British folk singer-songwriter Allan Taylor has received unexpected global recognition in retirement after pop star Ed Sheeran discovered and praised his obscure 1978 album, The Traveller, per bbc.com.
Sheeran unearthed the LP in a second-hand record store in Williamsburg, New York, and shared a rave review with his millions of Instagram followers in April. Following which the long-forgotten album has been officially released on major streaming services for the first time.
The unexpected publicity arrived just as the 80-year-old, Leeds-based musician was settling into retirement. Taylor had been scheduled to conclude his 60-year career with a series of farewell concerts at folk clubs this summer, but health complications following back surgery forced him to cancel the performances.
Sheeran described the record on social media as a “special vinyl” that he could not find anywhere online. Since the post, the two artists have spoken at length over the telephone, discussing Taylor’s extensive career and the parallels between their early days performing in pubs and sleeping on floors. According to Taylor, Sheeran has expressed a desire to visit him in person.
Taylor’s music career began in 1966 when he left Brighton at age 21 to travel Europe. His journey eventually led to major US record deals and a performance at the Royal Albert Hall supporting Fairport Convention. While in New York during the 1970s, Taylor frequented the Greenwich Village folk scene and was once asked by Island Records boss Chris Blackwell to manage Bob Marley and the Wailers during a two-week visit to the city.
Despite these high-profile connections, mainstream commercial success eluded Taylor, an outcome he attributes to signing contracts under financial pressure without legal representation. His vocal cords also suffered severe damage from nodes during the height of his career, forcing him into a three-month period of silence that ultimately inspired the reflective themes of The Traveller.
Though the album did not achieve chart success upon its initial release, it won best folk album at the Montreux Jazz Festival’s awards, establishing Taylor a dedicated following in northern Europe. His track “It’s Good To See You” has since been covered more than 100 times by international artists, including Don Williams and Nana Mouskouri. Reflecting on the sudden resurgence of interest, Taylor noted that younger generations remain fascinated by the “romance of the road” experienced by the touring troubadours of the 1960s and 1970s.
The revival of Taylor’s catalogue highlights the significant impact of modern streaming culture and celebrity curation on legacy music. Prior to Sheeran’s endorsement, The Traveller was only available through unofficial user uploads on YouTube; its subsequent digital distribution introduces Taylor’s storytelling style to a global audience that currently generates his highest monthly Spotify listeners in Warsaw, Bonn and Berlin.
•Featured image: Allan Taylor/BBC
