Joseph Deems Taylor (December 22, 1885 – July 3, 1966) was an American composer, music critic, and promoter of classical music. Nat Benchley, the author of The Lost Algonquin Roundtable, referred to him as "the dean of American music". The Deems Taylor Awards were established by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers in 1967 to honor his memory.