Young gospel phenom, gritty Stax/Volt soulster, lady-killing balladeer, chart-topping disco king, Southern soul-blues stalwart -- Johnnie Taylor somehow always managed to adapt to the times, and he parlayed that versatility into a recording career that lasted nearly four decades. Nicknamed the "Philosopher of Soul" during his Stax days, that version of Taylor is best remembered for his 1968 R&B chart-topping smash "Who's Making Love," but far and away his biggest success was 1976's across-the-board number one "Disco Lady," the first single ever certified platinum (which at the time meant sales of over two million copies). When the national hits dried up, Taylor wound up as one of the most prolific artists on the Malaco label, a refuge for many Southern soul and blues veterans whose styles had fallen out of popular favor by the '80s. Taylor called Malaco home for over 15 years and kept on recording and performing right up to his passing in 2000.
Johnnie Harrison Taylor was born in Crawfordsville, AR, on May 5, 1934 (though he usually gave his birth year as 1938); he grew up mostly in nearby West Memphis. He began singing in church as a young child and later moved to Kansas City, where he performed with a gospel group called the Melody Kings; it was through this outfit that he initially met and befriended Soul Stirrers frontman Sam Cooke. In 1953, Taylor left home and moved to Chicago, where he joined the doo wop group the Five Echoes; shortly thereafter, he began performing concurrently with the gospel group the Highway Q.C.'s, which had once been home to Sam Cooke. In 1957, Taylor would replace Cooke in the hugely influential Soul Stirrers, after Cooke departed for a career in secular music.
After four years with the Soul Stirrers, Taylor escaped gospel music's waning popularity and followed Cooke into the world of secular soul, becoming the first artist to sign with Cooke's label, Sar, in 1961. Taylor released a few singles on Sar and another Cooke label, Derby, over the next few years, including the minor R&B hit "Rome (Wasn't Built in a Day)." Unfortunately, Cooke was murdered in late 1964, and his labels folded, leaving Taylor without a record deal. He returned to the Memphis area and signed with the enormously popular Stax label in 1965, debuting early the following year with "I Had a Dream." Taylor scored a few minor R&B hits over the next few years, including "I Got to Love Somebody's Baby," "Somebody's Sleeping in My Bed," and "Next Time." He hit it big in late 1968 with the gritty, funky "Who's Making Love," his first number one R&B hit, which also made the pop Top Five. Taylor was able to land some decent-sized follow-up hits in the years to come, among them "Take Care of Your Homework," "Jody's Got Your Girl and Gone," "Steal Away," and "I Am Somebody." By the early '70s, Taylor's bread and butter had become smooth, elegant crooning, as typified by his 1973 album Taylored in Silk and his two attendant ballad smashes, "I Believe in You (You Believe in Me)" and "Cheaper to Keep Her."
When Stax went bankrupt in 1975, Taylor moved over to CBS/Columbia, debuting in 1976 with the album Eargasm. Its first single, "Disco Lady," was an instant smash, capturing the spirit of the era and selling over two million copies (although some soul fans still debate whether it was a true disco song). "Disco Lady" was Taylor's first number one pop hit, despite losing airplay over its supposedly suggestive lyrics, and it proved such a phenomenon that CBS eagerly pushed him to record more disco-oriented material, something Taylor wasn't extraordinarily comfortable with. He recorded several more albums for the label through 1980, but never came close to duplicating the success of "Disco Lady" and left to sign with the smaller Beverly Glen imprint in 1982.
Taylor recorded one album for Beverly Glen, 1982's Just Ain't Good Enough, which produced a minor R&B hit in "What About My Love." Still searching for a home more in line with the environment at Stax, Taylor soon jumped to Malaco Records, a Southern label dedicated to preserving the region's classic soul and blues sounds (albeit sometimes with a bit less grit than in days of old). Debuting with 1984's This Is Your Night, Taylor and Malaco clicked right away, and he wound up recording a total of 12 albums for the label over the next 15 years, ranking as one of their best-selling artists. Taylor's style during this era had evolved into a hybrid of soul and blues, with more emphasis on the latter than at any other point in his career; he continued to tour steadily through the '80s and '90s, and landed a few more singles on the lower reaches of the R&B chart up until 1990. In 1996, his album Good Love! topped the Billboard blues chart. Taylor's final album was 1999's Gotta Get the Groove Back; on May 31, 2000, he suffered a heart attack at his home in Duncanville, TX (a suburb of Dallas), and died at the hospital. -- Steve Huey of All Music Guide.
