Soul Salute May 5: Johnnie Taylor

Johnnie Harrison Taylor was born in Crawfordville Arkansas on May 3, 1937. We went on to "Soul Heaven" on May 31, 2000.

Here is a SOUL SALUTE! beginning with my two all time favorites

"I Believe In You" (1973)


"What About My Love" (1982)


Now on to what made "The Philosopher of Soul" the legend that was Johnnie Taylor. Like many soul legends, Johnnie started singing gospel including working with the late Sam Cooke and his Soul Stirrers before going to Stax Records across the river from where Johnnie Taylor grew up in West Memphis, Arkansas.

"Heaven Is My Home" By The Soul Stirrers with Johnnie Taylor on 1st. lead vocals.


"Part Time Love" by Little Johnnie Taylor (1963)


Working in "Soulsville" gave us Johnnie's best. So many songs and so little time...

"Who's Making Love"


"I Could never Be President" (1969)


"Love Bones"


"Cheaper To Keep Her"


"Steal Away" live at "Wattstax" (1973)


After the demise of Stax Records in the mid 1970's, Johnnie Taylor moved on to several record companies and had great success at Columbia with the album "EARGASM" (1976).

This album produced many hits and Johnnie Taylor's biggest pop hit "Disco Lady", the first certified platinum single with sales of over two million in the spring of 1976.


Other R&B hits from the album included

"I'm Running Out of Lies" (1976)


Songs from the album also appeared on the soundtrack of the film "Disco 9000" in which Johnnie Taylor also appeared in a acting role.

"Disco 9000" (movie theme)


And while "Disco Lady" was one of the biggest Disco/R&B songs of the late 1970's, Johnnie's career wasn't the biggest during the height of the Disco era. He continued to record and never lost his true fans. He went on to other smaller record companies finally settling in at Malaco out of Jackson Mississippi where Johnnie Taylor "The Blues Wailer" continued to flourish with the finest of Blues and Southern Soul right up to his death from a heart attack. He even worked as a radio DJ in his adopted hometown of Dallas Texas.

Fans of Johnnie Taylor have established a FACEBOOK page in honor of Johnnie Taylor hoping to have him inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.


The Pride and Soul blog gives a platinum soul salute to Johnnie Taylor (May 5, 1934 – May 31, 2000)

"I Found a Love"


"Everything's Out In The Open"


"Good Love"


"You Can't Stike Gold In A silver Mine"


"Juke Joint"


"Soul Heaven", ironically Johnnie Taylor's last big hit.