Koko Taylor

By Alex Teitz

Koko Taylor is one of the few legends of the Blues. Born and raised on a sharecropper’s farm in Memphis, Tennesse she developed a love for music at church and through the radio. She was influenced by Bessie Smith, Big Mama Thornton, and others. Moving to Chicago she began a career that is over thirty years old. She has won 14 W.C. Handy Awards, and won a Grammy in 1984. Her most recent album,Royal Blue, is up for a Grammy this year. Taylor’s music is timeless, and always getting better. For more information visit http://www.alligator.com

FEMMUSIC: Can you describe your songwriting technique?

KT: I think it’s pretty, it’s quite unique. When I write songs I try to make sure that I write something with a real meaning. Now it don’t have to be a personal meaning, but for whoever the shoe fits they can wear it, but I’m not writing it to nobody in particular. But that’s what my songwriting, to me, like I say, is unique, it has a meaning and it gives people something to think about because a lot of people hear me sing certain songs and they’ll go like, “I heard you sing this song last weekend and it just stayed with me. I haven’t forgotten it yet, and it turned my life around, and it made me think different, more positive about this or that…” or whatever. So it just depends on, more of less, the person.

FEMMUSIC: What was the biggest challenge making Royal Blue?

KT: Well every CD that I’ve ever made is a challenge. Every one I do I try to make it somewhat better than the last one I did. I’ll say, “The last one I did was okay, but this one I want to do just a little bit better.” That’s my goal to just keep getting bigger, better, and coming out with something that people really enjoy listening to, dancing to, riding around in their car listening to. That turns me on just to know that that’s going on with my music.

FEMMUSIC: What’s the best experience making Royal Blue?

KT: The best experience for me is some of the songs on there that I had wrote myself. I had came up with the lyrics, and some of the arrangements, along with Criss Johnson, who is the arranger, and putting our heads together. You know two heads is better than one. And by us putting our heads together, and our thoughts and working together very well. That is one of the best moments I could think of.

FEMMUSIC: What did Criss Johnson and Bruce Iglauer contribute to making Royal Blue?

KT: A whole lot cause they were there first of all. They had very good suggestions and nice things to say to let me know that they were behind me, for me, there for me and you’d be surprised, that means a lots when you’ve got somebody to encourage you, and boost you along, and lets you know that you are doing something really positive. You can cook a better meal in the kitchen if your husband come home, and sit down and eat and brag about your food. How good it tastes. How well it was seasoned. “Oh! You should cook this more often.” That’ll make you a better cook. Cause tomorrow you’re going to try to make the steak better than the pork chops yesterday.  

FEMMUSIC: How has your music changed over time?

KT: Well I think I don’t think it has really changed totally like some of the songs that I did on this particular, Royal Blue, I have more up tempo songs on there. A lot of the CDs I have did in the past have been more or less like what you would call the old traditional Mississippi Delta Blues. These is more up tempo which means it’s more modern. In other words, if I’m not explaining it right, it’s just like GMAC. When they run those cars through to produce new cars because it’s a new year, they want to sell them cars. They’re not planning on using that exact same cars next year on these sales in these used car lots. They come up with a new model. It don’t run no better. It’s got some of the same motors, got some of the same colors, but maybe they made the trunk a little different, or the hood, or whatever. Put a couple of lights on there that they didn’t have on one of the others. Which means this car is a little different, and it’s the same way with songs. I’m still singing the Blues. The same type of songs but maybe the guitar player gets it going a little bit faster, the beat is a little bit different, is the only thing.

FEMMUSIC: What one thing would you like to change about the music industry?

KT: The only thing that I would really love to change, and I would appreciate it if somebody else would change it for me. I would like to hear more radio people play the Blues like they do all of this other type of music. All of this rock, pop, hop-hop, and all that stuff. All of this good music. I love it. Million people loves it cause otherwise they wouldn’t be selling a million copies, but all I’m saying is add a little Blues in the pot. Like a little seasoning.

You said discriminating… I think the radio discriminates more than anything else. It’s not the people. It’s the radio. Cause if you don’t never hear nobody advertise steak, chicken, pot roast, and all this good eatin’ how you going to go to the store and buy it? What’s you know about it? You see what I’m sayin’?

That’s the same way it is on the radio. You know like it is on the radio. You hear that same song 24/24. Every hour you hear that same person singing that same song. Couldn’t you leave enough room to play one Blues tune maybe once a day? It’s not just here in Chicago, it’s all over. You go to New York it’s the same thing. You turn your radio on your going to hear what they normally play everywhere else, but you don’t hear no Blues. And if you do hear someone who plays the Blues they say, “I have a radio show. I’m on every Wednesday night.” What about the other days?? What if somebody miss Wednesday night? What about Sunday night, Friday night, Thursday night? So, hey, that’s what I would really change.

FEMMUSIC: As a woman in the music industry have you been discriminated against?

KT: I don’t think I’ve been discriminated…If I have I has not been able to recognize it yet because I am a woman out here in what they call, “A Man’s World”, but I’m just as strong, and what I’m doing is theirs. They take care of their part of singing the Blues and I take care of mine. But as far as discriminating I don’t exactly give ‘em a chance.

FEMMUSIC: What advice would you give to a woman artist just starting out?

KT: What I would say to a person that’s come to me and say, “Hey. I love what you’re doing. I would like to get into this field. I would like to be an entertainer just like you.” I would tell them straight up, and I’d tell them the truth, and I’d tell them about my own experience. I would let them know that if this is really what you want to do, I’m here because I love what I’m doing. I’m not out here because somebody just tell me I sound good. I’m out here because I love making people happy all over the world with my music. That’s number one.

Number two, I love what I’m doing. I just love to sing. I not getting rich so don’t expect that. You’re not going to make the money that a lot of these other people are making. I don’t even think about it. I don’t look at it. So what I’m saying to you is, “If you really want to get into this music you have to do it from your heart, put all you got into it. Accept whatever come along as long as it’s in reason because you don’t get no red carpets laid out for you. I never had a red carpet, you see.

This type of job it comes like a marriage. You’re in it for better or for worse. That’s what I’d tell ‘em.