Eric Taylor



Eric Taylor at Woody Guthrie
Folk Festival - 2005



Eric Taylor:

Working Hard

for

Everything

He’s Got

 

The beginning of Eric Taylor’s story is a familiar one. Following high school graduation and a semester or two of college, he left his home town of Atlanta, Georgia and headed west. Taylor sought a career in music, and California beckoned. Like many young people before him, Taylor’s journey took him as far as his money lasted. In his case, Houston, Texas was the place where his funds ran out.

Houston is not where Taylor’s journey ended, but where it began. It was the 1970’s and the music scene there was flourishing. He immersed himself in it and worked odd jobs to get by. In Houston, Taylor found receptive concert venues and was able to perform his own music. He collaborated with like-minded artists. He incorporated elements of theater into his music. And he began to develop his ability to strike an emotional chord with an audience.

                In 1981 Taylor released his first album, “Shameless Love”. Over the years, six more solo albums followed. Each ensuing release further cemented Taylor’s reputation as a songwriter’s songwriter. His music reveals a genuine sincerity, and his delivery has a ‘been there, done that’ quality which makes even his cover versions of other artists’ material completely believable. Taylor sets the songwriting bar high. Lyrically, he provides a glimpse at the human complexities revealed by simple details, and uses a narrative approach which transports the listener directly into the scene. To become lost in an Eric Taylor song is akin to losing oneself in a classic novel or film.

Musically, Eric Taylor’s name has become synonymous with some of the best that Texas has to offer. Lyle Lovett, Guy Clark, Nanci Griffith, the late Townes Van Zandt, and Steve Earle are among his contemporaries from the 1970’s Houston days. More than three decades on, many of those same artists continue to collaborate with Taylor and to record his songs.

                For the past ten years, Susan Lindfors has been Taylor’s companion. A talented singer and songwriter in her own right, her song “A Matter of Degrees” was recorded by Taylor on his “Hollywood Pocketknife” album. Lindfors now manages Taylor’s career, books his performances, updates the website, and promotes his catalog of recordings. It is a more-than-fulltime undertaking and Lindfors handles it with style and a graceful good nature. She often accompanies Taylor on tour and is occasionally coaxed into contributing supporting vocals during his shows. Three years ago, they were married.

Taylor and his wife live on a ranch in rural Texas, midway between Houston and Austin. They are several miles from the nearest town and content with a slower-paced lifestyle than either city could afford. The landscape is vast and parched, cattle graze nearby, and an occasional hawk swoops down to collect an unfortunate snake as its dinner. It’s the kind of place where the sight of teenaged boys riding horses bareback down the main street on a Saturday night is not such a rare thing. It’s harsh country… stark, beautiful, and dangerous. This is the Texas that the Taylors have chosen to surround themselves with.

East Texas landscape



Texas cotton field



During an interview conducted in his home just a few days before embarking on a 5-week tour of Europe, Taylor reminisced about his past and spoke with satisfaction about his newest album “Eric Taylor and Friends: Live at the Red Shack”. As the unreleased recording played on the sound system, Taylor reacted to the songs and performances. He talked about recording the album, and its significance to him.

Taylor is always in full control of the space between himself and his audience. Whether his audience consists of one person conversing or hundreds listening, his unpretentious delivery demands one’s attention. He is a man of contrasts, with a large and imposing presence balanced by an innate gentleness. While his speaking voice is slow and deliberate, Taylor’s mind is always abuzz, often cutting himself off in mid-sentence. Taylor also possesses a wry sense of humor and, more than once, slipped a punch line into the conversation leaving the unsuspecting interviewer scrambling to catch up. To be Taylor’s foil for an afternoon was both intimidating and an intense pleasure.

“Live at the Red Shack” is a retrospective of sorts, not a typical concert recording as its title implies. The record brings together some of Taylor’s most celebrated songs with some of his most celebrated friends. Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, and Denice Franke all contributed vocals and Susan Lindfors Taylor produced the album. The songs were recorded live during two days of performances at Rock Romano’s Red Shack, a recording studio in Houston. An audience of about twenty invited guests was present for each night of recording.

