Christopher Taylor is a Harrogate based singer/songwriter whose lyrical, folk influenced songs flow freely between pop, rock and jazz with a fresh, accessible approach that never does anything the same way twice.
Chris said:
I started writing songs with my brother and our friends in my teens, after I was given a guitar for my thirteenth birthday.
Almost straight away I set up a band and started performing in youth clubs and local pubs getting a following of fans who liked our music.
With the musical bug well and truly planted I went on to play bass and sing in a number of bands professionally in my twenties. For a number of years I had to make some different career choices but still carried on playing semi-professionally and for my own enjoyment. Playing music has always been a really important part of my life.
A full-time working musician, Chris started playing the guitar and singing in his teens. A number of local bands took him from youth clubs, churches and school gigs to a job as a full-time bassist and vocalist in a band playing the club and disco circuit across the UK and abroad. The work continued into his 30s in various outfits in the North of England, where he continues to perform as a full-time musician.
Chris owes his laid back, mellow delivery to the handful of Seth Lakeman and Jack Johnson records in his collection, while early childhood heroes Alice Cooper and David Bowie have left a strong sense of drama in his work. His clearly defined pop hooks wouldn’t sound out of place on a playlist featuring George Ezra, Vance Joy, James Blunt, The Lumineers and Train.
Chris said:
Ten years ago I got the opportunity once again to work as a professional musician. I had just moved to Harrogate and met up with some fabulous local musicians who have played on my recordings and with me at gigs. My songs have been recognised by, amongst others, the Akademia Awards based in the USA.
I’ve always enjoyed writing and performing music which has inevitably developed and changed as I’ve got older. Whilst I can’t easily badge my music as any particular genre I like to think I write catchy melodic songs.
Most of the time I play solo acoustic gigs at venues from London’s Troubadour Club to Harrogate’s Blues Bar where I’m a regular performer at the Acoustic Sessions. I also play at corporate events and private parties.
Having been featured regularly on BBC Introducing and many other national and international radio stations I have just embarked on a new recording venture after meeting up with The Animal Farm Studios in London in September last year.
I am really excited about the songs I have recorded with brothers Ville and Mat Leppanen at The Animal Farm, the first of which, ‘Counting Bluebirds’ is being released next Friday (22 February)
I wrote Counting Bluebirds with friend and lyricist Stephen Cree. Stephen and I wrote songs together at school and it’s been great to collaborate with him again over the last few years.
Listen to the track here https://soundcloud.com/the_animal_farm/christopher-taylor_counting-bluebirds
“Absolutely Magnificent!” – Jericho Keys BBC Introducing
“For those who are feeling lost” – Rockstar Blog
Chris was awarded the Akademia Music Award for Best Pop Rock EP in February 2016 for ‘Chasing Rainbows’ EP. His singles ‘Meet Me On The Horizon’ and ‘How beautiful you are’ won best Folk/Pop song Akademia Award in the same year and received enthusiastic support from BBC Introducing.
“Taylor’s silky suave vocal aesthetic takes center stage in this meditative pop folk invention, no doubt soon to be omnipresent on the airwaves.” – Akademia
Counting Bluebirds, his new single, recorded live at The Animal Farm studios in London, is set for release on Friday 22 February 2019.
