The group‘Taylor Express’ officially launched its first CD ‘Going Home’ at fundraisers this past weekend.
Saturday, the foursome of Reg Taylor, Nancy Wright, Brenda Doucette and Ken Saulnier played a benefit at Havelock Community Hall and on Sunday was at the Digby East Fish & Game Club.
Bandleader Reg Taylor says that ‘Going Home’ was recorded last summer but with the four band members holding down day jobs, the launch was delayed.
Tayor’s band, formed 15 years ago, has been through a few incarnations
Nancy Wright joined Taylor in 1996 and plays electric and standup bass. Brenda Doucette, whose banjo lends the bluegrass flavor to some of Taylor Express’ tunes, wrote 10 of the songs on the CD.
“She has a real gift,” says Taylor, who penned ‘Hey, Vernon’, one of the band’s most requested songs.
Ken Saulnier is the newest member of Taylor Express.
“A couple of years ago we were playing in Bear River,” recalls Taylor. “Ken’s girlfriend thought it was a talent show, so she told Ken to take his fiddle along. When she realized she’d been mistaken—that it wasn’t a talent show—she asked me if he could play a tune or two with us. And he’s been with us ever since.”
If the fiddler on the CD cover looks a tad youthful for 60-year-old Saulnier, it’s because he couldn’t make it to the recording session. He was replaced by 17-year-old Lukas Munroe of Windsor.
Taylor Express won the 2006 Bluegrass Festival in Rollo Bay, PEI, but Taylor is reluctant to label the band’s music ‘bluegrass’.
“We just have fun with our music. We love mixing it up.”
Songs on ‘Going Home’ encompass country, gospel, bluegrass, Nova Scotia fiddle tunes, and even a little Cajun.
Taylor Express will be playing at a number of events in the months ahead, including a Digby Regional High School fundraiser for DALA on May 16, and the woodsmen’s competition at Scallop Days. You can preview three songs from their CD at
www.myspace.com .
