From:   "Dik de Heer"  
Date:  Sat Nov 9, 2002  7:15 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Vernon Taylor

VERNON TAYLOR (By Jean-Marc Pezet)

Born (real name undisclosed) 9 November 1937, near Sandy Spring, Maryland

Vernon Taylor was raised in a farming environment in Maryland. His father,
a farmer, was constantly looking for work and in 1948, the family settled in
Spencerville, MD, where Vernon spent most of his teenage years, learning to
play the guitar. Vernon's exposure to music was principally through the radio
and the Grand Ole Opry - he cites Eddy Arnold and Hank Williams as his
main influences - and the local entertainers around the Maryland area.
He formed his first band in 1952 with two classmates and they started to play
locally locally at parties and dances, gradually building up a reputation. Not
even 18, Vernon already had his own radio show where he caught the
attention of DJ Don Owens of Arlington, Virginia, who became his manager
and, through his acquaintances with Mac Wiseman, got Vernon signed to
Dot Records in 1957.
Brought to Nashville and backed by the city's top session players (Hank
Garland, Floyd Cramer, The Jordanaires), Vernon cut four sides. His first
single, "Losing Game" / "I've Got The Blues" (Dot 15632) received plenty of
promotion and led to a lot of personal appearances (notably with Patsy
Cline and Marty Robbins) and even a spot on "Amercan Bandstand", but it
failed to sell. A second single was issued in January 1958, coupling the two
songs left over from his sole Dot session, the self-penned "Why Must You
Leave Me" and "Satisfaction Guaranteed". But it also sold very poorly.
It is said that Sam Phillips was impressed by Vernon's performance on
American Bandstand. He was subsquently signed to Sun in 1958, after his
Dot contract expired. His first recording session at the famed studio took
place in October 1958 and produced "Breeze" and "Today Is A Blue Day"
which were picked up for release on Sun 310, whilst "This Kind Of Love"
and "Your Lovin' Man" stayed in the can until the 1970s. Sales were once
again disappointing and Vernon had to wait until August 1959 to re-enter,
for the last time, the studio to record what would be his last single, Sun 325,
coupling "Mystery Train" with Roy Orbison's "Sweet And Easy To Love".
In 1960, Vernon decided to concentrate on his family and quit the music
business. He since has been successful in the printing business.
But the story doesn't end there, as Billy Poore lured back Vernon into
doing a few gigs in the early 1990s, and notably for a benefit show for the
late Charlie Feathers, also featuring Narvel Felts and Robert Gordon.
Vernon made his first Hemsby appearance in 1995, and returned in 2000.
He has also issued newly recorded CDs.

Recommended listening:
"There's Only One...Your Lovin Man" EAGLE EAR 0120 (the complete
1950s recordings, Dot / Sun / Demos)
"Daddy's Rockin" RUN WILD RW 905,1999
"Now And Then" self produced, 2000

More info: http://www.rockabillyhall.com/VernonTaylor.html