Patrick Tayluer

Patrick Tayluer was instrumental in providing William Main Doerflinger a number of recordings of songs and maritime lore for Doerflinger’s book, Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman.  This book is considered one of the canon references for contemporary maritime music.  Tayluer was a former merchant marine sailor, and when Doerflinger encountered him, he was judged to be authentic and able to provide music that would otherwise have been lost.  The shanty, Leaving of Liverpool, was one of the collected pieces that has become a standard with maritime music groups and festivals everywhere today.

Tayluer’s work is available through the Library of Congress archives.

Stephen Winick recently published a blog for the Library of Congress that provides great detail of the live and adventures of Patrick Tayluer.