In Memoriam
In Loving Memory of Josh Taylor
Joshua “Josh” Robert Taylor, beloved husband, son, and friend, passed away unexpectedly on April 15, 2024, in Pensacola, FL, at the age of 44.
Josh was born on March 13, 1980, in San Diego, CA, to Robert and Barbara Taylor. He spent his formative years in Pensacola, FL, attending Pace High School where he formed enduring friendships. Josh was captivated by the vibrant music scene of the West Coast, a love he proudly promoted throughout his life. On November 4, 2016, he married the love of his life, Amy, and their union brought immeasurable joy to both their lives.
Josh’s professional journey led him to Blues Angel Music in Pensacola, where he became an indispensable part of the team. He considered introducing children to musical instruments the most gratifying part of his job. Josh’s presence in the local music scene was profound, as he lent his talent to numerous bands, leaving an indelible mark on Pensacola’s musical landscape.
Known for his magnetic personality, Josh was charismatic, witty, and brimming with love for life. His humor, reminiscent of a Wes Anderson film, brought laughter to all who knew him, and his quick wit was legendary. Josh’s kindness and compassion extended beyond his immediate circle, as he tirelessly advocated for human rights and progressive causes. To be in Josh’s presence was to feel cherished and valued, as he had a unique ability to make everyone feel special. He cherished his family deeply, whose love and support he held close to his heart.
Josh’s untimely passing has left a profound void in the lives of his loved ones and the Pensacola community. His absence is keenly felt, particularly among those who were fortunate enough to call him friend. The Pensacola music scene mourns the loss of one of its brightest stars, as Josh’s passion for music and infectious energy enriched the lives of all who crossed his path. He will be remembered for his dimpled smile and contagious laughter which lit up a room.
Josh is survived by his beloved wife, Amy Wahl Taylor; his father, Robert “Bob” Taylor; his fraternal grandmother, Trudy Taylor; his aunts Sherri Taylor Garner and Brenda Peterson Mercado; his cherished pets, Max, Petey, and Kimbo; and countless friends and extended family. He is preceded in death by his mother, Barbara Taylor; maternal grandparents, Myrtle and Willie Peterson; fraternal grandfather, Robert Taylor; Uncle Larry Peterson; and cousin, Matt Cheatham.
A memorial to celebrate Josh’s life will be held on Sunday, May 12th, at Blues Angel Music in Pensacola. Further details will be announced soon. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to be made to a cause closest to Josh’s heart, Blues Angel Music Foundation a nonprofit organization providing instruments and music education to all ages. (PayPal link below). Those wishing to share condolences or memories are invited to contact Faith Chapel Funeral Home in Cantonment, FL.
Joshua Robert Taylor will be deeply missed and forever cherished by all who had the privilege of knowing him. His legacy of love, laughter, and music will continue to resonate in the hearts of those whose lives he touched.
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8 responses to “In Memoriam”
I was reading through my texts with Josh the other night, and in one exchange about Mardi Gras, he said, “I am a pro at having a good time.” This is so true!
Amy, he loved you so much. He loved you, and your dogs, and your home, and your life together. Sometimes he would come and sit in my office and say “I can’t wait to go home and be with my wife.” He loved his family – Bob, he loved you so much, too, and appreciated everything you did for him. He loved his friends. His laughter was infectious. He found joy in so many things. I am a better person for having the opportunity to work with him, and incredibly fortunate to have been able to call him my friend.
Josh served me many times, and always had a emphasis on customer service. He will be missed in many capacities. God Speed ~ ♡
The hardest part about remembering someone with a personality as large as Josh Taylor is choosing which story to remember.
Many times when things died down in the Spanish Fort store Josh and John Yeager would mess around and fill the quiet, often done through cranking the speakers and playing our favorite music. Most of the time when it was Josh’s call to make, he would play the likes of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, The Clash, and one one particular desperate occasion, Aqua.
During this day a couple of regulars had come in fresh out of band practice. They were your standard fare metalheads, dark shirts and tight jeans despite the summer heat baking the world outside. They came in, waved at us sitting behind the counter, and went around the corner where they plugged in guitars and proceeded to play through their entire original setlist for the next 45 minutes at full volume.
Sometimes quiet and silence is deafening, but all of the time squealing overdriven metal amps are deafening. After an hour of chugging and pinching harmonics, Josh and John came up with an idea to “gently nudge” them out of the store. Next thing I know, the words “I’m a Barbie Girl…” came out the speakers at an increasing volume that in no time outpaced the speaker squeals in the other room. For a minute the duo tried to keep up, but they were no match for Josh’s DJ’ing. Every decibel they climbed Josh climbed higher till suddenly the pinch harmonics stopped, the amps went quiet, and two boys walked around the corner waving goodbye sheepishly at us while making a break for the door. As soon as they were out of sight we cut off Aqua and busted out laughing that the plan actually worked.
We never played Aqua before and we never played Aqua again. It was our nuclear option and we never needed it again. That store only had 2 modes it seemed, full send busy and complete stop dead. But no matter how things were going in store, working with Josh was always an absolute blast. You never knew what would happen, but you knew he would be able to make it great. I’m going to miss him.
To our BAM friends…
I only knew Josh from coming into the store for my weekly lesson and remember him fondly. Like everyone else I know at BAM, he was friendly, knowledgeable and always willing to help. I remember buying my beloved ukulele , and he was the salesperson who told me to ” Take your time and enjoy trying out the ukes.”
To his wife, Amy, you will be in my prayers in the months ahead. We don’t know each other, but you will be in my prayers.
To the wonderful folks at BAM, you all are being held in my heart during this time. Blues Angel Music is a special place due to the amazing staff, and my husband and I have gotten to know some of you well in the past year and a half.
Much love and condolences,
Sarahbeth McCarren and Brian Lowman.Josh’s part in music was a huge part of my life growing up. I don’t think that I would be interested in the music that I am now if it were not for him. He definitely helped shape me into the person that I am today.
Josh will live on in the memories of those who knew and loved him… His impact on me over the years makes it impossible for me to not think about him when in the store. My condolences go out to his Family, Friends & Associates…
There are so many good memories I have of Josh that there is no way I could comb through and pick just one. But I really got to know him better when we started to work together at Blues Angel, even though we were already good friends. I was looking for a different job and he said hey! Blues Angel is opening a store in Spanish Fort and I should apply. So I did and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. I got to work with one of my best pals and be surrounded by music. What a dream!! I know he loved working at BAM and I know we all miss seeing him there in his element. But I think I’ll miss his laughter and smile the most. It truly was infectious as so many have said. Trace Dixon, you really brought me back talking about getting paid to hang out with friends. We were truly a family when we were together. Josh was the glue. I love you Josh and I’ll miss you forever.
So sad to hear Josh passed. I missed the Store gathering as well. Just spoke with Josh not long ago in the store for about 30 minutes. I would always seek him or Jim out if they were there. Josh was always kind and knowledgeable about whatever we were discussing. We are the same age, so we had a lot of discussions with commonalities. I loved Josh’s spirit. He touched so many as he influenced many musician’s journey in music. He will be missed by many. Via Con Dios Josh.
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