01. I Got to Love Somebody's Baby 02. Just the One I've Been Lookin' For 03. Watermelon Man 04. Where Can a Man Go from Here 05. Toe-Hold 06. Outside Love |
07. Ain't That Loving You (For More Reasons Than One) 08. Blues in the Night 09. I Had a Dream 10. Sixteen Tons 11. Little Bluebird |
01. Who's Making Love? 02. I'm Not the Same Person 03. Hold on This Time 04. Woman Across the River 05. Can't Trust Your Neighbor 06. Take Care of Your Homework |
07. I'm Trying 08. Poor Make Believer 09. Payback Hurts 10. Mr. Nobody 11. I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water 12. Rumors |
01. Testify (I Wonna) 02. Separation Line 03. Love Bones 04. Love Is a Hurting Thing 05. I Had a Fight With Love |
06. I Could Never Be President 07. It's Amazing 08. Who Can I Turn To 09. Games People Play 10. It's Your Thing |
01. Where There's Smoke There's Fire 02. Hello Sundown 03. Pardon Me Lady 04. Where Can a Man Go from Here 05. That Bone 06. That's Where It's At |
07. Part Time Love 08. If I Had It to Do All Over 09. You're Good for Me 10. You Can't Keep a Good Man Down 11. You Can't Win With a Losing Hand |
01. Who's Making Love 02. You Can't Get Away from it 03. Toe Hold 03. Just the One (I've Been Looking For) 04. I Ain't Particular 05. Take Care of Your Homework 06. I've Got to Love Somebody's Baby |
07. Little Blue Bird 08. I Had a Dream 09. Outside Love 10. Somebody's Sleeping in My Bed 11. If I Had to Do All Over |
01. Time After Time 02. Party Life 03. Will You Love Me Forever 04. I Am Somebody (Pt. 1-2) 05. I Don't Wanna Lose You (Pt. 1-2) |
06. Don't Take My Sunshine 07. Jody's Got Your Girl and Gone 08. Fool Like Me 09. Steal Away 10. Friday Night |
01. We're Getting Careless With Our Love 02. Starting All over Again 03. Cheaper to Keep Her 04. Talk to Me 05. I Believe in You (You Believe in Me) 06. One Thing Wrong With My Woman 07. I Can Read Between the Lines |
08. This Bitter Earth 09. Hijackin' Love 10. Love in the Streets 11. Standing in for Jody 12. Shackin' Up 13. Doing My Own Thing (Pt. 1) 14. Doing My Own Thing (Pt. 2) |
01. It's September . 02. Darling I Love You 03. Try Me Tonight 04. Free |
05. I've Been Born Again 06. At Night Time (My Pillow Tells a Tale on Me) 07. It Don't Pay to Get up in the Morning 08. Just One Moment |
01. Who's Making Love 02. Steal Away 03. Somebody's Sleeping In My Bed 04. Take Care Of Your Homework 05. I Believe In You (You Believe In Me) 06. We're Getting Careless With Our Love |
07. I've Been Born Again 08. Testify (I Wanna) 09. Love Bones 10. Stop Doggin' Me 11. Cheaper To Keep Her |
01. Disco Lady 02. Please Don't Stop (That Song from Playing) 03. Don't Touch Her Body (If You Can't Touch Her Mind) 04. I'm Gonna Keep on Loving You 05. You're the Best Girl in the World |
06. Running Out of Lies 07. Somebody's Gettin' It 08. It Don't Hurt Me Like It Used To 09. Pick up the Pieces |
01. Your Love Is Rated X 02. Stormy Here I Go 03. Did He Make Love to You? 04. And I Panicked 05. Love Is Better in the A M |
06. It Ain't What You Do 07. Not Just Another Booty Song 08. I'm Just a Shoulder to Cry On 09. Stop Giving People Hard Luck |
01. Who's Making Love 02. Take Care Of Your Homework 03. Testify (I Wanna) 04. I Could Never Be President 05. Love Bones 06. Steal Away 07. I Am Somebody, (Pt. 1) 08. Jody's Got Your Girl And Gone 09. I Don't Want To Lose You 10. Hijacking' Love |
11. Standing In For Jody 12. Doing My Own Thing (pt. 1) 13. Stop Doggin' Me 14. I Believe In You (You Believe In Me) 15. Cheaper To Keep Her 16. We're Getting Careless With Our Love 17. I've Been Born Again 18. It's September 19. Try Me Tonight 20. Just Keep On Lovin' Me |
01. Disco Lady 02. I Got This Thing for Your Love 03. Play Something Pretty 04. Somebody's Gettin' It 05. Your Love Is Rated X |
06. Disco 9000 07. (Ooh-Wee) She's Killing Me 08. Ever Ready 09. Keep on Dancing 10. You're the Best in the World |
01. Hey Mister Melody Maker 02. Ever Ready 03. Keep on Dancing 04. I Gotta Keep Groovin' You |
05. Soul Fillet 06. Bittersweet Love 07. I Love to Make Love When 08. Give Me My Baby |
01. What About My Love 02. Don't Wait 03. I'm So Proud |
