinking about a few things and especially about ol' Blackie. He's been a friend of mine for probably 40 years and a friend to a whole lot of other players in the Los Angeles area. On top of that he's one helluva steel player and has been one of my greatest influences on steel guitar and on life in general. Blackie and I have seen each other through quite a few wives on each side and have picked together on occasion. When I got out of the Army in early '63 I didn't know anyone in the LA area but I ran into BT at a club in Norwalk I believe. I wasn't playing steel then but loved the instrument and tried to imitate it on lead guitar. He told me that he played steel and sold instruments on the side. Later on I needed an amp for a gig. He had a store out on Lincoln ave and he let me have a Standel tube amp with a 15" JBL in the thing and let me pay it out a little each week. If it hadn't been for him I wouldn't have been able to take that gig. Later on I finally heard Blackie play at a club called Henry's Lariet in Lomita, Ca. I believe. I just pulled into the parking lot and heard the band coming from inside the club and it sounded like the best Mooney licks I'd ever heard. It was Blackie for sure and what's different was he played it all on a single neck A6th tuning. He did it by lowering the C# and A strings to an E9th. In fact he was just doing it backwards from what we all do on E9th. All through my musical career in SoCal a musician could count on Blackie if they needed something for a gig. I've seen him extend credit to some real losers and he's been burnt a few times but he was always there for us. He's always been a good friend to all musicians and a nicer guy I've never met. I remember once when the club I was playing in got broken into and all our amps, guitars, etc. were stolen. I didn't have much money in those days and Blackie gave me everything I needed for the gig and let me pay what I could. I saw him this year at Scotty's convention and it was a pleasure. Ol' Blackie ain't changed a bit and I don't think he ever will. If any of y'all in SoCal need anything for the steel, or repairs or anything just contact Blackie Taylor music in Riverside and he'll get it for you if he doesn't have it. If you just wanna go by and talk, he's always been available to folks for that too. A "real" steel guitar hero in my book..Have a good 'un, JH

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Livin' in the Past and Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jerry Hayes on 04 November 2004 at 11:24 AM.]</p></FONT>

Fred Justice · Post by **Fred Justice** » 4 Nov 2004 11:55 am

Blackie Taylor is a member of our Association
the SWSGA and Blackie will be playing at our show in January at the Holiday Inn in Mesa Az.for those that want to hear Blackie play.
We at the SWSGA are proud to know Blackie.

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Fred Justice
Events Dir.
SWSGA www.swsteelguitar.com

Fred Shannon · Post by **Fred Shannon** » 4 Nov 2004 6:34 pm

Jerry is this the same Blackie Taylor that was giggin' around the Midland/Odessa west Texas area in the '50's...Hey Bobby Tuttle or Rountrees do you know?

fred

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The spirit be with you!
If it aint got a steel, it aint real

Bob Tuttle · Post by **Bob Tuttle** » 4 Nov 2004 6:46 pm

Hey Fred! I don't think so. I remember Blackie Crawford who was a singer who played around this area back then. I think Blackie Taylor's home is California.

Fred Shannon · Post by **Fred Shannon** » 4 Nov 2004 7:17 pm

Bobby, I'm sure you're right. 72 year old dummies should keep their mouth shut. And I'll tell you for certain memory AIN'T THE FIRST THING TO GO!!

Jerry, my friend, sorry to blow into your topic with a dumbie question.....

You guys have a super one and I'll go take my medicine.

fred

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The spirit be with you!
If it aint got a steel, it aint real

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 5 Nov 2004 3:14 am

In 1956 I believe, I subbed in aband led by a "Blackie". He had a TV show on a staion in San Jose Ca, really it was the only station in San Jose and all was in glorious B&W. Could this be the same Blackie? CC

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 5 Nov 2004 4:27 am

CC, I think that might have been the same Blackie Crawford who was in Texas in the 50's. Bobby Black played for him at one time I believe. Blackie Taylor has been playing steel around the Los Angeles area since the 50's and has had a music shop/store for most of that time. He's had his own band on occasion and also played steel at some of the top clubs and with some of the best known of the LA circuit like Sammy Masters, Al Bruno, Jack Tucker, Carl Cody, and a host of others.....JH

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Livin' in the Past and Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 5 Nov 2004 5:50 am

thanks Jerry. I have been trying to think of Blackies name for yrs. He always dressed in black, had black curley or wavy hair and it seemed that his pants were about to fall off. A hell of a fine fellow. I was still in the army in Monterey and couldn't work full time. Whenever he would call me to sub he would always say his steel player was in jail, trying to avoid a process server,had a hell of a hangover, had hocked his steel to help pay overdue alimony, or had been beaten up by a jealous husband. Typical steel player. CC

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 5 Nov 2004 5:02 pm

Actually there's no reason to believe that Blackie Crawford was c c johnson's Blackie other than the nickname.

