Ted Taylor

Soul-blues vocalist Ted Taylor brought his soaring falsetto to an eclectic range of songs throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, while his gospel roots remained a constant presence. His first recording sessions came as part of the Cadets and Jacks, the Los Angeles R&B ensemble known by dual names that cut sides for Modern. Late in the decade he landed a deal with Ebb, after which additional labels quickly entered the picture, among them Duke, where he cut the initial take of the sweet ballad “Be Ever Wonderful,” Okeh, whose Chicago and Nashville dates captured his Columbia-subsidiary material, and Ronn, his home for nearly ten years. In 1987 a car accident ended his life.