James Taylor

Infobox musical artist
Name = James Taylor


Img_capt = James Taylor in 1999 (Arm unknown)
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = James Vernon Taylor
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1948|3|12
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died =
Origin = Carrboro, North Carolina
Instrument = Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica
Genre = Folk rock, soft rock, country, Rock
Occupation = Singer-songwriter, Guitarist
Years_active = 1968 - Present
Label = Apple (1968–1969)
Warner Bros. (1970–1976)
Columbia(1977–2004)
Hear Music (2007–present)
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.jamestaylor.com/ JamesTaylor.com]
Notable_instruments =

James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, born in Boston, Massachusetts, and raised in Carrboro, North Carolina.Susan Broili. "Native son coming to Carolina for tribute - Chapel Hill naming Morgan Creek bridge after James Taylor on April 26," "The Chapel Hill Herald" (Chapel Hill, NC), March 27, 2003, page 1: "Even though Taylor was born in Boston on March 12, 1948, he moved to Carrboro when he was 3 and considers himself a North Carolinian."]

Taylor's career began in the mid-1960s, but he found his audience in the early 1970s, singing sensitive and gentle songs. He was part of a wave of singer-songwriters of the time that also included Joni Mitchell, Tom Rush, Cat Stevens, Carole King, John Denver, Jim Croce, Don McLean, Gordon Lightfoot, and Jackson Browne, as well as Carly Simon, whom Taylor later married.

His 1976 album "Greatest Hits" was certified diamond and has sold more than 11 million copies.cite web | url=http://www.riaa.org/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=2&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=james%20taylor&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25 | title=RIAA - Gold & Platinum | publisher=RIAA | accessdate=2008-10-03] He has retained a large audience well into the 1990s and early 2000s, when some of his best-selling and most-awarded albums were released.

Biography

Early years

Taylor grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where his father, Isaac M. Taylor, was the dean of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine from 1964 to 1971. [http://www.chapelhillmuseum.org/Exhibits/Ongoing/JamesTaylorExhibit/ "Carolina on my mind: The James Taylor story,"] exhibit at the Chapel Hill Museum, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Information retrieved 2007-12-24.] His family spent summers on Martha's Vineyard.

Early career

Taylor first learned to play the cello as a child in Chapel Hill, and switched to the guitar in 1960. His style on that instrument evolved from listening to hymns, carols, and Woody Guthrie. He attended Milton Academy, a prep school in Massachusetts, and summered with his family on Martha's Vineyard, where he met Danny Kortchmar. The two began playing folk music together. After dropping out of school, he formed a band called The Corsayers with his brother, Alex. Later, he committed himself to McLean Hospital for depression, where he subsequently earned a high school diploma from the associated Arlington School. [citation |title=James Taylor: James Taylor, His Life and Music |last=White |first= Timothy |year=2001 |pages=17,115 |isbn= 071198803X ] [cite news | url = http://www.james-taylor.com/text/globe-1-2002.shtml | title = Shrink Wrapped Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll Were Regular Features of Life at McLean Psychiatric Hospital in Belmont | accessdate = 2008-04-12 | date = November 26, 2001 | last = Beam | first = Alex | publisher = The Boston Globe] After graduating, he formed a band called the Flying Machine with Kortchmar and Joel O'Brien in New York City. The band was signed to Rainy Day Records and released one single, "Brighten Your Night with My Day" (B-side: "Night Owl"). The single was not a success. (A UK band with the same name emerged in 1969 with the hit song "Smile a Little Smile for Me".)

While living in New York City, Taylor became addicted to heroin. One night, after receiving a desperate phone call, his father drove to New York and rescued him. Taylor later wrote a song called "Jump Up Behind Me" that paid tribute to his father's help during a time of desperate need. The song also reflects on Taylor's memories of the long drive from New York City back to his home in Chapel Hill.

