Bobby Taylor, Tommy Chong's 1st Partner & The Man Who Discovered The Jackson 5, Dead at 83

Singer Bobby Taylor died in Hong Kong of cancer at the age of 83.

Taylor was the lead singer of the Motown group Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers. Although they originally formed in San Francisco, they were discovered in Vancouver by Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard of The Supremes in the mid-1960's who brought them to the attention of Berry Gordy, Jr.. The Vancouvers included a guitar player and backup singer named Tommy Chong who would find later fame as one half of Cheech & Chong. Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers' biggest hit was "Does Your Mama Know About Me?"

However, Taylor's most significant contribution to Motown wasn't one of his own songs, but his discovery of another Motown legend - The Jackson 5. The group was opening for Taylor in Chicago and he alerted Gordy, Jr. to their talent.
Taylor was the original producer for the Jackson 5 debut 1969 album Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5, but Gordy, Jr. objected to Taylor's production style of cover songs and took over production himself.

This would be the beginning of the end of Taylor's influence. Taylor auditioned to succeed David Ruffin as lead singer of The Temptations, but nothing came of it. Nor did any solo recordings for Motown & by 1973 his musical career was effectively over. A man of his talent and ear for other talent deserved a far better fate and place in the history of Motown Records. R.I.P.