Recording a retrospective album gave Taylor the opportunity to revisit and explore some of his older material, and to record it with a fresh mindset. “I wanted to hear the songs as they got older, as they developed,” he said. Indeed, many of the songs on the album have evolved considerably since they were written. “It’s like watching a kid grow up,” Taylor observed with a knowing smile.

“Eric Taylor and Friends: Live at the Red Shack” has no shortage of highlights, and to choose a stand-out track or two would be to diminish the others. There are, however, several songs which are impossible not to mention. Lyle Lovett performs with Taylor on three songs. One of them, “Memphis Midnight, Memphis Morning” appears on Lovett’s 1998 album “Step Inside this House”. Lovett’s precise approach to the song contrasts with Taylor’s more laid back style. The two artists complement one another brilliantly, their interaction intuitive and effortless. Denice Franke’s version of Taylor’s “Blue Piano”, is performed here as a gorgeous duet. Franke’s vocals grace many of Taylor’s early recordings and the familiarity between the two performers is evident. Nanci Griffith sings on several tracks as well. Taylor and Griffith were once husband and wife, and although their marriage dissolved nearly three decades ago, mutual respect for one another and the music remains. Their version of Taylor’s “Dollar Matinee”, which Griffith recorded on her debut album, reveals a confident and straightforward rapport.

Some of the most moving performances on “Eric Taylor and Friends: Live at the Red Shack” are those which feature Taylor without an accompanying singer. “Dean Moriarty” in particular, is a vivid, ten-plus-minute journey inspired by Jack Kerouac. Taylor delivers the song with the conviction of one who has lived every note and demonstrates that his star shines just as brightly when performing on his own.

Outside of Taylor’s presence, there is one constant throughout the recording, the electric guitar of Marco “Python” Fecchio. The Italian guitarist often accompanies Taylor while touring in Italy, and traveled to Houston to be part of the recording sessions. His instinctive instrumentation and use of mood and tone provided a cohesive element which enriched the already memorable performances.

“The amazing thing about this is,” Taylor began, recounting Fecchio’s accompaniment, “we never sat down and talked about (the songs). It all turned out exactly how it was on the record… I trust him,” he said, of the guitarist. Taylor went on to explain the importance he places on the opinions and advice of others. “I think you’ve got to trust people more than yourself. I do,” he acknowledged. “I love producing my own records, but I also like having a really good engineer, like Rock (Romano, owner of The Red Shack), and having someone like Susan who can say ‘no.’“ Taylor gestured with a shake of his head, then glanced across the room and directed a contented smile at his wife.

                Susan Lindfors Taylor has spent countless hours in the studio with her husband, and is familiar with his material and recording process. “Live at the Red Shack” was her first experience as producer. Taylor put her in complete control of the project and, she remembers, “the first day going in, I felt really unsure.” However, she soon found the confidence to make her voice heard when it needed to be. When asked about the rewards and drawbacks of producing, Lindfors Taylor focused on the rewards. “I guess the most rewarding thing was realizing that I could do that,” she said, with satisfaction.

“Eric Taylor and Friends: Live at the Red Shack” is dedicated to someone very important in Taylor’s life, Dr. Bud Frazier. Frazier is a heart surgeon in Houston, primarily known for performing heart transplants and other delicate procedures. Taylor contends that the new album would not have been possible had it not been for Frazier’s skill and care the previous year. During the summer of 2010, Frazier performed triple by-pass heart surgery on Taylor. By all accounts, it was a successful procedure, but also one which requires a great deal of rehabilitation, physical therapy, and patience.

Defying conventional wisdom, and the advice of countless well-meaning friends, Taylor recalled, “I left for a tour. Eight weeks after the surgery, I was on the road in Europe,” he said defiantly. “I had an 8 ½ week tour in Europe.”  The tour was planned well in advance of his surgery, he’s toured Europe every year since 1996, and, Taylor exclaimed, “I wasn’t not goin’!”.

