Hiss Golden Messenger is an American folk music band, originating from Durham, North Carolina, led by MC Taylor. For the various recordings he is joined by a number of guest musicians. After releasing his earlier material on his own label, Taylor signed with Merge Records in 2014. In 2016 he released the album Heart Like a Levee and embarked on an international tour. Taylor was raised in Irvine, CA, where his father had been a member of a local band, The Settlers.