06/14/2026
Welcome Mick Taylor!
The Rolling Stones held a photo call in Hyde Park (on this day in 1969) to introduce new guitarist Mick Taylor. The 20 year-old former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers made his live debut with The Stones the following month at a free concert in Hyde Park, London.
On July 5, 1969, just two days after the death of founding guitarist Brian Jones, The Rolling Stones gathered in London's Hyde Park for a press photo session to formally introduce their new guitarist, Mick Taylor. At just 20 years old, Taylor was stepping into one of the most scrutinized positions in rock music. Although largely unknown to mainstream audiences, he already carried an impressive musical pedigree. Born in Welwyn Garden City, England, Taylor joined John Mayall's Bluesbreakers at the age of 17, replacing Peter Green. His fluid, blues-based style quickly established him as one of Britain's most gifted young guitarists, earning the admiration of musicians far beyond the blues circuit.
Taylor's arrival marked the beginning of one of the most celebrated periods in the Rolling Stones' history. The following day, he made his public debut before an estimated 250,000 people at the band's free Hyde Park concert, an event that also served as an unofficial tribute to Jones. Over the next five years, Taylor's sophisticated lead guitar work became a defining element of classic Stones albums including Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main St., Goats Head Soup, and It's Only Rock 'n Roll. His melodic solos and technical precision helped expand the band's musical range during a period widely regarded as the creative peak of their recording career, cementing his place in rock history despite remaining with the group for only five years.
