Accessibility links
Koko Taylor Koko Taylor artist page: interviews, features and/or performances archived at NPR Music

Koko Taylor

World Cafe Looks Back: Blues And Gospel

Mavis Staples performs with The Roots at the Climate Rally on the National Mall on April 25, 2010, in Washington, D.C.

Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images

World Cafe

World Cafe Looks Back: Blues And Gospel

XPN

Hear conversations with guitar masters Buddy Guy and R.L. Burnside, gospel storyteller Mavis Staples and blues royalty Koko Taylor.

World Cafe Looks Back: Blues And Gospel

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/141247280/141247304" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Mountain Stage

Encore: Koko Taylor On Mountain Stage

The Queen of the Blues made three appearances on Mountain Stage before passing away in 2009. The recording heard here was made in April 1994, and features Taylor performing three signature tunes with her one-of-a-kind growl.

Listen Now: Koko Taylor In Concert

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/122228722/122174514" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Music Interviews

Blues Queen Koko Taylor Dies At 80

Her name is synonymous with Chicago blues, and her voice was growling, thunderous and full of soul. Grammy Award-winning blues singer Koko Taylor died in a Chicago hospital Wednesday.

Blues Queen Koko Taylor Dies At 80

Listen · 3:57
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/104922433/104922453" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Browse archive or search npr.org