In 1968, Taylor moved to London. He was signed to Apple Records after sending a demo tape to Peter Asher (of Peter & Gordon) and released his debut album, "James Taylor". Despite the Beatles connection, and the presence of Paul McCartney and George Harrison on one track, the album did not sell very well, and Taylor's addiction worsened.Fact|date=October 2008 Moving back to the United States, Taylor checked into the Austen Riggs Center to treat his drug problem. Riggs is a hospital in Western Massachusetts in the town of Stockbridge (near where he lives today). By 1969 he was well enough to perform live, and had a six-night stand at the Troubadour Club in Los Angeles. On July 20, 1969 he performed at the Newport Folk Festival. Shortly thereafter he broke both hands in a motorcycle accident on Martha's Vineyard and was forced to stop playing for several months.

1970s

Once recovered, Taylor signed to Warner Bros. Records and moved to California keeping Asher as his manager and record producer. His second album, "Sweet Baby James", was a massive success, buoyed by the single "Fire and Rain," a song about his experience in psychiatric institutions and the suicide of his friend, Suzanne Schnerr. The success of this single and the album piqued interest in Taylor's first album, "James Taylor", and propelled the album and the single, "Carolina In My Mind," back into the charts.

During the time "Sweet Baby James" was released, Taylor appeared with Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys in a Monte Hellman film, "Two-Lane Blacktop". Also, 1971 saw the release of "Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon", another hit album. He won a Grammy Award for his version of Carole King's "You've Got a Friend".

In 1972, Taylor returned with "One Man Dog" and married fellow singer-songwriter Carly Simon on November 3. His next album, 1974's "Walking Man", was a disappointment but the following one, "Gorilla", was a success partially because of a successful single cover version of Marvin Gaye's "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)." This was followed by "In the Pocket" in 1976 and then a greatest hits album that included some re-recordings of Apple Records-era material. It became a huge hit and remains Taylor's best selling album. It was certified diamond, and to date has sold over 11 million copies.

Taylor signed with Columbia Records and released "JT" in 1977 winning another Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for his cover version of "Handy Man." The song "Traffic Jam" from the album has since become a favorite jingle for rush-hour radio traffic reports.Fact|date=December 2007

After collaborating with Art Garfunkel and briefly working on Broadway, Taylor took a two-year break, reappearing in 1979 with the cover-studded album "Flag", featuring a Top 40 version of Gerry Goffin and Carole King's "Up on the Roof." Taylor also performed at the No Nukes concert in Madison Square Garden and appeared on the album and the film from the concert.

1980s and 1990s

In the early 1980s Taylor's career was again beset by drug problems. Additionally, Taylor's wife, Carly Simon, was unhappy with his extended absences due to touring, as well as the ongoing drug abuse.Fact|date=December 2007 After an ultimatum that he spend more time with their children, Taylor responded instead with the 1981 album Dad Loves His Work. He and Simon divorced in 1983.Fact|date=October 2008

He was quoted in various interviews that he was thinking of retiring after fulfilling his last contractual obligation, the Rock in Rio in 1985.Fact|date=October 2008 However, he was surprised by the reception of the audience on Saturday, January 12 (there were 250,000 people, the biggest attendance of the 10-day festival), when he performed right before George Benson. Two days later, they were scheduled to perform in the same order, but because Taylor's extended performance had caused a delay to Benson's on Saturday, Benson proposed that they switch the order. Taylor ended up the finale in this second performance. Buoyed by the audience's reception, he decided to take back his life and his career. (Sixteen years later, on January 12, 2001, he played the very same site, at the opening night of the third Rock in Rio, whose organizer, Roberto Medina, described Taylor to the Brazilian press then as "his good luck charm.")Fact|date=December 2007 The song "Only a Dream in Rio" was written in tribute to that night, with verses like "I was there that very day and my heart came back alive." The album, "That's Why I'm Here", from which that song came, started a series of studio recordings that, while spaced further apart than his previous records, showed a more consistent level of quality and fewer covers.

In 1985 Taylor married, for the second time, to actress Kathryn Walker who helped him through recovery of his substance addictions. According to Taylor, he remains clean and sober to this day.

In 1988, he released "Never Die Young". He began touring regularly. especially on the summer amphitheater circuit. His later concerts feature songs from throughout his career and are marked by the musicianship of his band and backup singers. The 1993 two-disc "(LIVE)" album captures this well, with a highlight being Arnold McCuller's descants in the codas of "Shower the People" and "I Will Follow." In 1995, Taylor performed the role of Lord in Randy Newman's Faust.

