Dozens of admirers filled the New Shiloh Baptist Church on Feb. 21 to pay their respects to Baltimore DJ and promoter Warren Billy Taylor.
Taylor, 74, passed away in the early morning hours of Feb. 10 according to a friend, Tim Watts of the radio station MAGIC 95.9.
Taylor had a stroke and was hospitalized before slipping into a coma. A viewing for Taylor was held Feb. 20 at Wiley Funeral Homes.
Born Nov. 28, 1938 in South Carolina, Taylor spent most of his early professional life in Richmond, Va. where he became a radio personality in the early 1970s. He worked for radio station WANT-AM as a DJ and sports director.
“BT as we sometimes called him would do the high school football wrap up and sound like he was on ESPN” said former colleague Kirby Carmichael, whose condolences were posted by Tim Watts.
After moving to Baltimore, Taylor became a concert promoter, bringing the likes of Patti LaBelle and other jazz artists to the area.
“Warren Billy Taylor has died. He was my friend for 40 years. I met him when I was a sophomore in college, a year before I started in radio. He founded BT Productions and I can’t tell you how many laughs we shared… Thanks to all my prayer warriors, we tried,” Watts wrote.
“Billy Taylor’s family really appreciates the overwhelming response and expressions of love you folks are sending,” said Watts.
Deborah Robinson left her condolences on Watts’ Web site, saying she saw Taylor “at the Fifth Regiment Armory many times back in the day. He was truly one of the great ones.”
“Billy was one of the GOOD ones and will be missed in this city for sure. There’s nothing like a BT back in the day story,” a friend, Jammer Daniels, wrote on Watts’ site.
