{"title":"Koko Taylor","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKoko Taylor, born on September 28, 1928 in Bartlett, Tennessee, was a renowned US R\u0026amp;B singer known as \"The Queen of Chicago Blues\". She earned her nickname \"Koko\" due to her love for chocolate. In 1962, she was discovered by Willie Dixon which led to a contract with Chess Records. Collaborating closely with Dixon, Taylor released several singles including the iconic \"Wang Dang Doodle\" in 1965. Her powerful vocals set her apart from other female artists at Chess Records such as Etta James and Irma Thomas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTaylor's unique shouting style drew inspiration from blues legends like Big Mama Thornton and Howlin' Wolf. Her self-titled debut album in 1969 showcased a compilation of her Chess singles. From 1975 onwards, she recorded for Alligator Records for over three decades. In 1985, her album \"Queen of the blues\" won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePassionate about performing until the end, Koko Taylor sadly passed away on June 03, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois after complications from surgery for gastrointestinal bleeding. Her legacy lives on through her influential contributions to the blues genre.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-earthshaker","title":"The Earthshaker","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Earthshaker\u003c\/i\u003e is a blues album by Koko Taylor, released in 1978 by Alligator Records.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReviewing in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), Robert Christgau wrote: \"Considering its size, Taylor's voice has never been what you'd call rich - she flubs the pitch quite a bit, and on the slow ones she's often sounded flat emotionally as well. But it retains amazing presence - by now it's deepened and roughened so much that her late work for Chess sounds girlish by comparison. Two or three of the slow ones here really drag, always a crippling flaw in Chicago blues, but the uptempo stuff is exemplary - the songs are fun as songs, and the guitar on her latest remake of \"Wang Dang Doodle\" is ace.\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Alligator","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50417516282187,"sku":"2023081","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/The_Earthshaker_21295e41_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726731865"},{"product_id":"koko-taylor","title":"Koko Taylor","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eKoko Taylor\u003c\/i\u003e is the 1969 debut album by American blues singer Koko Taylor, released on MCA\/Chess Records. It has received positive critical reception.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe editorial staff of AllMusic Guide gave Koko Taylor 4.5 out of five stars, with reviewer Bill Dahl commenting that it \"is one of the strongest representations of the belter's Chess days available\".\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Chess","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":50435047194955,"sku":"2023080","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"2LP - Black (Acoustic Sounds Version)","offer_id":57937856594251,"sku":"R2692-6867","price":39.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/Koko_Taylor_Remastered_c48ce2ae_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726899069"},{"product_id":"i-got-what-it-takes","title":"I Got What It Takes","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe queen's first album for Alligator, and still one of her very best to date. A tasty combo sparked by guitarists Mighty Joe Young and Sammy Lawhorn and saxist Abb Lockeprovide sharp support as the clear- voiced Taylor belts Bobby Saxton's \"Trying to Make a Living\".\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Alligator","offers":[{"title":"Red LP","offer_id":50905762595147,"sku":"2012306","price":28.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/Txh0zNV8_751bd901_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1732851759"},{"product_id":"crown-jewels","title":"Crown Jewels","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGrammy-award winning blues icon Koko Taylor was a force of nature. The legendary Queen of the Blues was one of the genre’s best-selling and most recognizable artists. With her huge, gritty voice and the backing of her powerhouse band, The Blues Machine, she delivered tough Chicago blues over a 45-year career, ending with her death in 2009. For people all over the world, her music IS the blues as much as BB King’s or Buddy Guy’s. \u003cem\u003eCrown Jewels\u003c\/em\u003e is the first new Koko Taylor vinyl to be released in 35 years, and as the title makes clear, it’s packed with over 50 minutes of the finest performances from her celebrated Alligator years. These are songs blues fans know and love by heart, from “Wang Dang Doodle” to “Hey Bartender” to “Let The Good Times Roll.” It’s gritty, unvarnished, old-school blues and proud of it, every track infused with Koko’s ageless energy and passion. Fellow Chicago blues greats Buddy Guy and Carey Ball guest.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Alligator Records","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":51827184107851,"sku":"R3711-9043","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/201375038082.jpg?v=1747398881"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/collections\/test_4b010aaf_thumbnail_4096_6622017f-6fc0-412d-a948-45aa8802e96a.jpg?v=1726731844","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/collections\/koko-taylor.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}