Tut Taylor
Robert Arthur “Tut” Taylor Sr. (November 20, 1923–April 9, 2015) was an American bluegrass resonator guitarist, mandolinist, and luthier. Born in Milledgeville, Georgia, he pioneered an unorthodox style by playing the squareneck resonator guitar using a flatpick rather than traditional fingerpicks. After regional stints with the Folkswingers and the Dixie Gentlemen, he achieved national prominence in 1971 as a core member of John Hartford's groundbreaking Aereo-Plain band alongside guitarist Norman Blake and fiddler Vassar Clements. A prominent figure in the Nashville instrument trade, he co-founded the legendary GTR shop with George Gruhn and Randy Wood in 1970, before establishing the Old Time Pickin' Parlor performance venue and launching the Crafters of Tennessee manufacturing company. He shared the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album for his foundational ensemble contributions to The Great Dobro Sessions.