Todd Taylor (banjo player)
Encyclopedia
Todd Taylor is an American five string banjo
player. He held the Guinness Book of World Records title for "world's fastest banjo". In a demonstration of speed play he played "Dueling Banjos" by himself January 31, 2007 in Palm Bay, Florida
at an event for Guinness Book of World records. Listed in the Guinness Calendar for 2008 January 31/February 1. He plays a number of styles but gets the most you tube hits for his banjo renditions of popular and classic rock
tunes.
They toured The Bluegrass Circuit and made several television appearances. Todd has also toured and gone on several shows by himself. Owing to confusion with other "Taylor Twins" he usually appears under his own name at this time.
He has played and toured with other notable bluegrass players including Bill Monroe
, Carl Story
, Jim & Jesse
.
They appeared on the Grand Ole Opry
, with the Roy Acuff
Nashville Network, and Nashville On The Road Show with major country acts.
Todd Became the first banjo player to take the Banjo to the Rock-n-Roll worldwide Top-40 countdown, with his remake of the classic rock tune "Free Bird
" AKA Taylor's Freebird.
Todd has been nominated four times for a Grammy Award
.
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
player. He held the Guinness Book of World Records title for "world's fastest banjo". In a demonstration of speed play he played "Dueling Banjos" by himself January 31, 2007 in Palm Bay, Florida
Palm Bay, Florida
Palm Bay is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population as 100,786 on 1 July 2008; it is the most populous city in the county...
at an event for Guinness Book of World records. Listed in the Guinness Calendar for 2008 January 31/February 1. He plays a number of styles but gets the most you tube hits for his banjo renditions of popular and classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
tunes.
Biography and history
Todd Taylor began touring the Bluegrass circuit with his brother. Together they were known as The Taylor Twins.They toured The Bluegrass Circuit and made several television appearances. Todd has also toured and gone on several shows by himself. Owing to confusion with other "Taylor Twins" he usually appears under his own name at this time.
He has played and toured with other notable bluegrass players including Bill Monroe
Bill Monroe
William Smith Monroe was an American musician who created the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader...
, Carl Story
Carl Story
Carl Story was an influential bluegrass musician and leader of his band the "Rambling Mountaineers". He was dubbed "The Father of Bluegrass Gospel Music" by the governor of Oklahoma.-Biography:...
, Jim & Jesse
Jim & Jesse
Jim & Jesse were an American bluegrass music duo composed of brothers Jim McReynolds and Jesse McReynolds...
.
They appeared on the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
, with the Roy Acuff
Roy Acuff
Roy Claxton Acuff was an American country music singer, fiddler, and promoter. Known as the King of Country Music, Acuff is often credited with moving the genre from its early string band and "hoedown" format to the star singer-based format that helped make it internationally successful.Acuff...
Nashville Network, and Nashville On The Road Show with major country acts.
Todd Became the first banjo player to take the Banjo to the Rock-n-Roll worldwide Top-40 countdown, with his remake of the classic rock tune "Free Bird
Free Bird
"Free Bird" is a song by the American southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd...
" AKA Taylor's Freebird.
Todd has been nominated four times for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
.
Notable Appearances
- Live with Regis and Kathy Lee: "Banjo and guitar picking sensations, the Taylor Twins, will perform this Thursday on the daytime television show, 'Live With Regis & Kathie.'" Article from: PR Newswire Article date: April 18, 1989
Discography
- Something Different (2000)
- Fast Ride (2000)
- Blazing Bluegrass Banjo (2003)
- Taylor Made (2005)
- 3-five-N (2006)
- Bringin' It... Home (2008)
- Diversity (2010)