Bobby Taylor (February 18, 1934 – July 22, 2017) – I Can't Quit Your Love (1975)
Co-produced by Thom Bell, this re-worked, funky instrumental version of an earlier single by Taylor was arranged by Gene Page and released under the name BT and TB.
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Bobby Taylor was signed by Motown while he was bandmates with Tommy Chong in the 1960s, discovered the Jackson 5, and co-wrote and co-produced the epic “I Believe In Miracles” by the Jackson Sisters (unrelated to La Toya, Rebbie, and Janet Jackson).
While living in San Francisco in the early 60s, Taylor joined a band called Little Daddy and the Bachelors, with Tommy Chong on guitar. They moved to Calgary where they changed their name to the Calgary Shades. Finally landing in Vancouver, they became Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers.
Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson of the Supremes caught one of the band’s shows in Vancouver, and Berry Gordy signed them to Motown in 1965. Their self-titled debut alum was released on the Gordy imprint in 1968, featuring the ballad “Does Your Mama Know About Me,” a #5 R&B hit that was co-written by Chong.
Taylor became involved with the Jackson 5 after the brothers opened for the Vancouvers at a July 17, 1968 show at the Regal Theatre in Chicago. They had already won talent nights at the Apollo and opened for Etta James there, and Taylor realized the group had great potential.
He brought them to Detroit and arranged for them to audition with Motown executive and producer Suzanne de Passe, who advised Gordy to sign them, which he did in early 1969. Taylor became the group’s first producer, before the songwriting and production team known as The Corporation (Alphonso “Fonce” Mizell, Freddie Perren, Deke Richards, and Berry Gordy) took over.
He auditioned to become the Temptations’ new lead singer following David Ruffin’s firing, but Dennis Edwards got the job. After the Vancouvers broke up, Taylor continued working for Motown as a producer with records by acts including the Four Tops, Supremes, and Jimmy and David Ruffin. He left the company in 1971 over a financial dispute and later won a lawsuit against Motown.
Taylor co-wrote and co-produced the phenomenal “I Believe In Miracles” (1973) by the Jackson Sisters, which was arranged by Gene Page. Released on the small label Prophesy Records, it only made it to #89 on the R&B charts, but became a huge record fifteen years later in the UK when rediscovered by the rare groove scene.
In 1975, Taylor and Thom Bell co-produced the epic soul/funk instrumental jam “I Can't Quit Your Love.” Released under the name BT and TB, the arrangement was again by Gene Page, co-written by Kathy Wakefield and Leonard Caston. Other notable tracks penned by Caston include the 1973 Eddie Kendricks classics “Keep On Trucking” and “Girl You Need A Change Of Mind,” both of which he co-wrote and co-produced with Frank Wilson.
“I Can't Quit Your Love” was a re-worked version of a record Taylor had originally put out two years earlier in 1973 with the funky “Queen of the Ghetto” on the B-side.
The Jackson 5 also recorded the song for their Skywriter LP (1973). Taylor’s single had been released on Bell’s Tommy Records, a CBS sub-label, right before Bell formed the Mighty Three Music publishing company in partnership with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.
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Love Bobby Taylor!