Alumna receives recognition for musicianship

It all started when Crystal Taliefero-Pratt didn’t make the cut the for IU Soul Revue.

Now, years later, the musician who has performed alongside world-renowned artists has returned to Bloomington and has been awarded the African American Arts Institute’s most coveted award.

Taliefero-Pratt received the Herman C. Hudson Alumni Award on Tuesday in the Grand Hall of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, where there was a banquet for the recipient. The award recognizes former student ensemble and staff members who have made outstanding contributions to the arts.

“When I first met her as a student, the passion was there,” said Dr. Charles Sykes, African American Arts Institute executive director.

Taliefero-Pratt began her musical journey by being a typical little sister. She had looked up to her brother, Charles, who played guitar in a band, and she wanted to be just like him.

“I started to sneak in his room and play his guitar,” Talifero-Pratt said. “Eventually he caught on and started to teach me how to play bass. I didn’t know it at the time, but that’s what he was trying to do.”

Taliefero-Pratt began to dabble with various instruments, but the tables turned when her brother needed a sax player for his band.

“He basically told me to learn how to play sax or get beat up,” Talifero joked.

By age 11, Taliafero-Pratt had played her first gig and toured with her family. She could also play percussion, harmonica and guitar along with saxophone.

When it was time for Talifero-Pratt to go to college, she once again followed her brother to IU. By this time, Charles was a member of IU Soul Revue.  

Taliefero-Pratt said she decided to audition and was placed as an understudy until a role could be found for her in the ensemble.

“I didn’t have any duties. That bothered me that I didn’t have any responsibilities,” Talifero-Pratt said.

However, then-Director of Soul Revue Dr. James Mumford helped her organize a solo routine to “Mirror, Mirror” by Diana Ross, which not only helped to get Taliefero-Pratt admitted into the ensemble but taught her an important lesson.

“I realized that I can do it alone,” Taliefero-Pratt said. “If there’s anything I can say about the Soul Revue, it has given me direction.”

Taliefero first began to tour as an instrumentalist and vocalist for John Mellencamp.

She compared her experience with Mellencamp to boot camp.

“I got tough. I wouldn’t have lasted as long as I’ve had without that initial education.”

She is currently touring with another influence in her life, Billy Joel, who she has toured with since the beginning of her professional career. She has also been on the road with Bruce Springsteen, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. When she isn’t on the road, Taliafero-Pratt works from home, where she creates a series of children’s music audio books and raises her daughter. She married in August.

According to Sykes, Taliefero-Pratt has proven her excellence and talent through a number of accomplishments, a trait that was the opus of Hudson’s vision.

“It starts with excellence, and excellence is about putting the work in,” Sykes said. “She believes in what she does, and she works at it.”