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Shooby Taylor

William "Shooby" Taylor
Background information
Born(1929-09-19)September 19, 1929
Indiana Township, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedJune 4, 2003(2003-06-04) (aged 73)
East Orange, New Jersey
GenresScat, outsider music, jazz
Occupation(s)Singer
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years activec. 1975 – c. 1984
LabelsN/A
Websitewww.shooby.com

William "Shooby" Taylor (September 19, 1929 – June 4, 2003[1]) was an American jazz vocalist famous for scat singing over various records, including those of the Ink Spots, the Harmonicats, Johnny Cash, Miles Davis, Mozart, and Cristy Lane, in a baritone voice.

Nicknamed "The Human Horn", he is noted for his highly idiosyncratic scat style, using sounds and syllables quite unlike those used by other scat singers.[2]

Writing in The New York Times, Marc Ferris noted that "those who seek out music that swims against the mainstream have been entranced by [Taylor's] originality."[3]

Music historian Irwin Chusid described Taylor as "the world's weirdest scat singer," "100 percent uninhibited and soulful, in a lovably demented way," and stated that "a joyousness permeates [his] performances, a celebratory quality that serves as an analgesic for temporary relief from existential pain."[4]

  1. ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Shooby Taylor: Biography". allmusic.com. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  2. ^ Chusid, Irwin (2000). Songs in the Key of Z: The Curious Universe of Outsider Music. A Cappella. pp. 141–146.
  3. ^ Ferris, Marc (November 10, 2002). "The Travels of Shooby Taylor". nytimes.com. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  4. ^ Chusid, Irwin (2000). Songs in the Key of Z: The Curious Universe of Outsider Music. A Cappella. p. 141.