About Us

When did we get together?

Phone: (414) 525-2300

Fax: (414) 529-1992

Mike’ Bio:

I’ve been playing guitar since 1970. I worked with several groups in Milwaukee. My favorite music has always been jazz. To me, playing jazz is like having a great unscripted conversation. If it’s done right, you walk away feeling fulfilled.

In the mid 80’s I got a great gig with Milwaukee’s PBS station. This gig lasted about 2.5 years. Several great musicians passed through this program including a trumpet player by the name of Brian Lynch. After this I did a lot of jobbing with various groups while starting up my own group. This was a top-forty dance group. However, I was always sticking in some Jazz standards (and the cats in my group could play those songs). When that group ended I went on the road with a spinoff group called the Pink Flamingos.

I soon realized that seen was not for me. I came back to Milwaukee to be closer to my children. I also decided to take a new life direction. I went back to college to get my degree as an accountant and paralegal. Out of all that I also became a tax expert. I started my business as Heinrich Tax & Accounting in 1990, and it has been going strong since.

I married my very supportive wife Robin on September 21, 2001. Unfortunately, I stopped playing from about 1995—2005. These years were missing something and some how seemed painfully empty — even though my accounting business was successful . That all ended when I started working on my CD “Second Time Around”. This was a shock to Robin (who knew me only as an accountant), but she soon realized my passion, and she supported my dream. I feel very blessed to have a beautiful wife, a successful business while living out my dream the second time around. I couldn't have done this all without my wife, my close friends, my daughter Sarah, my son Christopher ((RIP), my many great music instructors, and one very very special person by the name of Stanly P. Gimbel. (RIP).

This page talks about John and Mike and how we put this together. This page also tells you a little bit about us individually.

About Us

What is our goal together?

John’s Bio:

John Taylor calls himself a “singer’s” singer. He spent many years in the R&B music scene as a tenor vocalist performing in various groups as a backup singer. He also perfected his skills as a solo performer.

Mr. Taylor’s talents were recognized at an early age when he participated in the choirs of his church and high school. As a result, he received musical instruction from the Marquette School of Music and the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was selected by Leonard Gaye to be the lead vocalist with his fifteen piece orchestra performing at the then famed “Moonglow Supper Club” in Milwaukee and “Robert’s Show Lounge” in Chicago, Illinois.

After his graduation from high school, Mr. Taylor formed the singing group, “The Four Uniques”. They were immediately signed by Don Robey, the owner of Peacock Records. There, Mr. Taylor and his group were among a first of artists including B.B. King, Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland, the Five Blind Boys, Johnny Ace and Joe Hinton, singer of “Funny How Time Slips Away”. Mr. Taylor later had the pleasure of touring with Mr. Hinton. Soon afterward, Mr. Taylor recorded his solo hit, “1 Need You So” written by Ivory Joe Hunter. The music director for this recording was the famed Renee’ Hall. During this time, Mr. Taylor also participated in several recordings as a back-up singer for Bobby Hebb, composer of “Sunny”, as well as occasionally serving as a substitute member of the group, the Flamingos.

Mr. Taylor is especially proud of the fifteen years he spent being a member of the Ink Spots of Charlie Fuqua and Stanley Morgan’s Ink Spots of Las Vegas. While with the Las Vegas group, Mr. Taylor gained experience as the leader went Mr. Morgan was unable to continue because of ill health. During this time, the group opened for Redd Foxx at the Hacienda Hotel. Later the group had a three year engagement at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii for George Simmone; there, performing as Johnny Taylor and the New World Famous Ink Spots.

In 1984, Mr. Taylor retired from the ink Spots to return to Milwaukee to care for his ailing parents. During this time, he never stopped singing. He formed the gospel group, the Long Way `Round, performing locally and nationally. After this long hiatus from the popular music industry, Mr. Taylor is now ready to resume and pursue his first passion, that of a solo performer.

I’d been playing solo guitar gigs since 2006. Early in 2007, I was sitting in with some musicians when John came up to the stage. He wanted to sing “The Nearness of You”. Now I know that song in any key, but the minute John starting singing I stopped playing and just listened to him. The keyboard player noticed my amazement, and said “That’s John Taylor—he use to sing with the “INK SPOTS”. I approached John after he sang and asked him where he was working. He told me he was working with some Milwaukee musicians, but we exchanged business cards anyway. I am always on the lookout for talent like John’s. Over the next several months John and I talked. Generally we talked about his extensive musical history, and I listened. We also discussed our musical aspirations. As we talked, we both realized we were on the same page. Soon, John and I got together, and we’ve been, “Only Two” ever since.

Our goal is to present our audience with the finest show and variety of music possible. John & I spend quite a lot of time arranging and rehearsing our songs and we think our show achieves our goal. When we do a Big Band song, the horns are kickin’. When we perform a Latin grove you will hear the percussion sounds that make Latin great. Our Classic’s, Contemporary, Light Rock, and Blues sound like an exciting jam session. We want to capturing the heart and soul of the song and the artist who made it popular. The one thing John and I always do is put our own signature on every song.

John is a singer’s singer, passionately telling the song’s story, taking the audience to a place mere words could not accomplish. He does this with every song.

Mike’s audience immediately notices his intimate knowledge and love for the music, making for a delightful experience every time.

Combing these goals on the same stage will make for an evening to remember!