R.I.P. Mike Taylor (Walk Off The Earth)

Read More Walk Off The Earth The first time I heard of Walk Off The Earth, I confused them with Walk the Moon. Walk off the Earth is the chart-topping viral band with their sophomore album Sing It All Away, set for release this Summer, June 16th on Columbia …

Mike “Beard Guy” Taylor from Walk Off The Earth has died of natural causes on Sunday, December 30th.

The band issued this statement, “Mike had a love for life that was unmatched and a willingness to give that went beyond ordinary means. Our deepest sympathies are with his two children, whom he adored more than anything else in the world.”

We caught Walk Off the Earth at the Basilica Block Party (08 July 2017) and said, "Walk Off the Earth was undoubtedly the most fun band to see of the weekend. The Ontario, CAN six-piece (+3 live) ensemble threw everything including the kitchen sink, into their energetic hour-long performance, including confetti cannons, drums that “blew” smoke rings when struck, a group kazoo solo, playing plastic pipes and pool noodles, and five members strumming a single guitar. Part jukebox band (they re-interpret several current hit songs) and with multi-genre songs of their own, they nearly define the term, musical melting pot. "

The band and Taylor’s family ask for privacy in this trying time.

Below are more recent deaths - for the full death list: Musicians who died in 2018.

December (33)

[30 Dec 2018] Mike Taylor (Canadian musician for Walk Off the Earth), natural causes

[27 Dec 2018] Miúcha (Brazilian singer and composer), 81, respiratory failure

[27 Dec 2018] Dian Pramana Poetra (Indonesian musician), 57

[26 Dec 2018] Theodore Antoniou (Greek composer and conductor), 83, Alzheimer's disease

[26 Dec 2018] Üllar Jörberg (Estonian singer), 77

[25 Dec 2018] Guto Barros (Brazilian guitarist and songwriter for Blitz), 61

[24 Dec 2018] Dwijen Mukhopadhyay (Indian composer and singer), 91

[24 Dec 2018] Jerry Riopelle (American musician), 77, cancer

[24 Dec 2018] Jaime Torres (Argentine charango player), 80

[24 Dec 2018] James Calvin Wilsey (American musician), 61

[23 Dec 2018] Honey Lantree (British pop drummer for The Honeycombs), 75

[22 Dec 2018] Jimmy Work (American country singer-songwriter), 94

[22 Dec 2018] Windu Andi Darmawan (Indonesian drummer for Seventeen), 36, Sunda Strait tsunami

[22 Dec 2018] Muhammad Awal Purbani (Indonesian bassist for Seventeen), 36, Sunda Strait tsunami

[22 Dec 2018] Herman Sikumbang (Indonesian guitarist for Seventeen), 36, Sunda Strait tsunami

[21 Dec 2018] Dipali Barthakur (Indian singer), 77

[20 Dec 2018] Adolfo Echeverría (Colombian composer), 86

[17 Dec 2018] Arun Bhaduri (Indian classical vocalist), 75, respiratory disease

[17 Dec 2018] Galt MacDermot (Canadian-American composer and pianist), 89

[17 Dec 2018] Anca Pop (Romanian-Canadian singer-songwriter), 34, traffic collision

[15 Dec 2018] Jerry Chesnut (American songwriter), 87

[15 Dec 2018] Arthur Maia (Brazilian composer and musician), 56, heart attack

[14 Dec 2018] Joe Osborn (American bass guitarist for The Wrecking Crew), 81

[13 Dec 2018] Nancy Wilson (Grammy winner American jazz singer), 81

[11 Dec 2018] Angelo Conti (Italian singer for Banda Bassotti), 62

[10 Dec 2018] J. R. Reitz (American radio host and disc jockey for WFHN), 66

[10 Dec 2018] Fred Wieland (Australian guitarist for The Strangers), 75, lung cancer

[09 Dec 2018] Yigal Bashan (Israeli singer and composer), 68, , heart attack

[07 Dec 2018] The Mascara Snake (American artist and musician for Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band), 70, traffic collision

[06 Dec 2018] Pete Shelley (English musician for Buzzcocks), 63, heart attack

[02 Dec 2018] Perry Robinson (American jazz musician), 80

[01 Dec 2018] Calvin Newborn (American jazz guitarist), 85

[01 Dec 2018] Jody Williams (American blues musician), 83, cancer

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