Samuel Willis Taylor Jr., born on October 25, 1934, in Mobile, Alabama, was an American jump blues musician and songwriter. He began his career as Maxine Brown's bandleader at the Apollo Theater after serving in the United States Air Force. His breakthrough came with the Number 1 R&B hit single "Funny" and subsequent recordings for labels including Capitol, Enjoy, and Atlantic Records. Throughout his career, Taylor collaborated with notable artists such as Joey Dee and the Starliters, Otis Redding, B.T. Express, the Drifters, Big Joe Turner, T-Bone Walker, Sam & Dave, Tracy Nelson, Mother Earth, and The Isley Brothers. He released several albums including The Tunnels of My Mind (1969), Blue Tears (1997), and I Came from the Dirt (1999). Taylor was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Blues Hall of Fame in 2013. He passed away on January 5, 2009.