Taylor's two albums of original material from the 1990s were notably successful. His thirteenth album, "New Moon Shine", went platinum in 1991 and he won the Grammy for Best Pop Album in 1998 for "Hourglass."

2000s

In 2001 Taylor wed for the third time, marrying Caroline ("Kim") Smedvig. Part of their relationship was worked into the album "October Road", on the song "On the 4th of July." The couple reside in the town of Washington, Massachusetts with their twin boys, Rufus and Henry, born in 2001 to a surrogate mother via in vitro fertilization.Fact|date=October 2008

Flanked by two greatest hit releases, "October Road" appeared in 2002 to a receptive audience. It featured a number of quiet instrumental accompaniments and passages. The album appeared in two versions, a single-disc version and a "limited edition" two-disc version which contained three extra songs including a duet with Mark Knopfler, "Sailing to Philadelphia," which also appeared on Knopfler's "Sailing to Philadelphia" album. Also in 2002, Taylor teamed with bluegrass musician Alison Krauss in singing "The Boxer" at the Kennedy Center Honors Tribute to Paul Simon. They later recorded the Louvin Brothers duet, "How's the World Treating You?" In 2004, after he chose not to renew his record contract with Columbia/Sony, he released "" with distribution through Hallmark Cards.

Always visibly active in environmental and liberal causes, in October 2004 Taylor joined the "Vote for Change" tour playing a series of concerts in American swing states. These concerts were organized by MoveOn.org with the goal of mobilizing people to vote for John Kerry and against George W. Bush in that year's Presidential campaign. Taylor's appearances were joint performances with the Dixie Chicks.

Taylor performed the US National Anthem at Game 2 of the World Series in Boston on October 24, 2004.

In December 2004, Taylor appeared as himself in an episode of "The West Wing" entitled "A Change Is Gonna Come." He sang Sam Cooke's classic "A Change Is Gonna Come" at an event honoring an artist played by Taylor's wife Caroline. Taylor's rendition was then released over the Internet.Fact|date=December 2007

He appeared on CMT's "Crossroads" alongside the Dixie Chicks. In early 2006, Musicares honored Taylor with performances of his songs by an array of notable musicians. Before a performance by the Dixie Chicks, lead singer Natalie Maines acknowledged that he had always been one of their musical heroes, and had for them lived up to their once-imagined reputation of him.

In the fall of 2006, Taylor released a repackaged and slightly different version of his Hallmark Christmas album, now entitled "James Taylor at Christmas," and distributed by Columbia/Sony.

In 2006, Taylor performed Randy Newman's song "Our Town" for the Disney animated film "Cars". The song was nominated for the 2007 Academy Award for the best Original Song.

On January 1, 2007, Taylor headlined the inaugural concert at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York, honoring newly sworn in Governor of New York Eliot Spitzer.

It was announced in 2007 that Taylor's next album, "One Man Band" was released on CD and DVD in November on Starbucks' Hear Music Label, where he joined with Paul McCartney and Joni Mitchell.

On November 28–30, Taylor, accompanied by his original band and Carole King, headlined a series of six shows at The Troubadour. The appearances marked the 50th anniversary of the venue, where Taylor, King and many others, such as Tom Waits, Neil Diamond, and Elton John, began their music careers. Proceeds from the concert went to benefit the Natural Resources Defense Council, MusiCares, Alliance for the Wild Rockies, and the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank, a member of America's Second Harvest — The Nation's Food Bank Network. Parts of the performance shown on "CBS Sunday Morning" in the December 23 2007, broadcast showed Taylor alluding to his early drug problems by saying, "I played here a number of times in the 70s, allegedly..." Taylor has used versions of this joke on other occasions, and it appears as part of his "One Man Band" DVD and tour performances.

In December 2007 "James Taylor at Christmas" was nominated for a Grammy Award, but he did not win. In January 2008 Taylor recorded approximately 20 songs by others for a new album with a band including Luis Conte, Michael Landau, Lou Marini, Arnold McCuller, Jimmy Johnson, David Lasley, Walt Fowler, Andrea Zonn, Kate Markowitz, Steve Gadd and Larry Goldings. The resulting live-in-studio album, named "Covers", was released in September 2008. [ [http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/music/general/view/2008_09_26_James_Taylor_makes_a_new_CD_as_an_unsigned_artist_/ "James Taylor makes a new CD as an unsigned artist"] , "Boston Herald", 2008.] Meanwhile, in summer 2008, Taylor and this band toured 34 North American cities with a tour entitled James Taylor and His Band of Legends.

