James Taylor
Many singer songwriters were popular during the 1970s but none more so than James Taylor. His melodic acoustic compositions, poignant lyrics and rich voice delighted fans across the world. He still commands a following today and continues to record and perform. He was born in 1948 in Massachusetts and was raised in North Carolina, learning [...]
no comments.Many singer songwriters were popular during the 1970s but none more so than James Taylor. His melodic acoustic compositions, poignant lyrics and rich voice delighted fans across the world. He still commands a following today and continues to record and perform. He was born in 1948 in Massachusetts and was raised in North Carolina, learning to play music at an early age with folk influences such as Woody Guthrie records.
Success did not come straight away and Taylor was a member of bands that didn’t get noticed. Moving to New York started an intermittent struggle with heroin addiction that would repeat through his life. After re-locating to London, he signed with the Beatles’ label, Apple Records but the first album didn’t do well. He went back to America and revived himself with live performances that included the prestigious Newport Folk Festival in 1969. He settled in California, signed with another record label and had a huge success with Sweet Baby James, his follow up album. The single Fire and Rain became an instant classic.
Another popular singer songwriter around at the time was Carole King, whose standard You’ve Got A Friend, James Taylor covered. He won a Grammy Award for his version and hit the number one spot on the Billboard chart. This was from his third album, Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon from 1971. The album featured King, Joni Mitchell and his sister Kate Taylor on backing vocals. Many more hit releases followed through the decades including live recordings and greatest hits compilations.
He has also tried his hand at acting, appearing in Two-Lane Blacktop with Dennis Wilson from the Beach Boys. It’s a respected road movie from 1971 in which James Taylor plays a drag car driver. In 2004, he played himself in an episode of the political drama, The West Wing. This was the same year in which he supported the John Kerry campaign against George W. Bush. The animated Pixar movie, Cars features a Taylor track called Our Town.
There is renewed interest in acoustic music with a folk and country feel today and James Taylor is an inspiration to many up and coming songwriters. He has contributed some classic songs that continue to receive airplay and other artists like to cover them.
Taylor has been married three times, most famously to singer Carly Simon. They divorced in 1983, their son Ben and daughter Sally have followed their famous parents into the music business.
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