Todd Taylor Archives - Bluegrass Today

South Carolina Banjo Day coming up March 11

Once again this year, the state of South Carolina will dedicate a day to their native son, Todd Taylor, as they celebrate South Carolina Banjo Day on March 11.

The honor was first bestowed on Todd in 2018, both in recognition of his achievements as a banjo player, and in recognition of his having overcome serious health issues throughout his life. He had suffered illness for a number of years leading up to a diagnosis of mitochondrial myopathy, as well as additional issues related to the disease since.

In a cruel sort of irony, Taylor has just been diagnosed with colon cancer, and is starting treatment quite soon, so one imagines he will especially appreciate his “day” in March.

The following is the proclamation passed in 2018 by the South Carolina state legislature, and read on the floor of the Senate.

Whereas, the members of the General Assembly are pleased to recognize Todd “Banjoman” Taylor as an outstanding citizen who has positively impacted the State of South Carolina;

Whereas, in 2012, Mr. Taylor received the Order of the Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of his musical contributions to the State of South Carolina;

and Whereas, it would be fitting and proper to pay tribute to the accomplishments and public service of this son of South Carolina by annually recognizing the second Tuesday in March as “South Carolina Banjo Day.”

Now, therefore, Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring: That the members of the General Assembly, by this resolution, recognize Wednesday, March 14, 2018, and the second Tuesday in March of each year thereafter as “South Carolina Banjo Day” in honor of Todd “Banjoman” Taylor’s musical contributions to the State of South Carolina.

Remember, come March 11, 2025, to think of your favorite banjo player, and if you play one yourself, be sure to pick one for Todd!

Ghost Riders in the Sky video from Todd Taylor, plus another health scare

South Carolina banjo man Todd Taylor has a new video, his rock ‘n’ roll five string version of the classic song, Ghost Riders in the Sky.

Todd has made a career for himself in this distinct stylistic niche, taking three-finger, roll-style banjo to rock music lovers with his arrangements of hit songs, and appearing with both rock and country acts on stage. His many collaborations with The Oak Ridge Boys have cemented his appeal with their massive fan base, as did his performances in years past on the Jerry Lewis telethons for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Taylor suffers from a related disease, mitochondrial myopathy, and his appearances on the telethon both showed the world that people with muscular diseases could still accomplish much, and gave hope to the thousands of suffers of MD.

In that light, let’s talk about his most recent health concerns before checking out the new video.

Todd told us this afternoon that he has just received a diagnosis of colon cancer, following the extraction of a large polyp, with a treatment plan yet to be determined. But in typical Taylor fashion, he says that he’s not afraid, because he knows that God is with him, and feels that he will certainly beat this.

Given that his doctors found no spread of the cancer into his lymphatic system, Todd has good reason to be optimistic. He is likely to undergo a regimen of chemo and/or radiation therapy starting within the next few weeks, and at only 59 years of age, he says that he feels great. Prognosis in such cases is for better than 90% of patients recovering fully.

Todd asks that everyone pray for him, as he has seen the power of faith and prayer in his past brushes with mortality.

Now, let’s have a look at his take on Ghost Riders in the Sky.

Best of luck, Todd, as you go through treatment. We’re all praying for a happy outcome!

Take It Easy video from Todd Taylor

South Carolina’s Todd Taylor, the banjo man in black, has turned his passion for translating rock music to the five string banjo towards the country rock sound of the 1970s in his latest release. It’s a banjo pickin’ take on The Eagles’ Take It Easy, their very first single from 1972, and one of their more memorable releases.

This song has been recorded bluegrass style many times since then, but this may be the first time as a banjo instrumental. Taylor picks through this song, in the key of G, of course, and turns in a version quite faithful to the original, written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey.

Todd even visited Winslow, AZ on Route 66 for the video, which should appeal to both banjo lovers and Eagles fans.

Have a look/listen.

