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Steve Taylor
Photo: CAMP BELL PRODUCTIONS on Vimeo, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons14

Steve Taylor

American singer (born 1957)

Roland Stephen Taylor (born December 9, 1957) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, music executive, filmmaker, assistant professor, and actor. A figure in what has come to be known as Christian alternative rock, Taylor enjoyed a successful solo career during the 1980s, and also served in the short-lived group Chagall Guevara.2

From Wikipedia’s article on Steve Taylor (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Born Dec 9, 1957.1

About

In contrast to many Christian musical artists, his songs have often taken aim at Christian hypocrisy with the use of satirical, sardonic lyrics. In 1997, he founded the record label Squint Entertainment, which fueled the careers of artists such as Sixpence None the Richer, Chevelle, and Burlap to Cashmere. Despite this success, Taylor was ousted from the label by its parent, Word Entertainment, in 2001.

Taylor has produced and written for numerous musical acts, one of the most consistent being Newsboys. As a film-maker, Taylor co-wrote, directed, and produced the feature films Down Under the Big Top, The Second Chance, and Blue Like Jazz. After a decade long hiatus, Taylor returned to performing music in 2010 as the front-man for Steve Taylor & The Perfect Foil, a supergroup he founded with Peter Furler, Jimmy Abegg, and John Mark Painter. Along with a university residency and continued filmmaking, Taylor resumed work on unfinished Chagall Guevara material into the 2020s.

From Wikipedia’s article on Steve Taylor, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.2

Companies

Early life and education

  • Date not recordedNorthglenn High School3
  • Date not recordedBiola University3

Early life

Taylor, the eldest of three children, was born in Brawley, California. Taylor's father, Roland Taylor, was a Baptist minister. When Taylor was six years old, the family relocated to Northglenn, Colorado, a suburb of Denver. He graduated from Northglenn High School in 1976. While there, he attempted to learn the bass guitar, piano and trombone.

Upon graduation from high school, Taylor enrolled at Biola University in California. During his first year, he was first of the 100 chosen, from 20,000 applicants, to spend the summer at John Davidson's summer camp. At the camp, Taylor spent time learning from singers like Tony Orlando, Florence Henderson, and John Davidson.

Taylor returned home and enrolled at the University of Colorado Boulder, to study "serious music". He graduated there in 1980, but described his Bachelor of Arts degree in music and theater as being worth "slightly more than the cash value of a Pizza Hut coupon."

From Wikipedia’s article on Steve Taylor (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Career

Occupation: singer, musician, songwriter, film producer, film director.5

Personal life

  • BornDec 9, 1957, Brawley6
  • CitizenshipUnited States7

Sources

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