I moved to the Coachella Valley some four years ago from Los Angeles, where I had worked in the media and entertainment industries for roughly 30 years. “Jaded” was my middle name.
Not long after my wife, Linda, and I took up residence in Palm Desert, we were invited to a “desert drink the night away” party where I first met Mike Taylor. He regaled all listeners with stories of his “salad days,” as he would say, bartending for many of the celebrities who roamed the Palm Springs-to-Rancho Mirage range back in the ’70s and ’80s.
To say that Mike is “an original” would be an understatement—and his storytelling skills have been honed to a glistening point over his years behind the bar.
In this video, longtime area bartender to the stars Mike Taylor recants some of his favorite tales of serving drinks to, and hanging around with, Ol’ Blue Eyes himself. Saturday, Dec. 12, marked Frank Sinatra’s 100th birthday, so kick-back, watch and enjoy just a few of Mike Taylor’s funny moments with Sinatra and friends, and brace yourself for some heavy duty celebrity name-dropping in this four-minute ode to Mr. Sinatra.
