“Red Roots”
Nineteen years ago, our parents, Mark and Sherry Taylor, were told they were having a baby. That was good news to them and our four-year old brother, Mark, Jr. A week later the news changed, as the doctor saw another baby on the ultrasound. Now, instead of one, there were two. Another visit a week later revealed three babies this time! In seven months, three tiny red-heads made their appearance, and “Red Roots” was born—literally!
At age 8, with our parents’ love and example, we started singing in the children’s choir at church. Nika soon began playing guitar, Natalie, piano, and Nicole asked for drum lessons. The band director tried to discourage her, saying she didn’t have any rhythm, but God’s will soon told him differently. Eventually, we all added other instruments; bass, mandolin, violin, and accordion. As we practiced in one room, mom prayed in the next. Our pastor, Brother Bill Barton, asked us to move our practices to a live audience at a rehabilitation center. There, the men clapped for us and encouraged us, even when we hit clunkers and sour notes.
In a brief time, God began to open many doors for us. Our eyes and hearts were opened as well. God revealed to us that being involved in church, or in a Christian band, would not save us. We needed a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Now, we truly did have “Red Roots,” not only on the outside, but also on the inside.
During our senior year, we bought our mom tickets to an Isaacs’s concert for her birthday. We noticed, while purchasing the tickets, there was also a talent contest that night. Winning the contest was exciting, but playing with the Isaacs was even more exciting! Later, Ben Isaac became the producer of our first single. This caught the attention of Rick Schweinsberg and Johnny Sansom, of Daywind Recording Studios, and we were signed to their Red Hen Label. Our mom wasn’t the only one who got a present that night!
The single, “Red Roots,” tells the story of a dad and his daughter looking for the roots of a sassafras tree for tea. Through the hunting trip, the father shows his daughter how the red roots of the tree compare to our red roots in Jesus Christ. This single blends our earlier bluegrass and contemporary styles to form our new Christian Country sound. “Red Roots,” will soon be released to radio. Please call your local Christian station and ask d.j.s to play it for you, so that you, too, can share the message that we are rooted in the blood of Christ. (To contact Red Roots, go to: www.theredroots.com, call Mark Taylor at 228-623-6752, or email redroots3@gmail.com.)
