If anyone knows anything about Southern Gospel Music, the name Little Jimmy Taylor is very familiar to them. Jimmy, how long have you been involved in Southern Gospel Music? How did you get started?
I have been in Southern Gospel music practically all of my life. I was very fortunate because I knew what I wanted to do in life at a very early age. My dad, A.B. Taylor wrote for the Stamps Quartet Music Company and had a group called the Stamps Quartet out of Valdosta, GA. I guess the most famous song that my dad wrote was "GOOD NEWS" which has been featured on the Gaither Homecoming series. I was like 14 years old when I first saw Hovie Lister and the Statesmen at a sing in Waycross, GA. I was so impressed by Hovie that I told my dad that was what I was going to be, a piano player for a quartet. From that moment on, my sole purpose was to practice and become better so that I could achieve my dream. When other kids would go outside and play sports, I practiced piano. My hands were pretty small and I was not able to make the stretch across octaves to make the chords that I wanted to play, I would stretch my hands by the hour until they would reach the key that I wanted to play. I was blessed to sing with my dad in a group called the Suwannee Harmoneers, an all girls group and I sang the baritone and enjoyed it very much.
What groups have you played for in your long career? What groups did you also sing with?
The first professional group that I sang with was Dempsey Rainwater and the Dixie Rhythm Quartet out of Macon, GA. The next group that I sang with was Clifford Thompson and the Travelers.
While in Macon, I used to go see the Sunshine Boys and Blue Ridge Quartets. J.D. Sumner, as you know sang with the Sunshine Boys and was the brother-in-law to John Mathews of the Rebels Quartet, told me that the Rebels needed a piano player and asked if I would I be interested in talking with the Rebels. I told JD that yes, I would be interested. JD gave my phone number to John Mathews and John called me. We arranged to meet in Winter Haven, FL, at a sing where the Rebels and Travelers were performing together. Later, I realized that concert was an unofficial audition. At the time, Warren Wright was playing piano for the Rebels. I enjoyed hearing the Rebels sing, and at that time there was no further discussion beyond the fact that I was interested. After the appearance the group and I went back to Macon. Within the next few weeks, the Suwannee River Boys came to Macon and expressed their interest in having me travel with them singing the baritone. At that time, they only used a guitar as accompaniment. I had a choice, either sing with the Suwannee River Boys or pursue my dream of playing gospel piano. I finally chose to go with the Rebels, with a little advice from JD, where I did have the opportunity to sing and play.
The next group that I had the pleasure of working with was the Singing Americans out of Raleigh, N.C.
You have been affiliated with some great singers, such as London Parris, John Matthews, Ronnie Booth, and Jim Hamil, just to name a few. Which combination of singers did you most enjoy playing and singing with?
When I joined the Rebels, the group consisted of: Horace Parrish, Lee Kitchens, John Mathews and Gerald Adams. When Gerald Adams left, we had the Deacon of the bass singers join us Big Jim Waits. Later after Jim suffered his heart attack, we hired London Parris, probably the greatest bass singer that ever lived.
It would be very difficult to say which combination of singers I most enjoyed working with as they were all 10 years my senior and really mentored me and allowed me to do a lot of the arranging and to help me with my career. I guess the most exciting as far as nationwide exposure was Ronnie Booth, Jim Hamill, John Mathews and London Parris. That is the group that was together when we had the #l hit "O Happy Day." As you can see it would be difficult to say as I have been blessed to be surrounded by some great singers throughout my career.
Have you ever put your hand to songwriting?
My first song was published in the Stamps Quartet Music Company song book but I guess the most popular song that I ever wrote was "DEAR JESUS ABIDE WITH ME." I also had the pleasure of writing "ANGELS WILL STAND," both songs have been recorded by major gospel groups. The Lord has given me some good songs over the years and just as satisfying as writing original compositions is arranging good ole’ gospel songs to fit a particular singer or a group.
What group are you with now? How did this group evolve?
I am currently working with Little Jimmy Taylor and the CampBells and we started the same time the Booth Brothers did. In fact we did programs together when we were just getting started. I came to join this group, I had been out of gospel music for quite some time and Ric asked me to come to his church to hear his wife sing. He had asked me to play with the CampBells prior to that and I had told him no, but after hearing her sing and with the spirit that I saw, I was moved. The Lord spoke to me and told me that He was the source of my talent and that if I did not use it, He could take it away. After a little soul searching, I told Ric that I would be glad to hear them and see what we could do but he would have to understand that I had no desire to go full time. Ric and the rest of the group was in complete agreement with that. The core of our ministry is to go to Churches in the Tampa Bay area, no matter the size, and to minister the Good News of the Gospel through song. Today there are many Churches who can not afford to have a group come and minister a quality program. We have never charged a church and we never will. We are completely debt free. We have been together for over eighteen years now and God has truly blessed our ministry.
What do you do with your spare time now, when you aren't playing and singing with this group?
My wife and I are retired and we work from home with a Christian magazine selling ads for Families on the Go based out of St. Petersburg, FL. We are very much involved with our church, Liberty Baptist Church here in St. Pete.
If your many fans wanted to get in touch with you, just how could they do that?
They can go to our website, http://www.ljtatc.com and click on "my thoughts". There is a link there that says "email me" and it will come straight to me. I would love to hear from anyone who would be interested in contacting me.
http://www.ljatc.com
Author: AGM
| Author's Website: http://absolutelygospel.com/
Written: 02/01/2009
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Category: Feature Articles
Comments: 4
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The Rebels was one of my favorite quartets.
Growing up in Lakeland Fla, the Rebels were one of my favorite groups. The Rebel would be on the same program with the Statesmen and the Blackwoods. Hove said the Rebels and Blackwoods were the hardest competetion in the business.
Little Jimmy Taylor has produced some really great music
The 1950's were the best of the quartet singers. Little Jimmy Taylor married my best friend when we were teenagers. I dated Gerald Adams. They would come to our church In St. Pete FL and we always had a full house and lots of good Gospel Singing.
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