Lee Taylor Captures
The Iconic Marsha P Johnson’s Fiery Spirit With
“PAY IT NO MIND”
A musical homage to the dearly beloved trans icon
“Lee Taylor is a Voice to watch” – William Bell, legendary recording artist
Single out on 10/9 – Album out in 2021
New York is a mystical place from uptown to downtown, to the Bronx to Brooklyn; the lively city brings out a fighting spirit in everyone who makes the journey. Marsha P (Pay It No Mind) Johnson was one of those free spirits that songwriter/vocalist Lee Taylor has captured her in song with “Pay It No Mind” out on October 9, 2020, via all available streaming platforms. Her full debut album, Wild Womxn, will be out in Spring 2021.
“Lee seems to know Marsha’s story better than the rest of us!” declares Mariah Ebony Lopez, Executive Director of STARR (Strategic Trans Alliance for Radical Reform). “The song seems written before its time; although new its sound is old—soothing and moving—in the best ways.”
“I ain’t got lots of money
But I always wear a crown
And even after all these years
No one knows why I had to drown”
Lee wrote, “Pay It No Mind,” after being a tour guide for all the closed lesbian spaces in the Village in New York City. She would speak about Marsha’s life, and one night after a guide, with a sold-out crowd at The Stonewall Inn (where Marsha threw the first stone at the police in 1959 for Gay Rights), Lee and the crowd celebrated by dancing to Tina Turner. “My goal was to write about her life in a way that would make people move since I know joy and action were paramount to her existence and her rebellion. Thank you, Marsha P Johnson, for the gifts you gave to the world. This song is for you. Black Trans lives matter.”
“She is an undisputed icon. She’s the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, and the Sphinx all rolled up into one divine ball.” Jack Walls, artist
Marsha P Johnson was an iconic LGBTQ+ trans activist on Christopher Street in the Big Apple; she was always wearing flowers in her hair and being kind to everyone she met. She became an advocate and activist for the LGBTQ+ community to give them a better future through her ongoing quest for equality. She was found dead in the Hudson River after the 1992 Pride Parade with head trauma. To this day, the case has been unsolved. An excellent documentary called “Pay It No Mind” was made in 2012 by Redux pictures capturing her in an honest interview along with her friends and community members. They all described her as a trailblazer with a big heart.
The song was recorded live at The HiFi Loft in Brooklyn, NY, with an impressive band of members of The Dap Kings (Sharon Jones and Amy Winehouse), and many other stand-out musicians. Lee captured this song and ten others for her upcoming 2021 release, Wild Womxn. The songs came to life as Lee belted out in front of a small crowd back in October 2019. The sound is refreshing, and her voice addresses love, social and racial injustice, political stances that come together as one big message: love is all you need.
Lee has been dazzling audiences for a long time with her blend of blues, jazz, pop, and gospel. Her voice has been described as “distinctive” by legendary bassist Darryl Jones (The Rolling Stones, Miles Davis), “uncommon” by The Memphis Commercial Appeal, and as “a voice to cut diamonds” by The Canberra Times (Australia). Legendary artist William Bell called her new album, “A refreshing return of real music and live performance energy! Excellent vocals, musicianship, and arrangements! Lee Taylor is a Voice to watch. I give the record Five Stars!”
Lee’s solo appearances include The Blue Note and Lincoln Center in New York City. As a Resistance Revival Chorus member, she performed with Phillip Glass at Carnegie Hall and with Jim James on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. With her popular all-womxn band, Frilucha, Lee performs at several popular New York venues, including Dyke Bar Takeover and The Django. In December 2018, she released her first single, “My First Divorced Christmas,” now available on the Daptone Soul Super Store. Her forthcoming debut solo album, Wild Womxn, will be available in 2020. Her original composition, Wild Womxn, is also featured on the upcoming compilation record, This Joy, to be released on Righteous Babe Records in the spring of 2021.
Lyrics to “Pay It No Mind” (Lee Taylor)
I left home for New York City
15 dollars to my name
And tho’ my journey and sho’ nuff been easy
Ain’t nothing to it I would change
Cuz I
Pay it no mind, I pay it no mind
Police serve to abuse me
Oh, why can’t I be me
I got shot on the west side highway
But I’m still here dancing
Cuz I
Pay it no mind, I pay it no mind
They even made a Warhol
Then they kicked me out the store
In 73’ I got banned from pride
Grabbed my banner and when in front
Cuz I
Pay it no mind, I pay it no mind
I ain’t got lots of money
But I always wear a crown
And even after all these years
No one knows why I had to drown
But I
Pay it no mind, I pay it no mind
