James "J.T." Taylor facts for kids

James "JT" Warren Taylor (born August 16, 1953) is an American singer. He became famous as the lead singer of the popular 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 hit songs, including "Ladies' Night" and "Celebration", which was a number one hit in the US. Other popular songs were "Get Down on It", "Joanna", "Misled", "Cherish", and "Fresh".

Taylor left the group in 1988 to start his own music career. However, he has joined the band a few times for concerts. He also recorded one last album with them in 1996. In 2024, JT Taylor was honored by being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Kool & the Gang.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

JT 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 nightclubs. He first joined a band when he was 13 years old. In 1978, he played with a group called Full Force. He left Full Force after being asked to audition for Kool & the Gang.

Joining Kool & the Gang

Taylor joined Kool & the Gang in 1979. The band was looking for a lead singer at the time. He felt that his singing added more warmth to their songs, especially to slower songs called ballads. Before he joined, the band had avoided ballads because no one could sing them well.

Ladies' Night and Celebrate!

In 1979, the band released the album Ladies' Night. This album became their most successful one since they started. It had hit songs like "Too Hot" and "Ladies' Night". Both songs reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. By January 1980, Ladies' Night had sold one million copies in the US.

In September 1980, the band released another album called Celebrate!. This album was even more successful than Ladies' Night. The main song from the album, "Celebration", became the band's only song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The idea for the song came from a line in "Ladies' Night" that said, "Come on, let's all celebrate." Robert Bell was inspired to write a song he called "an international anthem." The band worked on the song while on a tour bus after attending the American Music Awards. "Celebration" became very popular. It was used in national TV coverage for big sports events like the 1980 World Series and the 1981 Super Bowl. It was also played when American hostages returned home from Iran in 1981.

Continued Success and New Directions

After Something Special (1981), which was also very successful, the band released As One (1982). This was their last album with producer Eumir Deodato. The band decided to produce their next album, In the Heart (1983), themselves. This album included the popular song "Joanna", which reached the top five in the US. In 1984, "Joanna" was named the most-played pop song by Broadcast Music International.

The band continued to produce their own music with Jim Bonnefond. Their album Emergency (1984) became their best-selling album ever, selling over two million copies in the US. It had four songs that reached the top 20: "Emergency", "Cherish", "Fresh", and "Misled". In 1985, Kool & the Gang was the only band to have four top 20 songs from a single album.

Live Performances and Charity Work

In June 1984, Kool & the Gang took a break from recording Emergency. They performed at Wembley Stadium in London. This was part of a big concert organized by Elton John. Later that year, the band also took part in recording the charity song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" with many other artists. This song was created by Bob Geldof 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 14 top 40 songs in the US since 1980. This was more than even Michael Jackson had at the time. In July 1986, the band recorded a special version of "Celebration" for a Wendy's advertisement.

In 1987, the band went on a big tour across 50 cities in 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 students 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. He has also performed with the band a few times since then.

Solo Career

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

His first solo hit was "All I Want Is Forever". This was a duet with singer Regina Belle. The song was featured in the 1989 movie Tap. It later appeared on Taylor's first solo album, Master of the Game. This album also had other hits, including "The Promised Land", which was on the soundtrack for Ghostbusters II.

In 1991, Taylor released his second solo album, Feel the Need. This album featured 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 an acting career. He appeared in the 1992 Hollywood movie The Mambo Kings. He also performed in the long-running Broadway musical Raisin.

Discography

With Kool & the Gang

Studio Albums

Singles

Solo Albums

Studio Albums

Singles

See also

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