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William Joel "Taz" DiGregorio (January 8, 1944 – October 12, 2011) was a talented keyboardist and longtime member of the Charlie Daniels Band. Born in Southbridge, Massachusetts, he began his musical journey at a young age, becoming self-taught on the keyboards. Inspired by a Ray Charles concert, he practiced by playing tunes from Elvis Presley, Fats Domino, and Little Richard. DiGregorio's professional career began with his first band, Paul Chaplain and his Emeralds, which achieved a minor hit with "Shortnin' Bread" in 1960, selling around 250,000 copies of their album. At just seventeen, he recorded the song, showcasing his early musical talent. After the disbandment of his group in the early 1960s, DiGregorio continued to pursue music, performing in a lounge band in Florida known as Little Joe and the Romans. This group included Bill B. on guitar, Bobby J. on drums, and Ben on bass, and they played at various venues, including Benny's Rebel Room in Washington, DC, as well as clubs in Lexington, Kentucky, Dayton, Ohio, and Syracuse, New York. During a performance in Lexington, he met Charlie Daniels, who was already well-liked by the audience.

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