Alex Taylor (singer)

Alexander Robert Taylor (February 28, 1947 – March 12, 1993)[1] was an American singer. Alexander Taylor was the eldest child of Isaac M. Taylor and Gertrude Taylor.

He was a member of a family which produced a number of musicians, the most famous of whom is James Taylor, as well as Livingston, Hugh and Kate Taylor.

Alex Taylor had two sons, Edward and James. The elder son, Edward was adopted, and lives in North Carolina; his second son James, who resides on Martha's Vineyard, is the namesake of Alex's brother James, and inspired his uncle's 1970 hit "Sweet Baby James." Alex Taylor traveled around Florida gigging and recording his finest work at a little studio in Tampa called Progressive Music. Taylor suffered a heart attack on March 7, 1993, in Sanford, Florida, while recording a third album at King Snake Records Studio. He died on March 12, 1993 (James' birthday), at age 46. He was survived by his wife Brent B. Taylor, then age 46, of West Tisbury, his two sons, and granddaughters Caroline, Anna Kate, Paige, and Claudia.

According to the official Rolling Stone biography of James Taylor, Alex Taylor's death has been attributed to alcoholism.[2] Livingston Taylor has said in an interview that Taylor suddenly stopped breathing while sleeping in a Kingsnake Records studio and that this occurred shortly after Taylor downed almost an entire bottle of vodka ("what was for him... not an exceptional amount of booze").[3] James Taylor wrote his song "Enough To Be On Your Way" with Alex's funeral in mind then changed some of the details to commemorate a fictional "Alice".[4]

Livingston Taylor called him "generous to the very fiber of his soul" and "the greatest older brother ever." Livingston also said that Alex supported and protected him during his troubled childhood.[3]

Discography
  • With Friends and Neighbors (1971)
  • Dinnertime (1972)
  • Third for Music (1974)
  • Live at the Horseshoe Tavern (1984) with Dan Aykroyd & the East Coast Funkbusters starring Barbara Holliday, Buck Taylor, Bird Taylor, Paul Shafer and the entire Blues Brothers Band.
  • Voodoo in Me (1989)
  • Dancing with the Devil (1991)

References
  1. "Social Security Death Index [database on-line]". United States: The Generations Network. Archived from the original on 20 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-21.
  2. "James Taylor Biography". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2009-05-18. Retrieved 2009-03-20.
  3. "Livingston Taylor - Remembering Big Brother Alex". LivingLegendsMusic. Retrieved April 11, 2010.
  4. "Enough To Be On Your Way Lyrics - James Taylor". Sing365.com. Retrieved 2016-01-10.
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