Quick Info
| Profession | Singer, songwriter and record producer |
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| Nationality | American |
| Date of Birth | 18/02/1934 |
| Age | 83 years (died on 22, Jul, 2017) |
| Birthplace | Washington, D.C., USA |
| Date of Death | 22/07/2017 |
| Zodiac Sign | Aquarius |
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Bio/Wiki
| Overview | Robert Edward Taylor was an American soul singer, songwriter and producer, active mainly in the 1960s and 1970s. He is best known as the lead singer of Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers and for bringing the Jackson 5 to Motown. |
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| Death Place | Hong Kong, where he had lived for several years and died after a battle with cancer |
Personal Life
| Health | Died of cancer in 2017 at age 83 in a hospital in Hong Kong |
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| Residence | Lived in Beijing before settling in Hong Kong during the last several years of his life |
Relationships & More
| Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers | Band whose members included Tommy Chong on guitar |
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| Jackson 5 | Mentored the group and helped produce their debut album for Motown |
| Marvin Gaye | Grew up in the same Washington, D.C. neighbourhood as Gaye |
Family
| Parents | Of Puerto Rican and Native American heritage |
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Career
| Early career | Joined the Vancouvers, a soul band formed in the early 1960s, which later took the name Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers |
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| Motown | Signed with Motown's Gordy Records imprint; the group's debut album Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers was released in 1968 and included the hit Does Your Mama Know About Me |
| Jackson 5 | Discovered the group in Chicago in 1968, brought them to Motown and became the group's first producer after their March 1969 signing |
| Solo work | Released the solo album Taylor Made Soul on Gordy in 1969 and scored minor hits such as Malinda and I Am Your Man |
| Later career | Recorded for Epic, Playboy and Philadelphia International, later worked in artist management, and sued Motown over unpaid royalties |
| Compilation | A 2006 two-disc anthology covered his Motown career |
Style Quotient
| Signature look | Known for bright purple suits |
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Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. He was reportedly the childhood neighbour of Marvin Gaye in Washington, D.C. | |
| 2. He sued Motown for royalties linked to the Jackson 5 and reportedly won, though payment was disputed | |
| 3. He was described as a singer with an exceptionally wide vocal range | |
| 4. He reunited with the Vancouvers briefly in the 1980s for a UK recording |
