Greg "Fingers" Taylor

12barBill · #1 06-03-2022, 07:51 AM

I miss Fingers soooo much. He brought a lot of good times into my life, with and without Buffett. I did an audio recording through the house sound board of a show he did at the Double Door in Charlotte. I think it was 2002, and it's one of my treasures.

Does this look like fun or what? (Fingers takes his harp break starting at 6:16)

Jaxon · #2 06-03-2022, 11:49 AM

Greg and I have been almost lifelong friends. Here's a cut from a cd I recorded with Fingers and some friends in Memphis in 95 I believe.

https://soundclick.com/r/s4wq8f

12barBill · #3 06-03-2022, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaxon

Greg and I have been almost lifelong friends. Here's a cut from a cd I recorded with Fingers and some friends in Memphis in 95 I believe.

https://soundclick.com/r/s4wq8f

Ah man, that was great. Thanks for sharing that.

In 2001 a Parrothead friend of mine helped organize a reunion of Fingers and some former, early Coral Reefer Band members (this was shortly after Fingers left Buffett) to get together and do a show. We set it up to be done at the Windjammer on the Isle of Palms outside of Charleston, SC. I picked up Jay Spell in Myrtle Beach, where he was living at the time, and drove him down with his keyboard case hanging out of the back of my trunk (Jay is blind). We got Fingers, Jay Spell (keyboards), Roger Bartlett (guitar), Harry Dailey (bass), Phillip Fajardo (drums), "the lovely Miss Deborah McColl" (vocals), and Keith Sykes (guitar) together. We named them The Immortal Reefer Band. They rehearsed in the basement of the Windjammer for a day and half and put together a show. We had it recorded live, later mixed and produced by Roger Bartlett, and a CD released (Reunion - Live At The Windjammer). Each of the participants did a few songs. These are two of Fingers' tracks from the show. Things came out a little raw but we all had a blast.

Jaxon · #4 06-03-2022, 01:38 PM

Hey, you're probably aware but Greg has Alzheimers and is in a nursing home right outside Jackson, Ms...Madison I believe. I went to visit a few years back, it was very saddening as he didn't remember me and had no clue who I was.

We shared so many good times together. You know Greg was a walking encyclopedia on old western swing and traditional music. He had turned me on to so many artist. I sure miss my friend.

12barBill · #5 06-03-2022, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaxon

Hey, you're probably aware but Greg has Alzheimers and is in a nursing home right outside Jackson, Ms...Madison I believe. I went to visit a few years back, it was very saddening as he didn't remember me and had no clue who I was.

We shared so many good times together. You know Greg was a walking encyclopedia on old western swing and traditional music. He had turned me on to so many artist. I sure miss my friend.

Yes, that's why I said "I miss Fingers soooo much" in my original post. I guess I kind of took for granted that most people know who Greg is and about the dementia. But I suppose a lot of people reading on the forum don't know Greg, or are not interested. He meant so much to me and gave me a lot of pleasure for ~40 years, with Buffett, and on his own (maybe even more so on his own).

Jaxon · #6 06-03-2022, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12barBill

Yes, that's why I said "I miss Fingers soooo much" in my original post. I guess I kind of took for granted that most people know who Greg is and about the dementia. But I suppose a lot of people reading on the forum don't know Greg, or are not interested. He meant so much to me and gave me a lot of pleasure for ~40 years, with Buffett, and on his own (maybe even more so on his own).

Indeed a really good and nice guy...I plan on having a visit with him shortly

12barBill · #7 06-03-2022, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaxon

Indeed a really good and nice guy...I plan on having a visit with him shortly

Would you mind posting or sending me a private message if you visit him? I know the situation and have no positive expectations but I would like to know he is well taken care of.

fitness1 · #8 06-05-2022, 01:20 PM

Seems like for a while he was living in the Detroit area - and he'd show up at the Cheeseburger Festival in Caseville to play with a Buffett tribute band - that was quite a while back though....back around the time I was doing a monthly show for the MI Buffett fan club "Fins to the North"

12barBill · #9 06-05-2022, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fitness1

Seems like for a while he was living in the Detroit area - and he'd show up at the Cheeseburger Festival in Caseville to play with a Buffett tribute band - that was quite a while back though....back around the time I was doing a monthly show for the MI Buffett fan club "Fins to the North"

During that Michigan period, after having left Buffett, Greg was mostly playing with Don Middlebrook and Living Soul. He played on several of Don's albums during that time. Greg's demons had returned and I think it was 2003 that Don "released" Greg due to that. He released a statement that they had done everything they could for Greg but felt that was in everyone's best interest. It's a long story.

fitness1 · #10 06-06-2022, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12barBill

During that Michigan period, after having left Buffett, Greg was mostly playing with Don Middlebrook and Living Soul. He played on several of Don's albums during that time. Greg's demons had returned and I think it was 2003 that Don "released" Greg due to that. He released a statement that they had done everything they could for Greg but felt that was in everyone's best interest. It's a long story.

I had heard there were some issues in that respect - hate to hear that.