By By KEVIN SCOTT CUTLER
Lifestyles & Features Editor
At 15 years old, Jonah Taylor has his whole life ahead of him. But he’s already decided that Jesus Christ and music will be at the center of that life.
A Bath native and sophomore at Northside High School, Taylor began exploring his musical gifts at an early age.
“I started violin lessons when I was 4 with Paula Tisdale and later continued with Doris Hamilton,” he recalled. “I got pretty good at it, but then I became interested in guitar. Everybody seemed to like guitar players, but nobody liked violin!”
The son of Shane and Jennifer Taylor, the young musical prodigy found support from within his family. His mother sings with the Southern gospel group Double Portion and is active with the music ministry at Bath Church of God.
“My sister, Shana, plays violin and piano, but right now she’s more into sports,” Taylor said.
One day, Taylor picked up his mother’s guitar and began picking out chords. She heard him and advised him to pursue that instrument, as well.
Taylor found other musical mentors and supporters inside his family.
“My Pappy, J.L. Marslender, played in bands, playing secular music,” Taylor said. “Then he was shot in the head in a robbery attempt. He had to go to rehab, but he could sit down at a piano and tear it up. After that, he joined the Southern gospel group, Overcomers, and he still plays with them now. And my Meema, Betty Kirk Gurganus, played keyboard at Alligood Church of God.”
Taylor’s Pappy helped him perfect his guitar-playing skills.
“I’d watch him play and pick it up from there,” he said. “He has a recording studio at his house; he does sound tracks and he helps me out.”
Kim Bousquet, wife of pastor Ron Bousquet of Bath Church of God, knew of Taylor’s musical abilities and asked him to play violin in church. For a time, he was part of a band, B4 and After, that would perform in the area.
“I began playing guitar for youth group and for church services,” Taylor said. “I kept working at it, and then I met Jason Burroughs, who is like my mentor. He helps me with voice training and music, and he’s a praise and worship leader at a church in Greenville.”
Burroughs provided further encouragement for the teenager.
“John kind of inspired me to start doing a little keyboard, and since my Meema is an amazing keyboard player, together they helped me start playing the piano,” Taylor said.
From violin to guitar to piano … then Taylor started playing drums.
“I went through the drum phase, practicing for hours,” he said. “My life revolved around homework, practice and food.”
Although B4 and After eventually disbanded, Taylor is open to forming another group.
“Right now, I’m looking for serious musicians who really have a heart for music and a heart for God,” he said. “We’re going to have fun doing it, but we’re going to do it with our full hearts.”
Feeling more confident in his music, Taylor has begun stepping outside his comfort zone. He’s writing contemporary Christian songs, and last year he auditioned for the second season of Beaufort County Idol.
To win a spot in the grand finale, Taylor wowed the judges with his own take on the gospel classic “Amazing Grace,” while accompanying himself on the guitar. For the finals, he played the keyboard and sang “Jesus Loves Me.”
He’s not sure he’ll have the time to audition for Idol’s third season this year. For starters, he hopes to have his new band up and running. And he plans to take a mission trip with a friend, Jessica Howard, to Spain. They want to volunteer in an English camp outside Madrid.
Then it will be back to Northside for two more years of high school.
“After I graduate from high school, I want to go to college as a music major,” Taylor said. “And I really love youth events, so I’ll probably become a youth pastor.”