Chip Taylor Smith

My first musical memories were sitting at the console of the big pipe organ my dad played in church where I grew up in Massachusetts. I was mesmerized as he swayed back and forth with arms extended, reaching for different keyboards, stops and pages of music while his feet danced over octaves of pedals. Off in the distance I could hear my mothers voice as the melodies that were rehearsed in the piano room at home all week resonated beautifully through the rafters of the church and wafted out over Main St..

A few years later I would find myself in the basement of a church down the street where they held a weekly night of folk music at The Cellar coffeehouse. It was there that I became acquainted with the music by the likes of Mississippi John Hurt, Spider John Koerner and The Holy Modal Rounders. Through high school I was able to keep musically active by playing trombone in the school band, electric guitar and organ in a blues/rock band and acoustic guitar and fiddle in a jug band.

Going to music school seemed like the thing to do but after one semester I decided that it wasn't for me as I preferred my music less formal. I soon found that I could hitchhike with my fiddle and small dog in search of new musical experiences. These travels allowed me to join a bluegrass/jam band on Martha's Vineyard called the Condor Brothers. It was on the Vineyard that I met Chad Crumm. I wanted so badly to fiddle with Chad but I just couldn't get up to his level so I backed him up on guitar. We both moved to Cambridge that fall and soon The Chicken Chokers were formed.

Now, so many years later, my musical experiences reflect those of my high school days. To augment the Choker experience I play electric guitar and keyboards in a blues band ( The Black Cats ), electric guitar and fiddle in a zydeco band ( Dirty Rice) and after getting to meet musical hero Koerner, have been playing fiddle with him for 30 years.