Koko Taylor is unequivocally the Queen of Chicago blues. She was a huge part of Bob’s blues upbringing. Here are some memorable photos of her highness.
Alligator Records Publicity Photo
Muddy Waters, Viola Spearman (Koko’s Sister), Levi Walton (Koko’s Brother), Otis Spann, Vera Walton (Levi’s Wife), Elga Edmonds, Koko Taylor, Robert Taylor, Jimmy Rogers, Savannah Becton (Koko’s Sister) at Silvio’s Lounge – mid 1950s (Photo From the Koko Taylor Collection, Courtesy of Alligator Records – Thank you Tim Kolleth)
Early Chess Records publicity photo of Koko Taylor, courtesy University Of Mississippi.
Koko Taylor, Hammersmith Gaumont, London, 1967. Photo courtesy of Peter Webb.
Brownie McGhee, Hound Dog Taylor, Koko Taylor, Odie Payne, 1967 American Folk Blues Festival tour.
Koko Taylor, Sonny Terry, Odie Payne, Little Walter as part of the 1967 American Folk Blues Festival. Photo by Jean-Pierre Leloir.
Koko Taylor & Her Late Husband “Pops” Taylor at Biddy Mulligans in Chicago – 1974
(Photo by Bob Corritore)
Early publicity shot
Willie Dixon & Koko Taylor
Louis Myers, Koko Taylor, Jimmy Rogers.
Koko’s phone number given to Bob in 1975
Early Publicity Shot
From the photo shoot of Koko Taylor’s Earthshaker album. L-R: Vince Chapelle, Pinetop Perkins, Harmonica Hinds, Johnny B. Moore, Koko Taylor, Cornelius Boyson, Sammy Lawhorn, Ab Locke. Photo Mark PoKempner, courtesy of Bruce Iglauer/Alligator Records.
Koko Taylor being interviewed. Photo Andre Hobus Library courtesy Marc De Jonghe.
Koko Taylor at the 1979 Chicago Fest! Photo by Kirk West.
Koko Taylor with A.C. Reed and Buddy Guy in the background. Photo by Cary Baker.
John Lee Hooker and Koko Taylor. Photo by Terry Abrahamson.
Koko Taylor & Freddy King. Photo by Terry Abrahamson.
Koko Taylor (with tiara), Lightnin’ Hopkins and unidentified people. Photo Ray Flerlage.
1970s Photo of Koko Taylor (Photo Courtesy of the André Hobus Library – Thanks to Photographers Bob Vanderschueren, Claude Meyer, Annique Massange, André Hobus & Marc De Jonghe)
Photo by Paul Natkin
L-R: Jimmy Johnson, Lonnie Brooks, Bernard Allison, Eddie C. Campbell, John Watkins, Luther Allison, Koko Taylor. Photo 1987 by Tano Ro.
Chico Chism and Koko Taylor, 1999.
Henry Gray and James Cotton eavesdropping on Koko Taylor and Deitra Farr. Photo courtesy Deitra Farr.
Koko Taylor & Robert Lockwood, Jr. at the 2005 W.C. Handy Awards
Bruce Iglauer & Koko Taylor in session at Rax Trax Recording Studios in Chicago – June 2005 (Photo by Bob Corritore)
Promo picture for Koko’s 2007 album Old School (Photo by Mark Norberg, courtesy of Alligator Records)
Promo picture for Koko’s 2007 album Old School (Photo by Mark Norberg, courtesy of Alligator Records)
Koko Taylor and Bob Corritore after the recording session in Chicago that yielded their remake of “What Kind Of Man Is That.” Also on that session were Bob Margolin, Bob Stroger, Little Frank, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith. The song ended up on the album Bob Corritore & Friends/Harmonica Blues!
Bob Corritore & Koko Taylor
Lucerne Blues Festival in Lucerne, Switzerland – November 2007
This photo of Koko Taylor is by photographer Jennifer Noble and is from her book 50 Woman In The Blues and can be ordered here.
Koko Taylor Was on the Cover of Italy’s Il Blues Magazine in Early 2010 (Courtesy of Marino Grande)
Koko Taylor lyric sheets from a 2005 session. On that session were Koko, Bob Corritore, Bob Margolin, Little Frank, Bob Stroger and Willie “Big Eyes” Smith. That smudge mark on the first page is Koko’s makeup.
Koko Taylor and Bruce Iglauer – artist and label, friend and friend!