Todd Taylor’s cut of Take It Easy is available now from popular download and streaming services online.

Banjo Blast video from Todd Taylor

Banjo Blast… no, it’s not the latest flavor from Mountain Dew. It’s the new single from the banjo man in black, Todd Taylor.

Known initially for his treatments of banjo in the rock ‘n’ roll world, this latest finds Todd combining his love for rockin’ out and the bluegrass style he grew up playing.

It’s a short tune, but Taylor gets plenty of banjo pickin’ done in just two minutes.

Have a look/listen in the accompanying music video.

Banjo Blast is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.

Reuben’s Train video from Todd Taylor

What’s this…? Rock ‘n’ roll banjo man Todd Taylor playing an Earl Scruggs tune? Someone must have gotten their signals crossed.

Nope… Taylor is just returning to the Scruggs’ style banjo he mastered in his youth, when he first came to wide attention. It was as a teen and young adult that he made repeated appearances on the Grand Ole Opry, and on a variety of television programs like Regis & Kathy Lee and the Jerry Lewis telethon. With Lewis he demonstrated just how much someone with a variety of muscular dystrophy could accomplish.

While his illness has created problems for Todd throughout his life, his faith has always kept him on track, and even while hospitalized he never lost his cheerful disposition.

The rock banjo became his calling card when Taylor took his five to the Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 radio show in the mid-’80s, and played his version of Free Bird. He’s been the rock ‘n’ roll banjo man ever since.

But check out his take on Reuben’s Train, an Earl Scruggs classic from the 1950s. You’ll hear a few elements of Todd’s fascination with rock music, like the flanged guitar in the intro, but it’s mostly just solid pickin’ and singin’, with a bit of double banjo at the end.

Reuben’s Train by Todd Taylor will be in the popular download and streaming services soon online. Radio programmers can get the track now via AirPlay Direct.

24 Hours at a Time – new video from Todd Taylor

Looks like it’s time for some more rock ‘n’ roll banjo from South Carolina’s Todd Taylor, Guinness Book certified as the World’s Fastest Banjo Player in 2007.

Todd is just now recovering from a fairly serious head injury, suffered when he stumbled getting out of his new bus. Having recently acquired it, he had expected to find the same hand rail along the exit steps that he had in his previous one, but when he reached out, it wasn’t there. He came crashing down the steps and hit his head on the asphalt.

Taylor also suffers from a variant of Muscular Dystrophy known as a mitochondrial myopathy, a genetic disease he inherited from his mother, so he isn’t always nimble on his feet at his best, and he said that when he put his weight down expecting to get support from the handrail, and not finding it, he just tumbled out onto the street.

Memory issues plagued him for some time from the concussion effect, and Taylor told us last week that he didn’t recognize long time friends for several weeks until his brian swelling decreased. But all is well now and he is recovering nicely at home.

This latest release is Todd’s tribute to his late friend, Toy Caldwell, guitarist for the Marshall Tucker Band, who passed away in 1993. It’s an original composition of Caldwell’s called 24 Hours at a Time, which Taylor covers on banjo and vocal.

He explained the genesis of this track, and how he became interested in playing rock music on his five string.

“I was six years old when I started playing the banjo, and I always listened to Marshall Tucker Band and loved Toy’s guitar style. When I was 13 I got to meet Toy and we became good friends. I would hang out at his house with him, and play banjo while he played guitar with me, and we would fish in his lake and have a good ole time when he was not touring and I was not touring back then.

I did play bluegrass but I always played rock as well on my banjo, southern rock and anything different. I would sit and make up the banjo arrangements for a lot of classic rock songs, then copyright the arrangements because no one ever did that in those days and Toy and I would rock out.

I remember telling Toy I was going to take the banjo to the rock n roll Top 40, and he said, ‘do it you have a style of your own.’ I credit Toy for also telling me to do that and it paid off big time for me being the first person in history to take the banjo as a solo instrument and show the world its not just for bluegrass. That’s how I ended up being known for pioneering rock banjo.

