Gustafer Yellowgold
Came from the Sun, the story’s told
He landed in a Minnesota Lake
Lives with an eel in a house he made
There’s his brother Ben and some bees in a band
Some brand new friends to lend a hand
In a cooler world – Gustafer
A Cooler world – Gustafer Yellowgold

We were incredibly saddened to learn earlier this week of the passing of Morgan Taylor, who delighted Irving Arts Center audiences on several occasions with songs and stories of Gustafer Yellowgold, a yellow alien who came from the sun. Morgan’s memorable melodies, handcrafted illustrations, whimsical lyrics and engaging performances, captivated multiple generations, earning him two Grammy nominations, Audible‘s award for Best Childrens’ Audiobook, and widespread critical acclaim.

Morgan Taylor’s art was described by The New York Times as “a cross between Yellow Submarine and Dr. Seuss,” and Time Magazine called him a “star of kindie rock.” He helped reimagine the modern children’s music genre for which he will be fondly remembered.

Some of our incredible memories of Morgan include live performances of The Gustafer Yellowgold show at Irving Arts Center, and his involvement in our 2014 summer camp program where he taught songwriting to youth campers as part of our “storytelling” camp. Some photos of Morgan, the teacher, and Morgan, the performer, at Irving Arts Center can be found below.

A Gofundme to assist Morgan’s family can be found here.