About Bill

Full Bio

Bill Taylor is a Georgia-based bassist, bandleader, and lifelong advocate for live music whose career spans four decades of performance, collaboration, and community engagement. Active since 1985, Bill has performed nearly 1,000 documented live shows, appearing on stages throughout Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and the broader Southeast. His work is rooted in original music, improvisational performance, and historically informed tribute projects that honor musical legacies while keeping live shows vibrant, dynamic, and present-tense.

As a bassist, Bill is known for his deep pocket, melodic sensibility, and stylistic versatility. His playing draws from Southern rock, jam-band improvisation, alternative rock, and Americana, with a focus on feel, dynamics, and ensemble awareness. He began his career playing primarily 4-string Fender and Rickenbacker basses through Ampeg tube amplifiers, establishing a foundation built on classic tone and musical authority. During his years with The Bitteroots and the early era of THE CORE, his approach expanded to 5- and 6-string MTD basses and 5-string Fender Jazz basses, utilizing active Bartolini electronics and Markbass amplification to support extended range, clarity, and improvisational freedom. In more recent years—particularly during and following the pandemic—his setup has evolved again toward simplicity and consistency. Bill now performs almost exclusively on 4-string Fender Jazz and Music Man StingRay basses, using Aguilar amplification or running direct via modern multi-effects technology, with the Darkglass Anagram serving as the centerpiece of his entire signal chain. Across every phase, his focus remains the same: tone that sits naturally in the mix, responds to touch, and serves the song and the room.

Bill is currently active in several prominent live projects, including Tribute: A Celebration of the Allman Brothers Band, THE CORE: A H.O.R.D.E. Festival Revival, and Wolves, Lower: Performing the Songs of R.E.M. Each project reflects his commitment to honoring musical traditions without imitation—emphasizing musicianship, energy, and the communal experience of live performance. Over the years, Bill has recorded albums, contributed to countless live recordings, and collaborated with a wide range of musicians across genres and generations.

Beyond the stage, Bill has spent decades archiving live music, meticulously documenting shows, recordings, venues, setlists, and the musicians involved. Drawing from personal records, audience tapes, and community-sourced material, his archiving work preserves not just performances, but the broader context of evolving regional music scenes. This long-term effort reflects a belief that live music history is cultural history, deserving thoughtful preservation for musicians, fans, and future generations.

Bill is also deeply involved in music-driven philanthropy. He serves on the board of Amplify My Community, a Georgia-based nonprofit that organizes and promotes live music events to raise funds for local charities addressing poverty and critical community needs. Through Amplify, Bill helps connect musicians, venues, sponsors, and audiences around a simple mission: present great music, build community, and give back in meaningful ways.

Recognized both on and off the stage, Bill has previously held artist endorsements from MTD Basses (Michael Tobias Designs) and Bartolini Pickups and Electronics, two premier brands in the bass guitar industry. These endorsements reflect his long-standing reputation as a trusted, professional working bassist with a consistent focus on tone, feel, and reliability.

Whether performing, documenting, or organizing, Bill Taylor’s work is driven by a belief in the power of live music to connect people, tell stories, and strengthen communities—on stage, behind the scenes, and for the long haul.

Quick Facts

• Based in: Georgia (Southeastern U.S.)
• Active since: 1985
• Projects: Tribute: A Celebration of the Allman Brothers Band · THE CORE: A H.O.R.D.E. Festival Revival · Wolves, Lower: Performing the Songs of R.E.M.
• Community: Board member, Amplify My Community (concerts that raise funds for local charities)