Mick Taylor | |
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Taylor performing with The Rolling Stones
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Background information | |
Birth name | Michael Kevin Taylor |
Also known as | Little Mick |
Born |
Welwyn Garden City, England |
17 January 1949
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, songwriter |
Instruments | Guitar |
Years active | 1964–present |
Labels | Columbia, Decca, Rolling Stones, Atlantic, EMI, Virgin, CBS, Maze Records |
Associated acts | John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, The Rolling Stones, The Jack Bruce Band, Carla Olson, The Gods, Mike Oldfield |
Notable instruments | |
Michael Kevin "Mick" Taylor (born 17 January 1949) is an English musician, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1966–69) and The Rolling Stones (1969–74). He has appeared on some of the Stones' classic albums including Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main St.. Since resigning from the Rolling Stones in December 1974, Taylor has worked with numerous other artists and released several solo albums. From November 2012 onwards he has participated in the Stones' "Reunion shows" in London and Newark and in the band's 50 & Counting World Tour, which included North America, Glastonbury Festival and Hyde Park in 2013. The band decided to continue in 2014 with concerts in the UAE, Far East & Australia and Europe for the 14 On Fire tour. Mick Taylor was ranked 37th in Rolling Stone magazine's 2011 list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash states that Taylor had the biggest influence on him.
Taylor was born to a working-class family in Welwyn Garden City, but was raised in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, where his father worked as a fitter for De Havilland aircraft company. He began playing guitar at age nine, learning to play from his mother's younger brother. As a teenager, he formed bands with schoolmates and started performing concerts under names such as The Juniors and the Strangers. They also appeared on television and put out a single. Part of the band was recruited for a new group called The Gods, which included Ken Hensley (later of Uriah Heep fame). In 1966, The Gods opened for Cream at the Starlite Ballroom in Wembley.