Nice LP on the tiny label “Alarm/ Contempo” a subdivision of “T.K.” produces by Wardell Quezergue, with the killer tune “Somebody’s Gettin’ It”….groove collector….~
Theodore Taylor (February 16, 1934 – October 23, 1987) was born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, and moved to California in 1952. He became a member of the Mighty Clouds of Joy gospel group, before joining the Santa Monica Soul Seekers as a tenor singer. In 1955, the Soul Seekers approached Maxwell Davis at Modern Records for a recording deal, and he persuaded them to concentrate on secular R&B music. The same group recorded as both The Cadets on Modern and The Jacks on the subsidiary RPM label. Taylor sang lead vocals on The Cadets’ “Do You Wanna Rock (Hey Little Girl)” and “I Cry” and also on The Jacks’ “Away” and “My Darling.”
Taylor left the group, and recorded two singles on Melatone Records in 1957 with the Bob Reed orchestra on which he was credited for contractual reasons as “Ivory Lucky”. Over the next seven years, he recorded singles for a succession of labels including Ebb, Duke, Top Rank International, Laurie (where several of his records were credited to Austin Taylor), Warwick and more.
At Duke, he made the first recording of the ballad “Be Ever Wonderful” in 1959.His first LP “Ted Taylor Sings” was issued on Warwick in 1963 in 1965 his single on the Okeh label “Stay Away From My Baby” reached number 14 on the Billboard R&B chart.
After further singles Taylor signed with Ronn in 1969. He released three albums (“Shades Of Blue”, “You Can Dig It” and “Taylor Made”) and a fourth with label mate Little Johnny Taylor entitled “The Super Taylors” in 1973. He charted with “Steal Away” (#64 R&B) and issued a fukk, self-titled album in 1976 with Alarm Records. Three more LPs appear in the 80s including a one-ff with MCA in 1981 (“Keepin’ My Head Above Water”) and two for his own Solpugits label. Taylor died in an automobile accident in 1987 at age 53…..~
Credits
Backing Vocals [Female] – Dorothy Moore, Jeanette Williams, Jewel Bass, Marquis, Butler*
Backing Vocals [Male] – Jackson Southernaires*
Bass – Don Barrett, Vern Robbins*
Drums, Percussion – James Stroud
Guitar – Dino Zimmerman
Horns – Muscle Shoals Horns, Shreveport Horns
Keyboards – Carson Whitsett, Wardell Quezergue
Lacquer Cut By – Bo*
Oboe [Silent] – Stewart Madison
Tracklist
Somebody’s Gettin’ It
Steal Away
Stick By Me
Standing In The Wings Of A Heartache
Wrapped Up In A Good Woman’s Love
I’m Gonna Hate Myself In The Morning
It Takes A Fool (To Be A Fool Again)
You Make Loving You So Easy
High Heel Sneakers
Everybody’s Stealing