Billy Taylor

Billy Taylor was an American jazz pianist whose career spanned more than six decades, making him one of the most influential figures in the development of modern jazz. Born on July 24, 1921 in Greenville, North Carolina, he moved to Washington, D.C. at age five and grew up in a musical family, studying piano under Henry Grant, a teacher who once instructed Duke Ellington. By the age of thirteen he was already earning money for professional performances, and after attending Dunbar High School and Virginia State College (where he originally majored in sociology before switching to music), he graduated with a music degree in 1942. Taylor’s early New York years began in 1944 with Ben Webster’s quartet, and a chance meeting with Art Tatum that night sparked a lifelong mentorship. He quickly became a fixture on 52nd‑Street’s jazz scene, playing with legends such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis, and he held the distinction of being the longest‑serving house pianist at Birdland. In 1952 he composed the civil‑rights anthem “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free,” a tune later popularized by Nina Simone and adopted as the theme for the BBC’s Film… program. Taylor’s versatility extended beyond performance: he directed NBC’s pioneering series The Subject Is Jazz in 1958, founded the educational organization Jazzmobile in 1964, and hosted award‑winning radio shows on NPR, earning two Peabody Awards for his broadcasting work.

Beyond the stage, Taylor was a dedicated educator and advocate. He served as the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University and held chairs at the University of Massachusetts‑Amherst, Yale, and Howard University, where he mentored countless young musicians. His public service included a 25‑year tenure as artistic director for jazz at the John F. Kennedy Center and a role on the National Council of the Arts. Recognized with more than twenty honorary doctorates, an Emmy, a Grammy, the NEA Jazz Masters Award, and the National Medal of Arts, he remained active despite a 2002 stroke that impaired his right hand. Billy Taylor passed away on December 28, 2010 in New York City, leaving a legacy of over 300 compositions, countless recordings, and an unwavering commitment to making jazz accessible to all.