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Lisa Taylor (R&B singer) facts for kids

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Lisa Taylor
Genres Gospel, R&B, soul
Occupation(s) Singer
Instruments Vocals
Labels Giant Records
Associated acts

Lisa Taylor is an American R&B singer. She is famous for her solo album Secrets of the Heart. This album included popular R&B songs like "Did You Pray Today?" and "Secrets of the Heart." She also sang "Don’t Waste My Time" for The Meteor Man movie soundtrack. Lisa Taylor has also been a background singer for many well-known artists. These include Burt Bacharach, Janet Jackson, Philip Bailey, Patti LaBelle, and Elvis Costello.

Early Life and Musical Start

Lisa Taylor grew up in Youngstown, Ohio. Her family was very involved in their local church. They often sang gospel music there. This is where Lisa first found her love for music.

As a child, she listened to many gospel artists. Some of her early inspirations were Albertina Walker and James Cleveland. She also enjoyed groups like The Caravans and The Mississippi Mass Choir. Later, she was influenced by jazz artists like Quincy Jones and Wes Montgomery. R&B artists such as The Jackson 5 and Earth, Wind & Fire also shaped her sound.

Building a Music Career

While still in Youngstown, Lisa Taylor sang with a local band called Vegas. They once opened a show for The Temptations. This led to her meeting Norman Whitfield, a famous music producer.

Lisa then moved to Los Angeles to pursue her music dreams. In 1987, she started singing with the group Rose Royce. She even sang lead vocals on their famous songs "Wishing on A Star" and "Car Wash." She also recorded an album called "Perfect Lover" with them.

Lisa began working as a "session singer" in Los Angeles. This means she sang on recordings for other artists. She toured as a background singer for artists like Christopher Williams and The Gap Band.

Signing with Giant Records

Lisa recorded demo songs with producers Sami McKinney and Robert Brookins. These demos helped her get a record deal. In 1992, she signed with Giant Records. This was a new record label started by Irving Azoff.

Her first solo album, Secrets of the Heart, was released in 1992. She performed the title song on the TV show Soul Train. Other artists on that show included El DeBarge and Kris Kross.

In 1993, she released the song "Don't Waste My Time." This song was featured on The Meteor Man movie soundtrack. It reached number 94 on the music charts.

Touring and Collaborations

Lisa Taylor also toured as a background singer for Janet Jackson. She joined the Janet World Tour from late 1993 to early 1995.

She was a featured and background singer for Burt Bacharach in the 1990s. She toured and recorded with him. One reviewer from The Irish Times praised her singing. They said her version of "Anyone Who Had A Heart" was "stunning."

Lisa was the lead vocalist for Rose Royce again from 2000 to 2004. In 2006, Patti LaBelle covered Lisa's song "Did You Pray Today." This was on LaBelle's album "The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle."

Hit Songs

Here are some of Lisa Taylor's singles and how well they did on the music charts:

Year Single Peak positions
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks
1992 "Secrets of the Heart" 41
1992 "Did You Pray Today?" 40
1993 "Don't Waste My Time" 94

Other Music Projects

Lisa Taylor has also worked on these projects: