Product of a tight-knit family of Czech cotton farmers, Jesse “Guitar” Taylor was born April 10, 1950, and grew to become one of Lubbock’s premier musicians. Known for his innovative and high-energy guitar playing, he was befriended by restaurateur C. B. Stubblefield in Lubbock, Texas. Taylor helped bring live music to Stubb’s Bar-B-Q and create a cultural and commercial phenomenon.
Also known by the nickname “Hercules” for his physique and occasional brawling, Taylor attracted music fans from all over the world. In addition to playing early in his career with fellow Lubbock residents Joe Ely, Butch Hancock, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and Angela Strehli, Taylor formed the band Macumba Love and recorded solo albums including Last Night (1990) and Texas Tattoo (1998). He toured and played throughout the United States, Europe, and Australia with various artists including Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, opening with Ely for the Clash and the Rolling Stones.
In later years, he began producing colored-pencil drawings and had a successful gallery showing in Austin and illustrated Deal Me In , a book of poems by Alyce Guynn. Taylor died March 7, 2006. He was memorialized by a resolution of the Texas House of Representatives and is commemorated by annual concerts in both Lubbock and Austin.
Jesse “Guitar” Taylor was inducted into the West Texas Walk of Fame in 2012.