I'd think that Black Jack Wayne would be more likely, however I'm pretty sure cc saw a pic of Blackie and nixed that idea.

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 5 Nov 2004 7:52 pm

Jason, can you send a pic of Wayne? May be the guy. CC

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 6 Nov 2004 2:47 am

Mitch Drumm sent me a pic of BJWayne and that sure looks like the Blackie I worked for. I sure would like to have that head of hair shown in the foto. CC

Carl West · Post by **Carl West** » 6 Nov 2004 8:41 am

Jerry Hayes hit it right on the head discribing Blackie Taylor.I've know Blackie about as long as Jerry. Blackie Taylor is one hell of an all around guy. It's a pleasure to know him and to have delt with him. Not another more honest person alive than BT. I recall a many night seeing Blackie walk in a club I was working. He's not changed one bit.a great spokesman for PSG, plus more.
thanks for everything Mr. Blackie Taylor !

Carl West
Emmons D-10

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 6 Nov 2004 3:04 pm

CC, I just checked my archives and at the time I'd mispalced my pic of Black Jack, so you'd never have seen it before Mitch sent it to you.
My mistake. The pic I have shows Black J. without a hat, you got mail coming CC.

Blackie Taylor came out West in the late 1940s, played guitar then steel with various guys. He did a stint at Bell Gardens with Kenny Brown, who I think cut Crazy Arms before anyone else.

He also had a mid 1950s group with Gib Guilbeau, and did stints with Billy Mize and Carl Cody, the Bacon Brothers and Gene O'Quin, he led his own band for some years then in the mid 1960s he hooked up with Sammy Masters with a band that included guitarists like Al Bruno and Cecil Bays among others.

Mark Switzer · Post by **Mark Switzer** » 8 Nov 2004 1:42 pm

Thanks for this thread, Jerry. I`d just like to add my thanks to Blackie Taylor for the thousands of dollars worth of information he`s given me for free, and the many hours of conversation and laughter that are worth even more.
Mark

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 9 Nov 2004 4:58 am

Blackie's had some great players do shows at his store so we could experience their talents and on occasion get to jam with some of them. One of my most prized possessions is a photo of me playing bass with Buddy Emmons in the store at of of these shows. He's had these artists appear for us: Buddy Emmons, Dave Musgrave, Shot Jackson, Maurice Anderson, Phil Baugh, Doug LaValley, Bill Stafford, DeWitt Scott, Al Petty, Herby Wallace, Tommy Roots, to name a few. These get togethers were always free to the customers and friends. I miss those good old days out in SoCal but I'm too dang scared to get on an airplane so I guess I'm stuck in Virginia until I retire so I can drive out there to visit. Even if it's 30 years from now ol' Blackie will still be there as he looks just like he did 40 years ago so I know he's not aging like the rest of us....JH

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Livin' in the Past and Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 9 Nov 2004 8:30 am

Blackie is a great guy and a credit to the steel community! This is especially true when you consider that he's about the only steel- exclusive mechant in an area as large, and supposedly as civilized as Southern CA/Los Angeles.

He also has a great method for teaching absolute beginers how to play PSG AND read real notation. I could never do that.

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 9 Nov 2004 8:52 am

What always amazed me about Blackie's teaching was that although he played A6th as his primary set up on a 12 string guitar he was very proficient in teaching both E9th and C6th students and could play both tunings as well. He was never one to tell a student that his way was the way to go. Some teachers I've seen will tell students that their set up is the best thing going and try to get them to go in that direction. Not Blackie, he'll go with what the student wants to learn and do his best to get him (her) there.....JH

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Livin' in the Past and Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.