Chad David Taylor (born 1970) is an American guitarist and backing vocalist for the band The Gracious Few and former guitarist for the band
Live
Live may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film
* ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film
* ''Live'' (2023 film), a Malayalam-language film
*'' Live: Phát Trực Tiếp'', a Vietnamese-langua ...
. Live have sold over 20 million records, including the 8× platinum album ''
Throwing Copper
''Throwing Copper'' is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Live, released on April 26, 1994, on former MCA Records subsidiary Radioactive Records. It was produced by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads and was recorded at Pac ...
''.
Career
Taylor was the lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the band Live and had appeared on all their albums to June 2022. He met his Live bandmates aged 13 in middle school in
York
York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
. When vocalist
Ed Kowalczyk
Edward Joel Kowalczyk (; ; born July 16, 1971)"Edward Kowalczyk IMDb entry" ''Inte ...
left the band in 2009, Taylor formed the band The Gracious Few along with Live bandmates
Patrick Dahlheimer
Patrick Michael Dahlheimer (born May 30, 1971) is the former bass guitar, bassist for Live (band), Live and bassist for The Gracious Few. Live have sold over 20 million records, including the RIAA certification, 8× platinum album ''Throwing Coppe ...
and
Chad Gracey
Chad Alan Gracey (born July 23, 1971) is the former drummer for the bands Live and The Gracious Few. Live have sold over 20 million records, including the 8× platinum album ''Throwing Copper''.Kevin Martin and Sean Hennesy from
Candlebox
Candlebox is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. Since its formation in 1990, the group has released eight studio albums, several charting singles, a compilation, and a CD+DVD.
Candlebox found immediate success with the release ...
. They released their debut album '' The Gracious Few'' in 2010. In 2011, he announced that Live would reform without Kowalczyk. In 2012, Live reformed with new lead singer Chris Shinn. In June 2022, Live lead singer Ed Kowalczyk announced that Taylor had been fired from the band.
Taylor has produced records for other artists, including the 1996 album ''Happily Ever After'' by Solution A.D. and ''Play the Piano Drunk'', the debut EP of his brother Adam Taylor.
In November 2022, Taylor was sued by a former business associate for fraudulent misrepresentations and failing to pay alleged debts. The lawsuit contained detailed allegations and documents demonstrating that Taylor had grossly inflated his net worth before and during the transaction. In response to the suit, former bandmate Chad Gracey stated "unfortunately for my former band mate who tends to deny the truth no matter what, the note is real and the supporting information in the claim seems irrefutable." In March 2025, the lawsuit was settled with undisclosed terms after Taylor provided a sworn affidavit to "correct and clarify" past statements he had made.
In May 2023, Taylor accepted a friend's invitation to sing and play guitar at a small brewpub in
Wrightsville, Pennsylvania
Wrightsville is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,257 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is part of the York, Pennsylvania, York–Hanover metropolitan ar ...
. This led to his forming a band called Chad Taylor and Friends, with performances at a downtown Lancaster venue in October and November 2023.
Personal life
Taylor is married to Lisa, a yoga practitioner. They have three children, Ruby Lou, Scarlett and Delilah. They live in
Lancaster
Lancaster may refer to:
Lands and titles
*The County Palatine of Lancaster, a synonym for Lancashire
*Duchy of Lancaster, one of only two British royal duchies
*Duke of Lancaster
*Earl of Lancaster
*House of Lancaster, a British royal dynasty
...
, Pennsylvania.
Taylor runs a guitar shop named Tone Tailors in northern Lancaster County within an
industrial park
An industrial park, also known as industrial estate or trading estate, is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development. An industrial park can be thought of as a more heavyweight version of a business park or office par ...
named Rock Lititz.
Discography
For Taylor's history with the band Live through 2022, see the Live discography.
Taylor's equipment was listed in a September 2010 interview with ''Guitar Edge'' magazine.Prudencio, Lisa (September 23, 2010). "Style File: The Gracious Few " . ''Guitar Edge''.
*Guitars: Two Gibson 1959 Les Paul Reissues.
*Amps and Cabinets: Early 1960s Marshall JMP, Marshall 4x12 cabinet with Celestion 30-watt Greenbacks, Orange AD30HTC.