Although Taylor’s behavior may appear reckless to some, he took his condition very seriously. He followed the advice of his healthcare team and worked hard to recover. “By the time I left (for Europe) I was walking five miles a day,” he said, explaining that even as the late-summer Texas heat made walking outdoors impractical, he logged the miles by lapping the rooms inside his home.

                Taylor’s wife Susan, a constant source of support during his recovery, was in favor of his decision to fulfill the tour obligations in Europe as well. “I didn’t think he shouldn’t go,” she said. “I mean, I was for it. I was worried, for sure! But I know how strong he is. And actually,” she added, “it was a really hard thing to do but I think it helped his recovery because I think he felt really frustrated (being home) and like kind of a burden. And so, it’s like, ‘go back to work, and do it’.”

Recalling his time in Europe following heart surgery, Taylor confessed, “I can tell you that there were several times that I thought, this is probably not a good idea.” He attributes much of the success of that tour to the help he received from others, specifically his road manager. “They had it set up where all I had to do was walk from back stage. I was taken care of so well. It really didn’t have that much to do with me, I think. I worked hard.” And, he admitted upon reflection, “I think I probably made some mistakes by putting too many shows together in a row.”



Eric Taylor performing in Texas - 2006



                Following the European tour and several months of concerts and festivals in the United States, Taylor set about his next recording project and seized upon the idea of a retrospective album. He was elated that every artist he invited accepted his invitation to be part of “Eric Taylor and Friends”. Now that the project is complete, he muses on the satisfaction he has gained, not only from rerecording some of his older material, but from sharing that experience with Lovett, Franke, and Griffith.

Even though Taylor has been writing songs for several decades, he admitted there are times when he struggles to find the words and communicate ideas. He recounted a recent conversation with his daughter when she observed of his latest project, “’I think you need to do this (album), so that you can move on’.” And, he confirmed, “I think she’s right from that standpoint. I’ve already written a song since the record, and I’m working on two others.” By looking back he was able to move forward.

Taylor continued, “I think what helps me is, if I get stuck on something, I’ll go back and go through a lot of old material that has never been made into songs. They’re just pages and pages and pages of ideas… I can see how words can be put together in a way that interests me,” he explained.

What others call ‘writer’s block’, Taylor sees as just part of the process. “I don’t think anybody’s a natural,” he observed. “Ain’t nobody a natural, man. Musician, writer, prize fighter, there ain’t no naturals. You work for it, and you work hard for it. I don’t wanna be no natural. I don’t. I think you work for everything you get. I have one job and one job only, and that’s to write the next best line. That don’t come naturally, you know… I get weary with these, ‘Oh, it just comes to me’. It’s the ‘Aw, shucks…’” Taylor’s voice trailed off in exasperation. He soon continued, however, “You work at what you do. It’s work. And if you’re gonna call yourself a writer, don’t talk to me about writer’s block or anything else.”

As the interview drew to a close Taylor’s attention shifted once more. He leaned forward in his chair and glanced at the screen of the muted tv set which had been flickering in the background throughout the afternoon. A combination cooking-variety show appeared to be underway and he wondered aloud, “What is this, another Republican debate?” Again, the wry smile crossed his face and he settled confidently into his chair.

                Taylor’s new album, “Eric Taylor and Friends; Live at the Red Shack” is set for release in the US in December 2011. It will be available through his website and, as always, at his concerts.

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Resources:

Eric Taylor’s web site:

www.bluerubymusic.com

Click here for tour dates:

http://web.me.com/blueruby/home/Tour_Schedule.html

Eric Taylor – solo albums:

Shameless Love – 1981

Eric Taylor – 1995

Resurrect – 1998

Scuffletown – 2001

The Kerrville Tapes – 2003

The Great Divide – 2005

Hollywood Pocketknife – 2007

Eric Taylor and Friends: Live at the Red Shack – 2011 (December)

** Copyright © 2011 – Annette “Ace” Eshleman **