Keith Taylor
Singer-Songwriter-Guitarist
Born in western North Carolina and reared between the Carolina Mountains (Spruce Pine) and the Great Lakes of Michigan (Detroit to Petoskey), Keith is a blend of southern genteel and mid-western influences. Now based in Durham, North Carolina Keith splits his private time between the Carolina Mountains and the Florida Gulf Coast. He’s a powerful vocalist who sings Blues, Folk, Folk-Rock, Rock-A-Billy and Americana. "Everyone on my father's side was a musician. My dad played trombone and clarinet. My uncle Dick plays the Spoons, is a fabulous Clogger and a tremendous Crooner. My Aunt Dean and Uncle Avery Sullins owned the local music store for over 50 years (Honolulu Conservatory of Music)." Dean and Avery's son (William "Bill" Avery Sullins) started Keith playing in bands. Together they joined the River City Band, eventually forming the powerful Avery Taylor Band. Their eldest son, Skip Sullins, has always been an inspiration to Keith and still carries on the tradition of being a working professional musician and great entertainer in the Charleston, SC area.
Bill Gartland
Singer-Songwriter-Guitarist
Bill was born in Ohio and comes from a family of singer song writers. Bill and his brothers meet periodically in Nashville, St Louis and other cities to record and produce their work. Bill and his family now call Durham, North Carolina home.
Herb Patterson
Bassist
Herb was born and raised in Johnson City, TN. He played bass in classic rock bands throughout the 60’s and 70’s then took a break for a while to finish school and start a family. He moved to Chapel Hill, NC in the early 80’s and rekindled his love of playing music in the 90’s and early 2000’s playing in several cover bands in the Chapel Hill area.
Another break took him to the pandemic when spending a lot of time at home afforded him the opportunity get out some instruments and start playing again. With the pandemic over and retiring in 2023 he joined the KTB in 2024.
John Redick
Drums and Percussion
John was born and raised in Durham, North Carolina. A lifelong lover of rhythm and percussion. John set the tempo and groove for everyone else.
Former Band Mates
Chip Mikell 2011-2023
Bass Guitar
Chip grew up in Tallahassee, leaving at seventeen for college and returning after a fourteen-year stretch in Atlanta and overseas. Like many people of his generation he listened to the radio almost constantly, absorbing the influences of rockabilly, blues, rock, soul, funk, pop, early metal, swing and country music. He notes, “My architectural work meant long hours and days in a drafting studio with a radio or tape player nearby. Music was a constant companion”.Chip loves the bass, and somewhere along the way he actually learned to play the darn thing. A self-taught musician, he first picked up the instrument in his high school years, playing in bands and in private until the pressures of graduate school and career became too intense. In 2003 on a whim he visited a local guitar shop and rediscovered the instrument, bringing an acoustic bass home with him that same day. He’s been an avid musician since, playing with friends and as the newest member of the Keith Taylor Band.Aside from music, Chip likes to ski, work on various projects and spend time with his wife and family.
Howard Rich
Drums, Percussion & Vocals
Howard grew up in Miami playing Latin rythms.
Don Gormly
Piano, Organ, Harp & Vocals
Don is from the Big Apple
Bill Landing
Saxophone
Bill was born and raised in Burbank, California.
Erik Luoma
Lead Guitar & Vocals
Born and raised in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida
Dillon Forbes 2011-2019
Singer-Songwriter-Guitarist & Harmonica
Dillon is originally from Greenville, N.C. where at the young age of 10 his parents gave him a guitar and sent him to the local community art center for free lessons. These four 30 minute lessons are his only formal training with the guitar but the desire to sing and play was kindled in his heart and this has motivated Dillon to become a dedicated music professional. He started performing as a front man in a neighborhood group with his older brother who took formal guitar lessons and passed on his knowledge to Dillon. In high school he helped form the Amusement Park Band, a Top 40 cover group that played for dances and birthday parties in the local area. In college not only did Dillon receive a higher education but he was exposed to a wide variety of musical influences including the great masters of blues, rock, and jazz that helped shape his playing style. When Dillon graduated college he moved to Wilmington, N.C., formed a southern rock party band called Dragon Silver, and had a lot of fun gigging at the beach bars of southeastern N.C. In the 1980’s he met Charlie Williams from Wallace, N.C., a very accomplished guitar player and performer that graciously mentored Dillon to a higher level of musical ability. He began to get full-time road experience with Charlie in Skyline band playing regularly in many of the bars of the Carolinas. Another great entertainer, drummer Danny Jackson, tapped Dillon to play with the popular regional country rockers Silverstar who were infamous for their outlaw country shows throughout the Virginia-Carolina area. The rigors and uncertainty of life as a full-time musician began to take a toll on Dillon and he opted for a day career in the real world while continuing to pursue music on the weekends. He joined a very successful classic rock and blues cover band called The Brewed and for nearly 10 years played weekend gigs in N.C. and Virginia. During this time Dillon also performed many solo gigs and got the opportunity to partner with Harvey Arnold for several blues duo engagements. Harvey is most notable as a former bassist with the southern rock powerhouse The Outlaws and he currently fronts the critically acclaimed Harvey Arnold Blues Band. In 2002 Dillon moved to Florida and teamed up with bassist and skilled recording engineer and producer Shawn Foley to form Rizer, a new rock band that performed originals as well as cover tunes at venues in southern Georgia and northern Florida. Rizer recorded one album produced by Shawn (Doc Snow) Foley and featured a very talented singer and songwriter, Jeff Sheilds, who has gone on to record two albums with the up and coming rock band Stereoside. Meanwhile Dillon formed the blues band Blind Dillon, and continued to play gigs throughout Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. In 2011 a new endeavor with The Keith Taylor Band is an opportunity for Dillon to showcase the seasoned guitar playing and vocal harmony he has developed over many years.
Randy Williams 2012-2019
Percussion and Vocals
Growing up in a talented musical family meant that Randy was always surrounded by different forms of music. Randy grew up in Winter Haven, Florida where his parents exposed him to a wealth of different genres as a child, all of which influenced his development and passion for music. Randy began playing drums in middle school and hasn’t put the sticks down since.Randy's vocation transplanted him to Tallahassee in 1993 where he has been playing and singing in various church praise bands since he moved to the area. At one point he became heavily involved in a Barbershop Quartet known as “Witness” and traveled the area with that group singing Acapella music for all ages.When he isn’t working, playing or singing, Randy enjoys camping and spending time with his wife and family.
Frank Simons
Lead Guitar & Vocal
Frank is Columbus, Georgia born and bred.
Currently playing with Sonic Boom.