Julian Taylor

BIO:

Julian Taylor is a Canadian award-winning singer songwriter.  A truly gifted performer, Taylor began playing and performing music when he was four years old, and has proven to be in his element when he is up on stage where his natural charisma and musicality thrives.  In 1999, Taylor’s first band, well-known Toronto-based Staggered Crossing, was signed to a publishing deal with The Music Publisher while he was still in high school.  That first deal led to the band getting signed to Warner Music Canada the following year.  Taylor was only 22-years old when Staggered Crossing released their self-titled debut record in 2001. The album spawned the hit singles “Further Again” and “A Million Works of Art,” and also garnered a COCA Award for Best Contemporary Recording.  Staggered Crossing went on to release two more albums independently, Last Summer When We Were Famous, which was released in 2002, and 2004’s Burgundy & Blue, but unfortunately parted ways in 2006.

Taylor co-founded Bent Penny Records in 2003, a Toronto-based indie label dedicated to helping independent artists, similar to himself. Bent Penny Records was instrumental in breaking a variety of artists, including Juno Award Nominee Suzie McNeil, indie rock band Hello Beautiful and Canadian Smooth Jazz Award Nominee Julie Crochetiere. In August 2010, Taylor sold his majority share in the company.

Taylor has toured across the country numerous times and has shared the stage with such world-renowned acts including Nickelback, Jeff Healey, Midnight Oil, Collective Soul, Blue Rodeo and many others. He was personally invited to perform at both the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, as well as the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, performing for the coaches and athletes in Athlete’s Village.

A true music fan, Taylor’s sound is a culmination of every musical genre that has touched him throughout his life.  Equal parts troubadour and soul singer, Taylor emits a raw emotive and distinct delivery.   With his fair share of stories and battle scars from being actively involved in the music industry for the past twenty years, he has enjoyed the rewarding successes that come from witnessing a lifelong dream blossom into fruition.  In short, there aren’t too many areas in the music business that Taylor hasn’t been involved in.  Today, he is concentrating and pouring all of his experience and talent into being a dynamic solo performer and front man of the new band that bears his name.  Taylor released his debut solo album Blank Tape Levy in 2009, and is hard at work recording a follow up solo album, as well as an additional release with his current band, The Julian Taylor Band.