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Shawn Taylor
With a thumping thumb, dancing fingers, deep gritty soul stirring vocals & poetic blue collar lyrics; Taylor's
songs ooze American roots. His voice has been compared to Tom Waites, Ray Lamontagne, Bruce Springstien, Chris Smither,
Bob Dylan & Eddie Vedder. His original songs draw from the deep Americana muscial well & his lyrics are colored by
the experiences of his own working class wandering roots. He's been an oysterman, carpenter, hitchhiker, homeowner, father,
husband, 'Thru-hiker' (Appalachian Trail '96, Long Trail '97, & John Muir Trail '06 - visit his blog "Short Stories From A Long Walk") & full time musician since his '08 debut release "Wandering Roots."
Taylor's third original CD "Home" hit National airwaves Oct 1, 2013, debuting
at #33 on the folk DJ charts and hitting a #4 song on Acoustic Pie Radio on Live365.com. It features several solo tracks
anchored by his signiture heavy handed fingerpicking & introduces his lively harmonica playing for the first time on
record. It also features a fine aray of New England musicians, as the 'Wandering Roots,' for an eclectic batch of songs
and sounds that seek to reflect the diversity of the American experience, within the frame work of [roughly] 'acoustic'
Americana.
He's played such venues as the Bluebird Cafe (Nashville, TN), the Towne Crier (Pawling, NY- where he won the
Open Mike Finals), & The New Haven Folk Festival (New Haven, CT - a finalist in the Songwriting competition),
playing the role of solo folk trubidor & band leader with his ever evolving 'tribe' "Wandering Roots." he released his second original C.D. "FREE"
on April 23rd, 2010, to possitive review and that music has been used in advertising on-line and on air.
Taylor's cover repertoire is rich in obscure, but
recognizable songs, that he has a nack for making his own. Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Mississippi John Hurt, the Grateful Dead,
the Beatles, Bob Marley, Tom Waites, Steve Earl, Keb' Mo', Lyle lovett, Chris Smither & more. He curently maintains a
busy performance sceduel and recently spearheaded the "Sandy Hook Songs For Hope" compilation fundraiser CD project,
to promote healing and raise funds for greater Sandy Hook arts, education & healing. www.SandyHookSongsForHope.org
Has shared the stage with;
* Scott Ainslie
* Kevin So
* Pat Wictor
* Amy Speace
* David Jacobs-Strain
* Danielle Miraglia
* Garnet Rodgers
* Michael Ronstadt
3rd
CD, "Home" - debuted #33 on Folk Charts
"Waiting" - voted #4 song - November on
'Acoustic Pie' Radio @ LIVE365.com
WINNER
- Towne Crier
Open Mike Finals (Pawling, NY)
FINALIST
- CT Folk Festival
Songwriting Competition
WINNER
- Gulf Stream Magazine
Short Story Fiction Contest
'THRU'
HIKED - Appalachian Trail,
John Muir Trail & The Long Trail
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| Photo by Denise MacCaferri |
Press "I've
really enjoyed listening to this band." (José Feliciano - 3/17/13 at Smokin' With Chris - Southington, CT)
"Shawn is a master balladeer
& troubador"
(Remo Ricaldone - American
Roots Radio, Italy)
'"Shawn, in my mind, is the real
deal."
"well-crafted music, performed with grace"
(Jim Dublinski - WUVT, VA)
"Shawn dives directly into folk/blues
with heart and soul, telling stories of real people with real hardships, all backed by a finger-picking
style that can be crass, gentle, fast or simple, what ever the moment calls for, and led all the time confidently
with his gruff and raspy blues voice. He’s found originality within his genre. A tough
thing to do."
(Tom Bianchi - Boston Backstage Beat)
"Shawn Taylor,
Free (self-released, shawntaylortunes.com). Shawn Taylor plays his acoustic guitar Delta style, reminiscent
of Mississippi John Hurt... and you can hear his smooth command of the difficult finger-picking style...
Anchoring the whole thing is Taylor’s voice. Described as “wonderfully damaged” by the
Advocate’s own Dan Barry, it is worn but not frayed, a smoky tenor that exudes confidence and authority.
This kind of command comes from live performances — not just in clubs and coffee bars, but in living
rooms and on front porches as well. " (James
Velvet - New Haven Advocate) "Shawn
Taylor impressed me with his voice , his fingerpicking , the diversity of his sounds and of his songs"
(Michel Penard - Radio
Milieu, France)
"On Saturday night I caught singer/songwriter Shawn Taylor at Acoustic Café.
He has
a wonderfully damaged voice - a sort of Tom Waits
'I gargle cinder blocks in the morning' growl,
but less of a put-on than Waits' bark.
His lyrics dabble in a wonderful gritty naturalism that's
uncommon around here... check him out."
(Dan Barry - New Haven Advocate)
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