Who is Iggy and why is he doing this?
John (Iggy) Taylor began playing in local garage bands when he was a teenager. Never having a musical lesson, “Iggy” would pick up whatever instrument the band needed at that time. Playing keyboards or bass he played in several popular east coast bands before packing it up and relocating to Virginia. Selling most of his band equipment, including his beloved “Farfisa” organ and his “Hofner” Beatle bass, he walked away from playing music for 20 years.
In 1998, both Taylor's parents became ill. For 11 months he watched helplessly as they slipped away. During that time Taylor turned toward music to help ease his pain and frustration. "Some people go to church, others find support groups, I wrote songs". And Iggy wrote quite a few. Twenty in 6 months. Playing every instrument, singing the vocals and doing all the recording and production himself, he named his one-man band "Bad Betsy".
Iggy began playing his songs for family and friends. A family member secretly uploaded a song to MP3.com., then another. "Before I knew it, I had a whole web site of my music and started getting money for it". Next came his first CD."The Best of Bad Betsy". The CD charted at #1 in sales for Delaware on MP3.com for eight consecutive weeks. "I was happy for my new found success but I felt, somehow, it was blood money. I made the decision to donate all my earnings to the charity that had helped my folks."
Iggy continues to fight trying to make a difference in the world through positive lyrics, music, and actions.
Betsy Info
Artist description: Delaware based singer/songwriter Iggy Taylor is "Bad Betsy".
Music Style: Rock / Spiritual / Pop / Pop country
Musical Influences: John Lennon, George Harrison, Mark Farner, Jimi Hendrix, Slade, Kurt Cobain, Ozzy, Led Zeppelin, John Fogerty, Eric Clapton, Fred Dawson, C.S.N.and Y., Melissa Etheridge, The Browns, and (My) Uncle Jack
Artist History: Started March 1999.
First web site September 1999.
Distributed the song "Trick or Treat" Halloween 1999.
First fan letter November 1999.
First (and only) tattoo: June 29th, 1999 (Tatuesday)
First royalty check: March 7, 2000
First Airplay (WSTW) April 2000
First public appearance: June 20, 2000
First publishing contract: July 2002
First song licensed: January 2003
First "official" trip to LA: April 2003
First "official" trip to Nashville: February 2005
First song/s in a film September 2005
Older Iggy Facts
First guitar: “Harmony” 1962
First organ/keyboard “Magness” chord organ 1966
First band: “The Blue Lighter’s” 1968
First Bass guitar: “Kay” 1968
Instruments Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboard, Percussion
Albums Best of Bad Betsy, Bad Betsy Again?, Media, Alter Ego, Schtuff, Rock Candy
Songs aired on WSTW’s “Hometown Heroes”
Today, Tell The Truth, Whatever, I’ll Be Your Bud, Day at the Beach, I Don't want to be Famous (2LT)
Awards
Won Honorable Mention in the Unisong contest: July 2002
Won Honorable Mention in the Songlounge.com song contest: July 2002
First place John Lennon Inter Forum Contest 2003
Won Honorable mention (top 5% out of 30,000) in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest: May 2004
The Too Little Time Band: Best rock and roll band over 50 as voted on by the listeners of WSTW. February 2008
Note: Iggy stopped entering song contests in 2004 allowing his time to be better spent on the “business”.