Willy Taylor

Willy Taylor (January 5, 1916 – November 2, 2000) was a noted traditional fiddler from northern Northumberland. Note: on his album 'Welcome to the Dene' his name is spelt Willie
Biography
He was born on Lilburn Tower Farm near Wooler, and went to school in nearby Chatton. For all his working life, he was a shepherd in the Cheviot Hills. From childhood, until the 1990s, he was very active and influential in traditional music circles, on both sides of the Border. This continued well after his retirement.
Musical life
His was a musical family, with five of his uncles playing the fiddle; one of them, Geordie Armstrong, in Willy's later opinion, was one of the best players around. Geordie Armstrong played in a band with Jack Jobson, who gave Willy lessons in playing the fiddle, though Willy hated this at first. The lessons stopped when Jack Jobson 'got the religious bug'. Willy's mother and elder brother played the melodeon, and Willy also learned...