James "J.T." Taylor facts for kids

James "JT" Warren Taylor (born August 16, 1953) is a famous American singer. He became well-known as the lead singer for the band Kool & the Gang from 1979 to 1988.

JT Taylor joined Kool & the Gang in 1979 and stayed with them for nine years. This time was the most successful for the band. They released hit albums like Ladies' Night (1979), Celebrate! (1980), and Emergency (1984). They also had many popular songs, including "Ladies' Night", "Celebration" (which was a No. 1 hit in the US), "Get Down on It", "Joanna", "Misled", and "Cherish".

In 1989, Taylor left the group to start his own solo music career. However, he has joined the band again for some concerts and even recorded one last album with them in 1996.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

James Warren Taylor was born on August 16, 1953, in Laurens, South Carolina. He grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey. Before he became famous, he worked as a teacher and sang in night clubs. He first joined a band when he was just 13 years old. In 1978, he played with a group called Full Force. He left them when he got the chance to audition for Kool & the Gang.

Joining Kool & the Gang

JT Taylor joined Kool & the Gang in 1979 after the band looked for a new lead singer. He felt that adding vocals made their songs sound warmer, especially for slower songs (ballads) that the group had avoided before.

In 1979, the band released the album Ladies' Night. This album became their most successful one since they started. It had popular songs like "Too Hot" and "Ladies' Night". By January 1980, Ladies' Night had sold over a million copies in the US.

In September 1980, the band released their album Celebrate!. This album was even more successful than Ladies' Night. The main song, "Celebration", became the band's only song to reach No. 1 on the US music charts. The idea for the song came from a line in "Ladies' Night" that said, "Come on, let's all celebrate." This inspired Robert Bell, a band member, to write a song he called "an international anthem." The band worked on the song while on a tour bus. "Celebration" became very popular and was used in TV coverage for big events like the 1980 World Series and the 1981 Super Bowl.

After Something Special (1981), which also did very well, the band released As One (1982). After this, they decided to produce their next album, In the Heart (1983), themselves. This album included the popular song "Joanna". This song was named the most-played pop song in 1984!

The band then released Emergency (1984), which is their best-selling album ever, selling over two million copies in the US. It had four hit songs that made it into the top 20: "Emergency", "Cherish", "Fresh", and "Misled". This was a big achievement for the band in 1985.

In June 1984, Kool & the Gang performed at Wembley Stadium in London as part of a big concert. Later that year, they also took part in recording the famous charity song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" to help people in need.

The band's album Forever was released in November 1986. It included two more hit songs: "Victory" and "Stone Love". By 1986, Kool & the Gang had many top 40 songs in the US. In July 1986, they even recorded a special version of "Celebration" for a TV advertisement.

In 1987, the band went on a big tour across the US. During this tour, Robert Bell and JT Taylor started a program to encourage school children to stay in school. They gave free tickets to kids who had perfect attendance. After this tour, Taylor left Kool & the Gang to start his solo career. He did return briefly in 1996 for the album State of Affairs and has joined them for live concerts sometimes.

In 2024, JT Taylor was honored by being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Kool & the Gang.

Solo Career

In 1988, JT Taylor began his solo music career. He has released four solo albums since then.

He had an immediate hit song called "All I Want Is Forever," which he sang with Regina Belle. This song was featured in the movie Tap. His first solo album, Master of the Game, also had other hits, including "The Promised Land," which was in the movie Ghostbusters II.

In 1991, Taylor released his second solo album, Feel the Need. This album included the songs "Long Hot Summer Night" and "Heart to Heart," a duet with Stephanie Mills.

His third solo album, Baby I'm Back, came out in 1993. His fourth solo album, A Brand New Me, was released in 2000.

Acting Career

In the 1990s, JT Taylor also started acting. He appeared in the 1992 Hollywood movie The Mambo Kings and performed in the long-running Broadway musical Raisin.

Discography

With Kool & the Gang

Studio albums

Singles

Solo

Studio albums

Singles

See also

In Spanish: James "J.T." Taylor para niños