Taj Mahal

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Taj Mahal (real name Henry Saint Clair Fredericks, born May 17, 1942), raised up in musical family. His father wrote arrangements for Benny Goodman and played piano himself. Parents introduced him to gospel, spiritual singing, to Ella Fizgerald, Sarah, Mahalia Jackson and Ray Charles. Listening to the radio he developed a love for blues artists like Leadbelly and Lightnin' Hopkins, Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley.
At age 11 his father died in a farming accident. When his mother remarried, he discovered his stepfather's guitar in the basement and learned to play it with a broken comb. Although he is primarily known as a guitarist, Mahal mastered an arsenal of instruments including piano, banjo, mandolin, and harmonica.

After graduating agriculture and animal husbandry at the University of Massachusetts in 1964 Mahal moved to Los Angeles and formed the Rising Sons band with Ry Cooder. The group signed with Columbia, but the label was unsure how to market the eclectic group, so they released only one single.
After the Rising Sons broke up, Mahal remained with Columbia and recorded his self-titled debut album, Taj Mahal. Following The Natch'l Blues and half electric, half acoustic double album Giant Step in 1969 built Mahal's reputation as an authentic yet unique modern-day bluesman.
After remaining relatively silent through much of the 1980s, Mahal recorded the well-received Taj in 1987 and the first of several children's albums Shake Sugaree. He also recorded a musical score for Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston's lost play, Mule Bone, for which he received a Grammy nomination.

Mahal has recorded more than 25 albums and traveled throughout the world, continuing to explore new musical roots.

Website: www.tajblues.com

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