A film documenting the life of blues legend and Chicago native Eddie Taylor is coming soon. On Aug. 21, The Rhythm and The Blues screened at Navy Pier. The family of the late Eddie Taylor, along with actor Leon and Chicago music stars like house DJ Terry Hunter, came together at the screening to honor and celebrate the life and legacy of the bluesman. The event also celebrated Chicago’s music history, honoring jazzist Herbie Hancock and the architect of the Mendel Bi Level dances, House Music legend Kirkland Townsend.
As an actor, Leon has a history of portraying influential musical figures. For many, Leon’s roles as David Ruffin in the 1998 NBC miniseries The Temptations, and his portrayal of Little Richard, the “Architect of Rock and Roll,” in the 2000 NBC historical drama, taught them about the greatness of Black music’s past.
Leon also shined when he played J.T. Williams in the 1991 music drama, The Five Heartbeats, loosely based on the life stories of The Dells, The Temptations, The Four Tops and other soul/R&B artists from the 1960s. Combine that with his role in Disney film, Cool Runnings, and joining rapper Tupac Shakur and actor Wood Harris in 1994’s Above the Rim as Shep, Leon is a cultural icon. Many of his films have become Black cult classics.
The TRiiBE spoke with Leon at Navy Pier’s Bar Sol, during the screening. When asked how he prepares to play these historical musical figures, he said, “It just depends. You do what you can. You do as much research as possible.”
He added, “When you play someone that actually walked and talked on this earth, you have a responsibility to the people that knew them, people who are related to their life, to bring it to life in a way that at least captures their spirit.”
In the early parts of the 1900s, the music industry had a reputation for discriminatory and unfair practices against Black artists. According to an article written by Vice, “All too often, major labels prey on young, poor Black artists, offering them lopsided record deals in which the company owns their music in perpetuity.”
Unfortunately, the story of Eddie Taylor is no different. Taylor is a blues pioneer. He died in 1985 at the age 62. In 1949, Taylor moved from Mississippi to Chicago at the age of 25. From that point on, Taylor made a name for himself with his beautiful guitar work, and his use of thumb and finger picks to create that Mississippi Delta sound.
Signing to Chicago’s Vee-Jay Records in the ‘50s, Taylor was able to string together a number of hits. Because of his skills, Taylor would also back up some of Chicago’s other prominent blues acts, such as Jimmy Reed, John Lee Hooker, Sunnyland Slim, Howlin’ Wolf and many more. Other artists, like Freddie King, “Baby Face” Leroy Foster, and Magic Sam, looked to Taylor as a mentor, taking and using his techniques.
Starting off as an accompanying guitarist, Taylor’s techniques were highly impressive within the blues community. Sadly, as Taylors’ reputation grew, his bank account never did. He never received compensation for those who found his work as “inspiration.”
The Rolling Stones covered Taylor’s “Ride ‘Em On Down” without Taylor ever receiving a dime. Taylor’s hit single “Bad Boy” has been covered and re-recorded by other artists over 20 times, with Taylor and his estate never receiving any compensation.
The Rhythm and The Blues film will bring awareness to yet another Black trailblazing musician whose work and legacy was stolen from him.
At the screening, The TRiiBE briefly spoke with Brenda Taylor, the eldest daughter of Eddie Taylor. When asked how it feels to see her father get recognized for his work, she replied, “It’s just fire in my soul. I’m just glad that this day occurred, because it’s time overdue.”
Taylor went on to call her father a “hidden icon,” stating that when people hear a blues guitar, more often than not, they’re listening to Eddie Taylor.
“He recorded with some of the greatest, but he didn’t get the credit he deserved,” she told us. “You know how that is.”
Overseeing this project is director and producer Darryl Pitts. A Chicago native, Pitts feels as though he has an obligation to uplift the stories of the great Black visionaries that have come from Chicago.
“It feels great being from Chicago, to be able to tell a Chicago story about an unsung hero,” he told The TRiiBE.
“Chicago is the epicenter of Black culture,” Pitts said. “If Sam Cooke and Nat King Cole and Earth, Wind & Fire had come from any place else, we’d have monuments for them everywhere.”
The official premier date of The Rhythm and The Blues is not yet set, but the film will be a three-part series, digging into the life and music of Taylor.
“My job, I feel, is to create monuments for these people. So it feels great. This is just the beginning,” Pitts told The TRiiBE.
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