Chicago West Side blues artist Larry “Bluesman” Taylor is part of the Goose Island Stage lineup at this year’s Taste of Chicago on July 12, the city’s signature summer food and music festival kicking off this month at Grant Park.
Part of a legendary blues family, Taylor is the oldest son of late master guitarist Eddie “Playboy” Taylor and the late singer/songwriter and pianist, Vera Taylor.
His upbringing placed him at the center of Chicago’s storied West Side blues scene, where he absorbed the rhythms, stories, and influence of musical greats like Howlin’ Wolf, James Brown and many others that continue to shape his work today.
Along with his band, the Soul Blues Healers, Taylor’s performances are known for honoring the past while engaging audiences with a fresh, soulful sound that reflects his lived experiences.
His performance, Taylor said, “will be a combination of blues, soul, and old school R&B which everybody will enjoy,” a promise that reflects both his legendary musical roots and his commitment to keeping Chicago’s blues tradition alive for new audiences.
In a recent Austin Weekly News West Side magazine article, he said, “The blues started on the slave plantations. … My grandmother told me that when she was picking or chopping cotton from sunup to sundown out in the field, they would sing the blues.”
He added that Blues is the originator of all the other great American music.
Established in 1980, Taste of Chicago returns this year with what organizers describe as a diverse array of food vendors showcasing the city’s culinary excellence.
Taylor is scheduled to perform from 5:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. on July 12 on the Goose Island Stage.
Free admission is available for the event that will take place along Columbus Avenue from Balbo to Monroe. Food vendors will accept credit cards only; tickets will not be sold.