04. Just Ain't Good Enough 05. I Need a Freak 06. Reaganomics |
01. This Is Your Night 02. L.O.V.E. 03. Drown in My Own Tears 04. Love to Call Mine 05. Still Called the Blues |
06. She's Cheating on Me 07. After Hours Joint 08. Lady, My Whole World Is You 09. Good With My Hips 10. That's America |
01. Wall to Wall 02. Can I Love You 03. When She Stops Asking 04. Just Because 05. I'm Changing |
06. No Refund 07. Nothing as Beautiful as You 08. 383-Emergency 09. There's Nothing I Wouldn't Do |
01. Don't Make Me Late 02. Lover Boy 03. Lately 04. You Can't Win 05. Something Is Going Wrong |
06. If I Lose Your Love 07. Girl of My Dreams 08. Nothing Like a Lady 09. Happy Time 10. Universal Lady |
01. You Knocked My Heart Out of Line 02. It Don't Hurt Me Like It Used To 03. In Control 04. Got to Leave This Woman 05. Let's Get Closer |
06. I Found a Love 07. Now That You Cheated 08. Love's Easy to Fall Into 09. Everything's Out in the Open 10. That's the Way It Is |
01. Still Crazy 02. Without You 03. Dance Floor to the Back Door 04. Money's Running Funny 05. For Your Precious Love |
06. She's No Lady 07. Airtight Alibi 08. I Was Looking for Somebody 09. Nothin' But the Blues |
01. Little Bluebird 02. Toe Hold 03. I've Got to Love Somebody's Baby 04. Just the One (I've Been Looking For) 05. Outside Love 06. You Can't Get Away from It |
07. I Had a Dream 08. Somebody's Sleeping in My Bed 09. I Ain't Particular 10. Steal Away [live] 11. Stop Doggin' Me [live] 12. Jody's Got Your Girl and Gone [live] |
01. Crazy over You 02. Only My Woman Can 03. I Want Your Love 04. Change Your Habits 05. Guilty as Charged |
06. I Know It's Wrong, But I Just Can't Do Right) 07. Are You Lonesome 08. What King of Man Do You Want? 09. That's Just a Woman's Way 10. Country All the Way |
01. Back Street Love Affair 02. Too Much Week at the End of the Money 03. Lady in Red 04. Lady Soul 05. Changin' My Life With Your Love |
06. Poor Boy Blues 07. Respect Yourself 08. Real Love 09. Sexy Dancer 10. Huntin' Just Ain't No More Fun |
01. Good Love 02. Last Two Dollars 03. Sending You a Kiss 04. Walk Away With Me 05. Too Many Memories 06. Ain't That Loving You (For More Reasons Than One) |
07. Too Late to Try to Do It Right 08. Whole Lotta Lovin' 09. You Got Me in the Mood for Love 10. Slide On 11. Body Rock 12. This Masquerade |
01. I Want to Get into You 02. Never My Love 03. Heaven Bless This Home 04. Stop Half Loving These Women 05. I Want You Back Again |
06. Bittersweet Love 07. Stormy Weather 08. Love Account 09. Please Don't Stop the Music 10. Sneakin' |
01. Everything's Out in the Open 02. That's Just a Woman's Way 03. You Knocked My Heart Out of Line 04. Money's Running Funny 05. Nothing But the Blues |
06. She's Cheating on Me 07. Nothing as Beautiful as You 08. Cheaper to Keep Her 09. No Refund 10. Something Is Going Wrong |
01. Groove Me 02. Cheatin on Me 03. I'm Not the Man You Need 04. Disco Lady, 2000 05. If You Take Your Love Away 06. You Couldn't Break Me 07. Kickin' Back, Chillin' Out |
08. What Good Is a Man 09. Loose Hair in the Bathroom 10. Can't Live With You... 11. You Can't Strike Gold in a Silver Mine 12. Throw Your Hands in the Air 13. Disco Lady, 2000 Radio Slam ["Remix"] |
01. Big Head Hundreds 02. I'm from the Old School 03. Juke Joint 04. One in a Million 05. Ease Back Out 06. Gotta Get the Groove Back |
07. Wounded in the Battle of Love 08. Too Close for Comfort 09. I Love You Lady 10. Woman Don't Be Afraid 11. Let's Get Back on Track 12. Soul Heaven |
01.. If You're Lookin' for a Fool . 02. .This Is the Night for Makin' Up. 03. .Crazy 'Bout You Baby . 04. .Take Me to the Mardi Gras . 05. Too Wise to Be Your Fool 06. Baby Sittin 07. You Know It Ain't Right 08. I'm in a Midnight Mood |
09. If You Take Your Love Away 10. I Found These Things 11. Please Sign the Dotted Line 12. Where Is Your Woman Tonight 13. Con Lover 14. Is This Love or Is This Business 15. I Reach for You 16. The Second Time Around |
01. Introduction by Rufus Thomas 02 Take Care of Your Homework 03. Little Bluebird 04. Steal Away 05. I Don't Wanna Lose You |
06. Who's Making Love 07. Hello Sundown 08. Steal Away 09. Stop Doggin' Me 10. Jody's Got Your Girl and Gone |