This week’s Spotlight is on Walker Taylor. Walker grew up in Ridgeland and is the son of Jay and Becky Taylor and is the oldest of 3 children. He attended and graduated from Thomas Heyward Academy. He was an athlete with a passion for baseball since he was a young child. His goal was always to be a college baseball player and achieved that with a scholarship to Francis Marion University.
Walker picked up music in his junior year of college when he wrote his first song. He says, “I wrote my first song, and it kind of just singing. I’d never sung in front of people. I was writing songs and I still didn’t know how to play guitar at all. My parents put them out on Facebook, and I was getting some good comments. I did a talent show at the Beaufort Water Festival, and I wasn’t nervous at all. I walked out on stage; it was packed but I just knew I was supposed to be there. After that it just took off.”
Taylor was still on his college baseball scholarship. In his freshman year and he was still doing solo performances whenever he could schedule it. During his Christmas break his coach called him into the office and told him to choose either music or baseball. At the end of the year, He made his decision. Walker explains, “I told the coach, I was moving to Nashville and I left college that day and dropped out. I played full band shows throughout the summer and made that move to Nashville in August.”
In Nashville he plays writer’s rounds where song writers can play and pitch their songs. Taylor says, “I don’t do a lot of full band shows in Nashville because a lot of the bars where you play in Nashville it’s a lot of cover songs, not original material. You can’t sing your own stuff, and I didn’t get into this business for people not to hear what I have to say. We are on the road on the weekends traveling and playing with the band.”
When describing his music he says, “My music is definitely country music. But I’ve been influenced by it all. We do a song that even has some rap in it. It’s southern rock, it’s a little bit of rap, and we do some blues songs. Our goal is to bring a new show every night. We want to bring a show in that people have not seen before.”
Some of his musical influences include Jason. Aldean, Brantley Gilbert, and Lee Brice who is from South Carolina.
Walker adds, “I just released my brand new single, and it was kind of a rebranding moment for me. My voice had changed a lot from the songs that were already out, but I released my newest singles March 8. The goal right now is to release probably two to four more singles and then hopefully do an EP or an album. His music is on all your streaming platforms, Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube.
He says, “My first ever big opening slot was opening for Morgan Miles, my freshman year of college in Atlanta, Georgia. We also played a show with Randy Houser before the Water Festival last year. That was incredible. Seeing so many familiar faces out there, that were singing every word back. And then last year’s Rice Festival. That was one of my first big, full band appearances. I would say the Rice Festival is definitely up there and, in the top, as far as shows that meant the most to me.
In his off time, he loves to hunt. “I love turkey hunting, duck hunting, deer hunting. I love it all. I just love being outside. I love traveling, seeing new places. That’s probably that’s one of my favorite things to do, being on the road and seeing places that I would never have gone. It’s just cool seeing places, seeing the world.”
Taylor is playing around the country. He has shows scheduled in Minnesota, Denver, Colorado and Chicago. However, you do not need to go to Chicago to see Walker Taylor. He is performing at this years Colleton County Rice Festival, 3pm Saturday April 27 on the Main Stage. It will also be a great opportunity to meet Walker and pick up some of his music and maybe a T-Shirt.
When asked where he would like to be in 5 years he says, “I would love to be playing the Grand Ole Opry within five to 10 years. As long as I play the Opry, I’ll be good. It’s such a big deal in the world of country music. There have been so many greats that have gone through the Opry, and playing there would be a dream come true.”
You can keep up with Walker at walkertaylorofficial.com or Walker Taylor Facebook that includes a music video shot at the Colleton Civic Center, and see him Saturday Live at the Rice Festival.
