Eric Taylor

Born in Georgia, Eric Taylor rose to prominence in Texas through his distinctive folksinging, which shaped the work of Lyle Lovett and Nanci Griffith, each of whom later recorded his material. A lift carried him to Houston in 1970; exposure to Lightnin' Hopkins and Townes Van Zandt persuaded him to remain. From the city's 1970s folk milieu he surfaced alongside Van Zandt and Guy Clark. Local recognition notwithstanding, his first major national release on Watermelon Records appeared only in August 1995. Produced by Iain Matthews and Mark Hallman, the self-titled album featured backing vocals by Lovett and contributions from numerous Texas players. Resurrect arrived in 1998; thereafter Taylor moved to Eminent Records, issuing Scuffletown three years afterward. That critically praised set marked his initial inclusion of cover material among his own songs, among them two compositions by Townes Van Zandt.