Toy wanted me to record 24 Hours at a Time back in the ’80s, but I never did it. So now I finally did as a tribute to my friend, a true legend.”

24 Hours at a Time from Todd Taylor is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.

Todd Taylor Old Rugged Cross video

South Carolina banjo picker Todd Taylor is having a very busy and productive winter. Last month he released a new single and video for his song, Taylor’s Ride, and already in the new year he has an instrumental take on the gospel classic, The Old Rugged Cross.

Taylor has cut the song in a southern gospel type arrangement, and recorded this track with support from Mike Moody, who plays bass, piano, and drums.

Have a listen to The Old Rugged Cross, starting with a brief message from Todd.

Todd is making the track a free giveaway, which can be downloaded here.

Radio programmers can get a copy of Taylor’s cut of The Old Rugged Cross via AirPlay Direct.

Taylor’s Ride video from Todd Taylor

Todd Taylor, everyone’s favorite rock ‘n roll banjo picker, has a new single and video out this week. It’s one he wrote called Taylor’s Ride, which is essentially his life story in song.

And what a life it’s been! Starting out at six years old, he toured with his brother as The Taylor Twins while still a youngster. The Ride continues with references to a number of milestones in his career, from being endorsed by Gretsch, being recognized by the Guinness Book as fastest banjo player, to achieving Top 40 success, and the mitochondrial muscle disease (similar to muscular dystrophy) that nearly cost him his life.

Between autobiographical verses, we get a taste of Todd’s rock banjo style, a unique roll-based approach that suits the genre as well as it does bluegrass.

In the video we see Taylor with his five, and his bus, tootling through his native South Carolina.

Check it out…

Taylor’s Ride is available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers will find the track at AirPlay Direct.

Six Guns – new single and video from Todd Taylor

Rockin’ Todd Taylor is back with a new single release, and accompanying music video, featuring his signature style of rock ‘n’ roll banjo. But instead of a cover of an ’80s rock classic, this time out it’s a song he has written.

Six Guns tells the story of a stock character bad guy, who travels the country with his five string and his six shooters by his side. Done up in an outlaw country style, Todd brings it to life in the movie video, complete with a tongue-in-cheek intro.

His banjo buddy, John McEuen, shares a few words about this latest release.

“Todd Taylor plays slow banjo licks? Writes songs with lyrics, and sings them?

On his new release of Six Guns he does all that very well, and makes me wonder what took him so long to sing on a recording. It’s about time, Todd! What other songs do you have that you are holding back on?

Todd Taylor is now coming in to the world as more than ‘just’ a banjo picker, which he does amazingly, but as a singer/songwriter/producer of good recordings. I wish him well!”

Have a look/listen…

Six Guns is available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers can get the track via AirPlay Direct.

Classical Gas video from Todd Taylor

Todd Taylor, everyone’s favorite rock ‘n’ roll banjo player, has a new single and video, his take on the monster Mason Williams hit from 1968, Classical Gas.

Though he’s equally adept at picking bluegrass style, which is how he learned as a boy, Taylor made his name transforming rock and pop songs into banjo arrangements. These have found him success over the years, often with rock-oriented audiences and playlists.

Williams’ original was for classical guitar, and he first performed it on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour on TV, where he served as head writer. He has since said that its actual title was meant to be Classical Gasoline, but once shortened, the name stuck.

The single was all but inescapable in ’68, being played seemingly on all radio stations, and has since been covered dozens of times by artists as varied as The Ventures, Rick Wakeman, Tommy Emmanuel, Steve Howe, and Weird Al Yankovic, who recorded an accordion version.

Here’s Todd with a video for his banjo arrangement, arriving in a classic Chevy truck.

Classical Gas by Todd Taylor is available from Pirate Records at popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers can get the track from AirPlay Direct.