Pianist, educator, radio and television presenter. William Edward Taylor, Jr. born July 24, 1921 in Greenville, N.C.; died December 28, 2010 in New York City.
Attended Dunbar High School and studied music at Virginia State College. Moved to New York City in 1943.
Musical director of NBC-TV program “The Subject Is Jazz” in 1958. Introduced Jazzmobile in New York City, a flatbed truck which brought live jazz into different New York neighborhoods. Host of “Billy Taylor’s Jazz at the Kennedy Center” radio program (1994-2002). Named an NEA Jazz Master in 1988 and awarded a National Medal of Arts in 1992.
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