Photo: Foto: Andreas Lawen, Fotandi / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
James "J.T." Taylor holds a special place for me as the voice of Kool & the Gang's golden run from 1979 to 1988. He fronted the band during its transformation from raw funk into polished, chart-conquering pop, and that smooth, expressive delivery was a big part of why it worked on both dance floors and ballads. A group's success is collective, but stepping out as lead singer takes real nerve and presence. I appreciate vocalists who can carry both groove and tenderness, and he managed both. Best of all, he's reportedly still out there singing, which delights me.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- James "J.T." Taylor
- Name (Japanese)
- ジェイムズ・"J.T."・テイラー
- Reading
- じぇいむず・"J.T."・ていらー
- Born
- August 16, 1953 (age 72)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Snake
- Origin
- Laurens, South Carolina, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- singer / songwriter / musician
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was James "J.T." Taylor born?
Born August 16, 1953 (age 72).
Where is James "J.T." Taylor from?
James "J.T." Taylor is from Laurens, South Carolina, United States.
What does James "J.T." Taylor do?
James "J.T." Taylor works as singer, songwriter, musician.
Singer — see all → · Songwriter — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.