Crystal Taliefero

Name	Crystal Taliefero
Background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
Born	1963
Origin	Bourne, Massachusetts, USA
Instrument	Percussion, saxophone, harmonica, guitar
Genre	Rock music, rhythm and blues
Occupation	Musician
Years active	1974 –present
Associated acts	Billy Joel, Billy Joel Band
Url	crystaltaliefero.com

Crystal Taliefero (born 1963 in Bourne, Massachusetts) is an American multi-instrumentalist and vocalist. Since 1989 she has been a touring and recording member of the Billy Joel Band. She has plans to establish the Taliefero Music Foundation.

Background

Taliefero was 11 years old when she started performing at local rhythm and blues clubs in and around Northwest Indiana and metropolitan Chicago with the singing group, Black Mist (later renamed Magic Mist). Taliefero attended William A. Wirt High School where she was a top athlete and graduated in 1981. She went on to study music at Indiana University. Taliefero is member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

Career

John Mellencamp discovered Taliefero performing in a college band called Kilo and convinced her to leave college in 1986 and join his touring band.

Instruments in Taliefero's percussion kit include agogô, bongo, cabasa, chimes, conga, cowbell, güiro, hand percussion, jam block, shaker, tambourine, timbales, triangle, whistle and wood block.

Personal life

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

Taliefero's goal is to establish the Taliefero Music Foundation that will inspire and shape young upcoming lives in the world of live entertainment.

Taliefero was awarded the Indiana University African-American Arts Institute’s Herman C. Hudson Alumni Award.

External links

References

Category:Living people Category:People from Gary, Indiana Category:American saxophonists Category:American percussionists Category:1963 births Category:African American drummers