7 Artists Who Play Taylor Guitars

Many guitar players today became inclined to pick up the instrument after hearing or seeing a musician play. They were immediately blown away by these artists’ passion for music and their skills at playing. These music celebs became our inspiration to learn and become better. Hopefully, and with lots of practice, we can be as good as these artists, if not better!

Thanks to beginner-friendly acoustic guitars such as the Taylor Big Baby model, it’s easy to get started learning to play. In fact, Taylor guitars have accompanied many of today’s popular artists in their musical journey from shaky start to super stardom.

If you play or are interested in playing a Taylor guitar yourself, you can definitely look to these artists for inspiration!

Taylor Swift

One of the most popular Taylor players of the millennial generation, Taylor Swift has held a number of different Taylor guitars in her talented hands: the PSGA, the SolidBody, the GS8, the K65ce, the R5-S, the PS-LTD and the 615ce, to name a few. When TayTay attended the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2010, she performed a song on her all-koa Taylor PSGA guitar.

Dave Matthews

When Dave Matthews formed a band in 1991, did he know they would be winning multiple awards for their music? Perhaps not - or at least not right away. The Dave Matthews Band is definitely one of the top 100 highest-selling music acts in the United States and has no doubt influenced an entire generation to pick up the guitar. Dave Matthews is often seen performing with his well-worn Taylor 914ce. The enthusiastic frontman even has his own Signature Model Taylor guitar!

Tony Iommi

The great Tony Iommi is best known for being one of the founding members and the lead guitarist of heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Few people know that Iommi actually thought his guitar playing days were over when he suffered an accident that severely injured the fingers of his right hand - his fretting hand. With the help of another guitarist, he took up the guitar again, wearing soft plastic tips on his fingers.

Iommi plays several Taylor guitars, including the GS Mini, T5, T3, 816ce and 914ce.

Jason Mraz

Aside from getting the ukulele into the spotlight, Jason Mraz can also be credited for showing the younger generation it’s really cool to play acoustic guitar. Over the years Mraz has used a number of different Taylor models, including the 714ce, NS72ce, NS52ce and 612ce. Oh yeah, he worked with Taylor too to come up with the Jason Mraz Signature Model.

Daryl Hall and John Oates

Acclaimed duo Daryl Hall and John Oates have been inspiring musicians since the ‘70s and they’re still making new music. “Philly Forget Me Not,” done in collaboration with Train, is Hall & Oates’ first single in more than 15 years since 2002’s “Do It For Love.” The two are known to have a number of Taylors in their guitar arsenal, including the 912C, 614CE, SB-X, NS74CE and 555. Oates is also known to play a GS Mini Mahogany.

Zac Brown

The Zac Brown Band is so awesome, they won Best New Artist at the same Grammys. Members of the band, particularly frontman Zac Brown, play a variety of Taylor guitars as well, such as the Baby Taylor, SolidBody, T3, 612ce, 614ce, 910 and NS74ce.

There are many other notable music artists who play Taylor guitars. These include Lisa Loeb (GC5e), Katy Perry (Baby Taylor, 512ce, 814ce), Air Supply (Baritone-8, LKSM-6), Chicago (912ce 2012, GS5e-12), George Strait (910 custom cocobolo, 910e 2013), Jewel (912ce 2012, GS7e), Jars of Clay (LKSM-6, 914ce 2014) and Rob Thomas (710ce 2014).

So keep practicing - you could be next!

About the Author

Jules Fitzgerald has been writing about musical instruments for a number of years now and mainly writes about guitars with a particular emphasis on acoustic guitars. When not writing and playing his beloved Taylor, Jules enjoys the great outdoors and going on long walks with his alsatian, Poppy.