Indiana Avenue Stomp – The music of Montana Taylor

February 23, 2025

Explore the music of Arthur “Montana” Taylor, an important blues and boogie-woogie pianist who performed on Indiana Avenue during the 1920s. Montana is best known for a series of recordings he made in 1929 with the Vocalion Record Company. Among those recordings was an instrumental composition titled “Indiana Avenue Stomp”.

Very little is known about Montana Taylor’s early life. Some sources say he was born in Indianapolis in 1903, others list his place of birth as Butte, Montana. In a 1947 interview with Jazz Record magazine, Montana recalled growing up in Indianapolis. He began playing piano at 16 and by the age of 20 he was performing on the Avenue. Montana worked in Avenue venues including the Golden West Cafe and the Hole in the Wall. Montana was discovered by Vocalion Records while performing on the Avenue, when the label’s Indianapolis talent scout, John Guernsey, spotted Montana playing in a neighborhood bar. 

During his career as a recording artist, Montana cut over a dozen tracks, including instrumental compositions and collaborations with blues singers Chippie Hill and Lil Johnson.