Daily Inspiration: Meet Taylor Raynor

Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Raynor.

Hi Taylor, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Music has always been a part of my life. The other day, I found a home movie of myself at two years old banging on a small children’s keyboard. I’m not sure how it happened, and it doesn’t run in the family, but I was drawn to music at an early age.

I would fall in love with soundtracks to all the movies I’d see, I’d run off to wherever there was live music while out with my family, and whenever I got the chance I played an old electric organ that my parents had. The keys had letters on them so I could learn what all the notes were.

One day, I snuck into my brother’s room and picked at his guitar. I called my friend who taught me to play Mary Had a Little Lamb over the phone. That’s when I got hooked on guitar. Then, I started playing trumpet in the middle school band, and when I got braces I switched to violin.

So then I was playing piano at home, learned to sing my favorite songs along with my guitar, and played violin in the high school orchestra. I started playing some gigs in high school and when I graduated I started playing a lot more. I joined a band as a violinist in 2012 and really came out of my shell on the instrument.

Then I started picking up the mandolin and writing more of my own songs. I played in various bands as a violinist and as a guitarist/singer but when I started running a concert series (Sofar Sounds) in Tampa in 2017 I met a lot of the musicians I play with today.

I played with a lot of singer-songwriters as a violinist and released some of my own music. Then I joined a bluegrass/old-time band in 2020 and honed my skills as a fiddle player. In April 2022, I moved to Nashville with four friends from Tampa.

I play fiddle and sing harmonies with two of them, Leon Majcen and Liam Bauman, and I play songwriter showcases and other shows as a solo artist.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ve faced some challenges along the way.

When I first started singing I was awful. I took vocal lessons for a couple of years and my singing improved slowly. Self-confidence was a hard thing to come by. It wasn’t until I was into my third or fourth year performing that I started gaining self-confidence.

My singing and playing kept improving until one day I started to feel on top of the world after every gig. That’s when I realized the stage is like a second home to me. I feel very comfortable on stage these days. Another obstacle I’ve had to overcome is self-doubt.

I still feel it from time to time when I see a more skilled musician performing or when I see people doing well in other industries. I question whether I’ve chosen a good path in life. Music has been extremely fulfilling and purposeful for me but I still feel like I’m on the wrong path sometimes.

And when I see someone playing who’s better than me I think “I should stop trying” or “I really need to go home and practice”. It’s an emotionally volatile journey when you’re pouring your heart into what you do.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a songwriter and musician, my main goal is to get my music out to as many people as possible while trying to generate a sustainable income.

I write, record, and release music under my name Taylor Raynor. I collaborate with other songwriters from time to time. As a fiddle player, I’ve played with a lot of artists, live and on records. I’m most proud of the community of friends and musicians I’ve been able to build over the years.

I think my songwriting style sets me apart in that my songs are very honest and simple in a way that seems to allow people to connect to them on a deep level.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love how welcoming all the musicians have been in Nashville. I was nervous about moving here and I thought the scene would be intimidating but everyone has been very supportive and helpful.

The potholes and roads are what I least like about Nashville. I don’t even want to drive anywhere anymore, it’s so bad.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorraynor/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TaylorRaynorMusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi1B1KZ1IRP0n9jnmdqhmew

Image Credits
Jamie K. Cook, Ben Collins, Catherine Groeber, and Summer Strickland