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Koko Taylor American blues musician was born September 28, 1935 as Cora Walton, on a farm just outside Memphis, Tennessee.
Koko Taylor is primarily a singer known for her rough and powerful vocals and has been called, by blues fans, "the undisputed queen of the blues." She grew up in Memphis and moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1954 with her husband. In the late 1950's, Taylor began singing in Chicago blues clubs. She was spotted by Willie Dixon in 1962 and this lead to wider performances and her first recording contract. In 1965, Taylor was signed to the Chess label and her single Whang Dang Doodle became a major hit. Taylor has recorded many versions of this Dixon penned song over the past several decade and has added more material, both original and covers. National touring in the late 1960's and early 1970's, improvered her fan base and she was signed to Alligator Records in 1975. She has since recorded over a dozen albums for this label. The 1990's found Taylor in movies such as Blues Brothers 2000 and she opened a blues club on Division St in Chicago in 1994, but closed it in 1999.
Koko Taylor has been an influence for musicians such as; Bonnie Raitt, Shamekia Copeland, Janis Joplin, Shannon Curfman and Susan Tedeschi.
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