Robert Taylor has died at the age of 74.
The legendary guitarist was a member of one of New Zealand’s most lauded rock bands, Dragon.
Kerry Jacobson, the drummer for Taylor’s band Dragon, was among the first to share a touching tribute on Facebook on Tuesday.
It is with deep sadness that I share the news of the passing of Robert Taylor, my mentor, longtime friend, and someone I shared so many wonderful and challenging musical experiences with. He was truly irreplaceable.
Jacobson added that people continued to speak highly of his songwriting and musical ability, even years later, recognizing his significant impact on Australian music.
I always appreciated his unwavering loyalty and the strong friendship we shared. I also admired how dependable he was, and I especially enjoyed our frequent chats – he was always happy to pick up the phone.
He was quick with a funny remark, noticed everything around him, and remembered it all with incredible detail. But more than anything, he was a genuinely good person. That’s what I keep thinking about today – he was one of the truly good ones – and it really says it all. I’m going to miss him so much.
‘My love and condolences to Carol, Lesley and Alex.’
Fellow New Zealand band Hello Sailor also shared a message on Facebook after learning the sad news.
We’re deeply saddened by the passing of Robert Taylor. He was a wonderful person and a remarkably talented musician. Rest in peace, old friend.
Many publications, such as Noise11 and AudioCulture, also shared touching tributes to the much-loved songwriter.
Taylor passed away on Monday, November 3, surrounded by his family. The specific cause of death hasn’t been released yet.
He leaves behind wife Carol and children Lesley and Alex.
Dragon began as a band in Auckland in 1972, featuring Todd Hunter on bass, Ray Goodwin on guitar, Neil Reynolds on drums, and Ivan Thompson playing the keyboards.
Things really shifted for the band around 1974. We welcomed Marc Hunter as our new vocalist, and Neil Storey came on board to play the drums. It was a fresh start with a great energy!
1974 was also the year that Taylor joined the band as their guitarist.
He also co-wrote some of the band’s most popular songs, like “Body and the Beat,” “Magic,” and “Blacktown Boogie.”
Dragon is most famous for their popular songs “April Sun in Cuba,” which reached number two on the Australian ARIA charts in 1977, and “Are You Old Enough,” which topped the charts in 1978.
Other popular charting singles included Young Years, Rain and This Time.
The band split and reformed multiple times over the years, last reforming in 2006.
The band continued to perform live shows until 2025, culminating in a special concert in May celebrating the 40th anniversary of their hit song, “April Sun in Cuba.”
The band Dragon was scheduled to perform at the Sunset Sounds concert in Lake Macquarie, NSW on November 29th, and in New Zealand on December 31st.
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2025-11-04 13:51