Musicians in the family

Taylor's four siblings—Alex, Livingston, Hugh, and Kate—have also been musicians with recorded albums. Livingston is still an active musician; Kate was active in the 1970s but did not record another album until 2003; Hugh operates a bed-and-breakfast with his wife, The Outermost Inn in Aquinnah on Martha's Vineyard; and Alex died in 1993. Taylor's children with Carly Simon—Ben and Sally—have also embarked on musical careers. On September 11th 2008, Billboard said that Taylor is writing for a new album, quite possibly his last.

James Taylor collaborators

The following is a list of musicians who have played with Taylor.
*Jeff Babko: keyboard/organ
*Phillip Ballou: vocals
*Dave Bargeron: trombone
*Greg Bissonette: drums
*Michael Brecker: saxophone
*Randy Brecker: trumpet, vocals
*Rosemary Butler: vocals
*Clifford Carter: keyboards
*Valerie Carter: vocals
*Luis Conte: percussion
*David Crosby: backing vocals
*Craig Doerge: keyboards
*Jerry Douglas: dobro
*Dan Dugmore: guitar
*Walt Fowler: horns, keyboards
*Steve Gadd: drums
*Andrew Gold: harmonium, vocals
*Larry Goldings: piano, keyboards
*Don Grolnick: piano
*John Guiliton: keyboards
*Abigale "Gail" Haness: vocals
*Buzz Heat: guitar
*Don Henley: backing vocals
*John Jarvis: keyboards
*Jimmy Johnson: bass
*Steve Jordan: drums
*Carole King: piano, keyboards, vocals
*Ed Kolakowski: keyboards
*Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar: electric guitar
*Russell Kunkel: drums
*Michael Landau: guitar
*Charles Larkey: bass
*David Lasley: vocals
*Gail Levant: harp
*Tony Levin: bass
*Yo-Yo Ma: cello
*Bob Mann: guitar
*Lou Marini: reeds, horns
*Rick Marotta: drums
*Kate Markowitz: vocals
*Harvey Mason: drums
*Hugh McCracken: harmonica, guitar
*Arnold McCuller: vocals
*Clarence McDonald: piano, keyboards
*Edgar Meyer: double bass
*Joni Mitchell: backing vocals
*Andy Muson: bass
*Milton Nascimento: Brazilian singer, songwriter, guitarist
*Graham Nash: backing vocals
*Joel Bishop O'Brien: drums
*Mark O'Connor: fiddle
*Billy Payne: keyboards
*Herb Pedersen: banjo
*John Pizzarelli: guitar
*Russ Powell: bass
*David Sanborn: saxophone
*Rick Schlosser: drums
*Ralph Schuckett: keyboards
*Michael B. Siegel: bass
*Leland Sklar: bass
*David Spinozza: guitar
*J. D. Souther: guitar, vocals
*Carlos Vega: drums
*Waddy Wachtel: guitar
*Willie Weeks: bass
*Owen Young: cello
*Zachary Wiesner: bass
*Andrea Zonn: fiddle, vocals
*Elio E Le Storie Tese vocals

Awards and recognition

Grammy Awards

*1971 — Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, "You've Got a Friend"
*1977 — Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, "Handy Man"
*1998 — Best Pop Album, "Hourglass"
*2001 — Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight"
*2003 — Best Country Collaboration With Vocals, "How's the World Treating You," with Alison Krauss
*2006 — Grammy MusiCares Person of the Year. At a black tie ceremony held in Los Angeles, musicians from several eras paid tribute to Taylor by performing his songs, often prefacing them with remarks on his influence on their decisions to become musicians. These artists included Carole King, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Taj Mahal, Dr. John, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Sheryl Crow, India.Arie, the Dixie Chicks, Jerry Douglas, Alison Krauss, and Keith Urban. Paul Simon performed as well, although he was not included in the televised program; Taylor's brother Livingston appeared on stage as a "backup singer" for the finale, along with Taylor's twin boys, Rufus and Henry.

