Iggy Taylor

John (Iggy) Taylor began playing in local garage bands in Claymont, DE  when he was a teenager. Never having a musical lesson, Iggy would pick up whatever instrument the band needed at that time. Playing keyboards or bass he played in several popular east coast bands before packing it up and relocating to Virginia. Selling most of his band equipment, including his beloved Farfisa organ and his Hofner Beatle bass, he walked away from playing music for over 20 years.

In 1998, Iggy moved his family back to Hockessin Delaware to care for his parents who became ill. For 11 months he watched helplessly as they slipped away. During that time Taylor turned toward music to help ease his pain and frustration. "Some people go to church, others find support groups, I wrote songs". And Iggy wrote quite a few. Twenty in 6 months. Playing every instrument, singing the vocals and doing all the recording and production himself, he named his one-man band "Bad Betsy". Iggy began playing his songs for family and friends. A family member secretly uploaded a song to MP3.com., then another. "Before I knew it, I had a whole web site of my music and started getting money for it". Next came his first CD."The Best of Bad Betsy". The CD charted at #1 in sales for Delaware on MP3.com for eight consecutive weeks. "I was happy for my new found success but I felt, somehow, it was blood money. I made the decision to donate all my earnings to the charity that had helped my folks." From 1999 to 2013, Iggy wrote, produced and performed on a total of nine CD’s. The last three, Schtuff, Alone and Ataraxis, were sold commercially and can still be purchased on line.

Joining the band  Too Little Time  in 2006, Iggy continued to make a difference through positive lyrics, music, and actions. Iggy's wife of forty years became ill and the band retired in 2010 . Builiding a home customized for his wife, Linda's needs, he relocated to Lancaster PA.

For the last ten years, you could  find Iggy performing music with Lancaster's premier Classic Rock band: "Off our Rockers".  He left the band in 2024 to join Oscar's Box.  Iggy also performs with Teresa Paperollo and  The Senior Moments Band.

Linda, Iggy and the Grand Funk Connection

In the fall of 1969, two of Iggy’s friends, brothers Gary and Glenn, brought over a new album. “They handed me Grand Funk Railroad’s Red Album and simply said Iggy: "Fuzz wah! "We listened all night to that album. A few days later the three friends decided to form a band. Iggy could already play organ so Glenn and Gary headed to the “Drum Shop” in Wilmington DE. Gary bought a bass and Glenn bought a microphone. Word got out and two more brothers joined. Gene and Glenn Horsky. They named their band "The 20th Century".  Practice began. Gigs, birthday parties and dances soon followed.

Each time they played, Iggy would notice one particular girl with big brown eyes who seemed very focused on the singer. After a few words and some encouragement from the band, Iggy asked her out.  Linda and Iggy started “dating”, and married after getting out of High School in 1973. Linda passed away in 2017. They had been married for 44 years.     

I                                             Iggy, Linda and Mark Farner 2011.

“I always wanted to meet Mark Farner of Grand Funk  Railroad and thank him. 

He was responsible for getting me into bands and meeting my wife".  In 2006 Iggy’s wish came true when he “roadied” for Mark  in Wilmington DE. He and Linda had many more opportunities to hang with Mark  thanks to his relationship with Club Phred.      

Iggy and Mark 2023

Bad Betsy Info

Artist description:  Singer/songwriter Iggy Taylor is "Bad Betsy".

Music Style: Rock / Spiritual / Pop / Pop country

Musical Influences: John Lennon, George Harrison, Mark Farner, Fred Dawson, Jimi Hendrix, Slade, Kurt Cobain, Ozzy, Led Zeppelin, John Fogerty, Eric Clapton, C.S.N.and Y.,The Browns, and (My) Uncle Jack

First web site: September 1999.

First fan letter: November 1999.

First tattoo: June 29th, 1999 (Tatuesday)  (took 46 years to decide!)

First royalty check: March 7, 2000

First  Radio Airplay: (WSTW) April 2000

First "Bad Betsy" public appearance: June 20, 2000

First publishing contract: July 2002

First song licensed: January 2003

First "official" trip to LA: April 2003

First "official" trip to Nashville: February 2005

First song/s in a film: September 2005

First Book written: March 2026.

Older  Iggy  Facts

First guitar: Harmony 1962

First organ/keyboard: Magness chord organ 1966

First band: The Blue Lighters 1968

First Bass guitar: Kay 1958 Howlin Wolf bought in 1969 (Still have) 

Instruments: Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboard, "finger" Percussion

Albums: Best of Bad Betsy, Bad Betsy Again?, Media, Alter Ego, Schtuff, Rock Candy, Alone, 2LT Live, Ataraxis

Songs aired on WSTW's Hometown Heroes: Today, Tell The Truth, Whatever, I'll Be Your Bud, Day at the Beach, I Don't want to be Famous (2LT), Opening Day (2LT), Rosie,Rosie,Rosie

Won Honorable Mention in the Unisong contest:July 2002

Won Honorable Mention in the Songlounge.com song contest: July 2002

First place John Lennon Forum Contest 2003

My Turn This time: Original song out of 40,000 entries included on album produced for American Idol.

Placed in the top 1% out of 30,000 in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest: May 2004

The Too Little Time Band: Best rock and roll band over 50 as voted on by the listeners of WSTW. February 2008

Note: Iggy stopped entering song contests in 2004 allowing his time to be better spent on the business