Billy Taylor
A jazz pianist who became one of the music's most eloquent and tireless ambassadors through television, radio, and education.
1921–2010 (age 89)·American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster, and educator·Birthday: July 24·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Billy Taylor didn't just play jazz; he dedicated his life to explaining it, defending it, and ensuring its future. Arriving in New York in the early 1940s, the North Carolina native held the piano chair in house bands on 52nd Street, playing with legends like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. But his true impact came from his work off the bandstand. He became a pioneering broadcaster, hosting shows on NPR and CBS, most famously 'Sunday Morning,' where he demystified jazz for a mainstream audience with grace and intellect. An educator at heart, he founded the Jazzmobile program in Harlem and later served as the artistic director for jazz at the Kennedy Center. Taylor transformed the public perception of jazz from mere entertainment to 'America's classical music.'
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Billy was born in 1921, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Billy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1921
#1 Movie
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Billy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1921Born
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1926Started school
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1934Became a teenager
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1937Could drive
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1939Could vote
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1942Turned 21
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1951Turned 30
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1961Turned 40
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1971Turned 50
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 60
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 70
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 80
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Died at 89
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
Key Achievements
- Served as the artistic director for jazz at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for over a decade.
- Founded Jazzmobile in 1964, bringing free jazz workshops and performances to New York City streets.
- Composed over 300 songs, including the modern standard 'I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free.'
- Hosted the long-running radio program 'Jazz Alive' on National Public Radio.
Did You Know?
He earned a doctorate in music education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1975.
He was the first African American to lead a television studio orchestra, for the 1958 show 'The Subject Is Jazz.'
His godfather was the noted pharmacist and philanthropist Dr. James "Doc" R. Williams.
“Jazz is America's classical music.”