Other recognition

*1995 — Honorary doctorate of music from the Berklee College of Music, Boston, 1995.
*2000 — Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 2000.
*2000 — Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, 2000.
*2003 — The Chapel Hill Museum in Chapel Hill, North Carolina opened a permanent exhibit dedicated to Taylor. At the same occasion the US-15-501 highway bridge over Morgan Creek, near the site of the Taylor family home and mentioned in Taylor's song "Copperline", was dedicated to Taylor.
*2004 — George and Ira Gershwin Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement UCLA Spring Sing. [cite web| title = Calendar & Events: Spring Sing: Gershwin Award | publisher =UCLA | url =http://www.uclalumni.net/CalendarEvents/springsing/Gershwin/winners.cfm]
*2004 — Ranked 84th in "Rolling Stone"'s list of "The Immortals: 100 Greatest Artists of All Time." [cite web| title = The Immortals: The First Fifty| work = Rolling Stone Issue 946| publisher = Rolling Stone| url =http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5939214/the_immortals_the_first_fifty]

Discography

Other appearances

* He provided a guest voice to "The Simpsons" episode "Deep Space Homer" where he played some of his songs to Homer, Buzz Aldrin, and Race Banyon when they were in space.
* Performed "Second Star to the Right" on "" in 1988 as one of Various Artists.
* Taylor performed the US National Anthem at Game 2 of the World Series in Boston on October 25, 2007. Taylor performed the US National Anthem at Game 1 of the 2008 NBA Finals in Boston on June 5, 2008.
*He appeared on the "Sesame Street" video compilation "Silly Songs", and the album "", performing the song "Jellyman Kelly".
*Has appeared on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" six times as a musical guest: in 1976 performing "Shower the People," "Roadrunner" (with David Sanborn), and "Sweet Baby James" (host: Lily Tomlin); in 1979 performing "Johnnie Comes Back," "Up on the Roof," and "Millworker" (host: Michael Palin); in 1980 performing with Paul Simon "Cathy's Clown / Take Me to the Mardi Gras" (host: Paul Simon); in 1988 performing "Never Die Young," "Sweet Potato Pie," and "Lonesome Road" (host: Robin Williams); in 1991 performing "Stop Thinkin' About That," "Shed A Little Light," and "Sweet Baby James" (Host: Steve Martin); and in 1993 performing "Memphis," "Slap Leather," and "Secret of Life" (host: Rosie O'Donnell).
* Taylor has appeared on "The West Wing".
* He appeared on the The Johnny Cash Show (TV series), singing Sweet Baby James, Fire and Rain, and Country Road, on 17 February 1971.
* He did vocals for the song First Me, Second Me by the italian band Elio E Le Storie Tese

Further reading

* White, Timothy, "James Taylor: Long Ago and Far Away", Omnibus Press, 2002, ISBN 0-7119-9193-6.
* Risberg, Joel, "The James Taylor Encyclopedia", GeekTV Press, 2005, ISBN 1-4116-3477-2.

References

External links

* [http://www.jamestaylor.com/ The Official James Taylor website]
* [http://www.james-taylor.com/ James Taylor Online]
* [http://www.james-taylor.asso.fr/ The French speaking James Taylor website]
* [http://www.music-city.org/James-Taylor/discography/ James Taylor discography]
* [http://www.nndb.com/people/891/000024819/ James Taylor profile, NNDB]
*imdb name|id=0852510|name=James Taylor
*ibdb name|id=77904|name=James Taylor
* [http://www.chapelhillmuseum.org/About/Archives/PastEvents/TaylorBridgeDedication Dedication of James Taylor Bridge]
* [http://www.chapelhillmuseum.org/Exhibits/Ongoing/JamesTaylorExhibit "Carolina in My Mind" — The James Taylor Story at the Chapel Hill Museum]
* [http://www.grammy.com/MusiCares/News/Default.aspx?newsID=1758&newsCategoryID=10 2006 Grammy MusiCares Person of the Year]
* [http://www.guitar-music-tabs.com/james-taylor-tabs/ James Taylor Tabs]