Album Share : The Shelly Taylor Touch – Shelly Taylor
Our latest offering brings us the musical stylings of Cordovoxist/Singer Shelly Taylor. Although somewhat of a mystery, Mr. Taylor seems to have been active in the nightclubs of Florida sometime during the last century. In this recording he is performing as a solo act, but there are references to him also recording albums with singers Leigh Rocke and Billy Glenn released by vanity/song-poem label owner Bob Quimby.
Side one of this recording is all instrumental with Mr. Taylor pulling out every Codovox trick in the book on standards such as Exodus, Blue Velvet, and Moon River. Side two brings Mr. Taylor’s pipes into the mix as he croons of love and Loneliness (the only Shelly Taylor original on the album)
All in all this is a fun little recording. Quirky, a little rough around the edges at times, but decidedly sincere performances from a man who is clearly passionate about what he does. Although I was not able to locate an obituary, this site for a (defunct?) web design company mentions that Mr. Taylor died unexpectedly in March of 1998. Have fun listening and as always, Enjoy!
Download all the mp3s and cover art in one 47 MB zip file.
August 13th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
thanks so much for posting this. i’ve really been enjoying this album very much. thanks!
November 25th, 2007 at 7:48 pm
Wow, thanks for sharing my dad’s album on your site! I am Shelly’s oldest son. My father was a great dad and a great musician. He was one of the top accordionists in the world. Before he moved to Daytona Beach, Fl from NYC, he had worked for Guy Lombardo and also with Ted Mack. He was a 3-time winner on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour.
Sadly to say, the morning after he played a gig with Billy Glenn, (April 19, 1989) celebrating their 29 yrs. as a team together, he had a massive heart attack and died at the age of 67. Also, sad to say, Billy Glenn passed away last week at the age of 73.
Thanks again for remembering my father on your website.
-David Taylor
November 25th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
I, too want to thank you for remembering my dad, Shelly Taylor, as my brother stated above-ditto!!!
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:51 am
Shelly was a dear friend and the greatest musician ever to live in the Daytona area. He had the distinct gift to hear a song only once and remember it forever.
We lost a dear friend and a wonderful entertainer. Shelly will be missed always.
March 21st, 2010 at 5:52 am
I remember living in Daytona Beach in late ’75 and early ’76 and working at a few odd jobs as well as performing music in some of the beach hotels and I always heard about Shelly Taylor beaing a great entertainer. I remember seeing his name on the marquis’s but I never got the chance to actually see him perform.
February 10th, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Sorry to hear Shelly and Billy are gone. Listened to them many times years ago in Daytona Beach. Two great musicians.