Jazz great Billy Taylor dies at age 89

Jazz great Billy Taylor dies at age 89

2010-12-30 08:54:22 GMT+7 (ICT)

NEW YORK CITY (BNO NEWS) -- Jazz pianist and composer Billy Taylor on Tuesday night passed away at the age of 89 at a New York City hospital, his daughter said Wednesday.

Commonly known as Dr. Taylor, as he earned a doctorate in music education from the University of Massachusetts, William Edward Taylor Jr. was born in Greenville, North Carolina in 1921 but was raised in Washington. He wrote over 300 compositions and is remembered for his various activities outside the musical jazz scene.

Taylor began studying music at the age of 7, and in 1943, at the age of 22, he moved to New York City where he joined Ben Webster at the Three Deuces, becoming a regular at the famous nightclub. He was later hired as the house pianist at Birdland.

Enhancing his own musical career, Taylor formed his trio in 1951, playing in several venues in different cities including New York and Chicago.

However, Taylor was a writer for several publications, and in the 1950s he began getting involved in television and radio. He was musical director of an NBC show and worked as a disc jockey in several radio stations up to the early 2000s. For 20 of his active radio years he worked at the National Public Radio.

Taylor was also appointed as part of the new Cultural Council of New York City in 1968. He taught at several universities as well, such as Long Island University and the Manhattan School of Music.

Taylor is survived by his wife Theodora and his daughter Kim Taylor-Thompson.

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