Tag: Spencer Taylor

Spencer Taylor, Jr. of the Highway QC’s passes at 97

By Libra Boyd, Editor in Chief

Gospel Music Fever joins countless others in extending condolences on the passing of Spencer Taylor, Jr. The longtime Highway QC’s frontman, who spent seven decades with the group and came to be known as “The Godfather” of gospel quartet music, died last week at the age of 97.

Taylor’s son and fellow group member, Lynn Taylor, shared the news of his father’s passing in a heartfelt Facebook post on September 5th. 

“Daddy, you were my King, and I will hold you dear to my heart for the rest of my life,” he wrote.

“Throughout your final days, you urged me to let you go, and I was compelled to watch you take your last breath today. Your parting words, ‘Ok Lynn, I do it for you,’ continue to resonate with me. Today, you showed me immense affection through your kisses. Furthermore, I was touched by your heartfelt prayer for the group and me. So, I understood. To put it simply, my dad wasn’t ailing; he was merely elderly and eager to reunite with Christ in heaven. 🙏 Thus, you should know that the Godfather peacefully left this world at 3:16, surrounded by his devoted group and family, while affectionately kissing me. I love you, Daddy. Your baby son.”

Several years ago, I had the privilege of interviewing Taylor for Gospel Music Fever. At the time, I marveled that he had been on gospel’s battlefield with the Highway QC’s for nearly 60 of the group’s 69 years. He was 86 then, and he was showing no signs of slowing down.

The Highway QC’s carved out a storied place in gospel history, with past members including Lou Rawls, Sam Cooke, and Johnnie Taylor (no relation to Spencer). A younger Spencer Taylor probably could’ve chosen the secular road at some point, too. Instead, he stuck with gospel. 

As we chatted that afternoon, Taylor stood both unnoticed and undisturbed in the back of the auditorium he would shortly demolish with his most requested number, “Oh, How Wonderful.” I was struck by how approachable he was, enjoying the performance of a lesser-known quartet instead of retreating to a dressing room. Speaking about the group’s enduring legacy, he reflected, ‘Well, through Christ… anything you do only stands by the Word of God, and that has been our success. To last, you’ve got to stay with God.’”

Enjoy the full GMF interview here. 

Homegoing celebration arrangements have been announced by the Taylor family as follows:

Homegoing Celebration flyer

Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025
Public Viewing
9 AM – 11 AM

Celebration of Life Service
11 AM – 1 PM
Pastor Tim Rogers, Eulogist

Viewing and Celebration of Life service will be held at Southern Friendship Baptist Church, 4444 Branch Avenue, Temple Hills, MD. Services will also be live-streamed via YouTube through Southern Friendship Baptist Church’s channel.

In acknowledgment of his passing, The Journal of Gospel Music published an essay about Taylor and the Highway QC’s, which you can read here.

Highway QCs' Spencer Taylor: "If you're gonna sing gospel, you got to know the Lord"

By Libra Boyd, Founder & Editor
Gospel Music Fever

Spencer Taylor has been on gospel’s battlefield with the Highway QC’s for nearly 60 of the group’s 69 years, and at 86 years old, he shows no signs of putting on the brakes.

The Highway QC’s are legendary. This is the same group whose line-up once consisted of Lou Rawls, Sam Cooke, and Johnnie Taylor (no relation). A younger Spencer Taylor probably could’ve chosen the secular road at some point, too; instead, he stuck with gospel. His fans sure are glad.

When I caught up with the dapper Mr. Taylor a while back, he was standing both unnoticed and undisturbed in the back of the auditorium he’d be wrecking in just a few more minutes with his most requested number, “Oh, How Wonderful.” Admittedly, I was impressed that he wasn’t cooped up in a dressing room or luxury bus waiting for his time to hit the stage. Instead, he was just hanging out—chillin’—visibly enjoying the performance of a lesser known quartet. As engaged as he was, he didn’t seem the least bit startled when I approached; and when I requested that he weigh in on his group’s longevity and offer advice to upcoming groups, he chimed in without hesitation.

Taylor’s take on the group’s relevance after nearly 70 years…

Well, through Christ….Anything you’re doing…only stands by the Word of God, and that has been our success. Staying with God—you’ve got to stay with God.

Taylor’s advice to upcoming groups…

[You] must be born again. Be a Christian. If you’re gonna sing gospel, you got to know the Lord. That’s your first step. And I mean, [there’s] no other way around it….This is a must; it’s not a might. You know, you see some people who can sing, and they don’t know the Lord—and I could never try to pick out no one—but they don’t know Christ. They have a good voice, but they don’t realize how far they could go if they just accept Him and let Him be their total controller….You look at all them other people; they make millions of dollars, but if you sing for the Lord, don’t worry about that. You ain’t gotta worry about that, because He will supply your every need.  And that’s so clear, ya know….The first thing you got to do is be a born again Christian…can’t be straddlin’ the fence. Can’t serve two masters; the Bible says you’ll love one and hate the other one.

Sage advice, I called it.

“But it’s right,” Taylor insisted. “What I’m saying is…I don’t know anything to tell you but right. I make a habit of trying to tell people right.”