Crystal Taliefero

Born in Bourne, Massachusetts,[1] Taliefero spent most of her childhood in Hammond, Indiana.[2] By the age of 11 she had begun performing rhythm and blues around Hammond[3] and nearby Gary, Indiana, where her family moved two years later.[2] She joined her brother Charles in the singing group Black Mist (later renamed Magic Mist),[4] who performed in the Chicago area.[5]

Taliefero attended William A. Wirt High School[6] where she was a top athlete and graduated in 1981.[5] She studied music at Indiana University, eventually making the dean's list.[7][8] There, Taliefero was part of the Indiana University Soul Revue, Dr. James Mumford tutoring her.[9] She was a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.[5]

In college Taliefero performed in a band called Kilo, which included other now-notable artists such as Saturday Night Live drummer Shawn Pelton, former Tonight Show bassist Robert Hurst, and trumpeter Chris Botti.[10] John Mellencamp's drummer Kenny Aronoff often sat in on drums, and in 1986 after hearing the first song of a live performance, Mellencamp invited Taliefero to join his touring band.[2][10] In a Spring 2011 interview, Taliefero credited her experience with Mellencamp as the fundamental training that "changed the whole course of [her] life".[2] In 1989, Mellencamp took time off as a musician to focus on painting. When asked, he lent Taliefero $3000, and with that she headed to New York City to pursue more musical opportunities.[2]

Two and a half months into living in New York, Taliefero received a phone call from a Mellencamp associate, asking her to play drums and sing for 1989's Storm Front, the upcoming album from Billy Joel.[2] After a successful audition, she was invited to join the Billy Joel Band, who she has been with ever since.[11] With time, Taliefero claimed the role as background vocal arranger, which she is credited with on 1993's River of Dreams.[2]

In 1991 Taliefero accompanied Bee Gees in their tour. A show in Europe needed an opening act, and they asked if she could perform some of her own material. She then formed a one-off band called Bonzai for the opening show which featured Pat Peterson, a Mellencamp backup singer, backed by the Bee Gees band.[2]

1992 saw Taliefero taking a lead role in Bruce Springsteen's extensive 107-date world tour, ending in June 1993.[12] The tour landed Taliefero a number of press hits. The New York Times music critic Jon Pareles described Taliefero as a "sassy female foil",[13] while Edna Gundersen of USA Today praised her performance alongside Springsteen. Taliefero's collaboration with Springsteen also includes a 1992 MTV Unplugged documentary performance.[2] However, Gary Graff, writing in the Detroit Free Press, lamented that Taliefero only played saxophone on "Born to Run" and missed longtime E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons, who was not invited on the tour.[14]

Taliefero has performed with a wide range of other artists, including Faith Hill, Garth Brooks, Joe Cocker, Tina Arena, Bob Seger, Brooks & Dunn, Richie Sambora, Elton John, Enrique Iglesias, Natalie Merchant, Meat Loaf, and Michael McDonald.[15]

Taliefero's credits as a musician are chiefly as a vocalist and percussionist.[16] Instruments in her percussion kit include bongos, cabasa, mark tree, congas, cowbell, güiro, hand percussion, jam block, shaker, tambourine, timbales, triangle, Djembe, and wood block.[15] In addition, Taliefero is also quite accomplished on the guitar, keyboards, harmonica and saxophone, among other wind instruments.[16] She is known for her energetic stage performances.[10]

In its 2008 article "The 125-Plus People, Places and Things Ruling the Rock & Roll Universe", Rolling Stone magazine declared Taliefero the "Best Secret Weapon".[17]

In 1986, Taliefero suffered a ruptured appendix while touring with Bob Seger. She was hospitalized for several weeks.[18]

Taliefero's goal is to establish the Taliefero Music Foundation that will inspire and shape young upcoming lives in the world of live entertainment.[5] As part of her purpose to inspire young musicians, she visited Central High School in East Chicago, Indiana (her home state), in 2009.[19]

Taliefero was awarded the Indiana University African-American Arts Institute's Herman C. Hudson Alumni Award on April 19, 2011.[20] In a congratulatory statement, Billy Joel noted that some of his songs would not have been written without her inspiration.[3]

Taliefero has contributed narration, compositions and/or music to a range of child-oriented videos and audiobooks though the Weston Woods Studios division of Scholastic Corporation:[15]

• Martin, Bill Jr. (1989). Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Ehlert, Lois (illustrator); Taliefero, Crystal (narrator). ISBN 1-55924-577-8.
• Lester, Julius. John Henry. Narrated by Jackson, Samuel L. and Taliefero, Crystal (June 1998 ed.). ISBN 0-7882-0086-0.
• Ehlert, Lois (2007). Planting a Rainbow. Taliefero, Crystal (narrator). BNID 2000003675593.
• Rappaport, Doreen (2002). Martin's Big Words. Collier, Bryan (illustrator); Duncan, Michael Clarke (narrator); Taliefero, Crystal (music). ISBN 1-60514-944-6.
• Martin, Bill Jr. (2006). Chicka Chicka 1 2 3. Ehlert, Lois (illustrator); Taliefero, Crystal (narrator). ISBN 0-439-89629-0.
• Ehlert, Lois (2007). Planting a Rainbow. Taliefero, Crystal (narrator). BNID 2000003675593.
• Ehlert, Lois (2007). Waiting for Wings. Taliefero, Crystal (narrator). BNID 2000003675067.
• Hamanaka, Sheila (2007). All the Colors of the Earth. Taliefero, Crystal (narrator). BNID 2000003674978.

• "Former Band Member Spotlight: Crystal Taliefero-Pratt". mellencamp.com. May 26, 2011. Retrieved September 5, 2021.

• Crystal Taliefero at AllMusic
• Crystal Taliefero discography at Discogs
• Crystal Taliefero Interview at NAMM Oral History Collection (2019)