Raise your hand if you’re a fan of James Taylor! I can already hear some of you eagerly shouting, “Me! Me! Me!” However, with an artist as legendary as James Taylor, it’s understandable that some of our younger Music Man readers might not be familiar with him. My aim is to provide enough background for everyone to appreciate the videos, so diehard fans, please bear with me if my summary is a bit brief. For those who are new to Taylor, know that he is a highly respected singer, songwriter, and guitarist.
Taylor’s accolades are numerous, including his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, being named a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by France in 2012, and receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S., in 2015. He has won six Grammy Awards and was honored as the 2006 MusiCares Person of the Year, an award sponsored by the Grammys. The lineup of artists who performed at his MusiCares event speaks volumes about Taylor’s influence and legacy. Though the list is extensive, I’ll share it with you shortly. This 2021 video features JT’s son, Henry:
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It’s often said that there’s something uniquely special when family members, like siblings or parents and children, sing together (assuming they can sing!). This sentiment holds true here. Just take a look at the proud, loving smiles James Taylor gives his son Henry as they harmonize. One viewer, US Citizen, commented, “When people who are biologically related sing together, there is a magic undefined by words. This performance: Yes, yes, and still again yes!” Another fan, The Cream, remarked, “Wow, I didn’t know his son was following in his footsteps.”
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Sea Chi added a poignant note, observing, “‘And you can sing this song when I’m gone’… passing the torch has a whole new meaning at this stage of our lives.” The song, “You Can Close Your Eyes,” is one of Taylor’s most beloved and critically acclaimed tracks. It first appeared on his third album, Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon (1971), and is widely believed to have been written for Taylor’s former girlfriend, Joni Mitchell. Here’s a brief pandemic-era treat from The Voice 2020, featuring this touching song (before I share that impressive list of artists).
Now, about that list of musicians who covered James Taylor’s songs at the televised MusiCares event in 2006: the lineup included Bruce Springsteen, Carole King, Sting, Keith Urban, Taj Mahal, Dr. John, Bonnie Raitt, Alison Krauss, Jackson Browne, Sheryl Crow, David Crosby, India.Arie, The Chicks, Jerry Douglas, and Paul Simon. Quite an impressive and diverse group, isn’t it?
During their virtual appearance on The Voice, James and Henry Taylor performed the American songbook classic “Moon River.” Reflecting on that time, Henry shared, “We were stuck in Montana for much of the pandemic, where there wasn’t much to do besides music. Dad taught me his fingerpicking, his approach to songwriting, and his technique with vocal warmups.”
After venues reopened in September 2021, Henry joined his father on tour as a backing vocalist. When asked what it feels like to be a full member of his father’s band, Henry responded, “I have literally known this band all my life. There’s a photo of Arnold (McCuller) holding me when I was just 3 months old. There’s another with Kate (Markowitz) from that same time, and Jimmy Johnson too. The band feels like family. They’ve always treated me with such kindness and warmth. It can’t be easy having the ‘boss’s kid’ working next to you. Being part of this incredible ensemble of immensely talented musicians is a little overwhelming, but I’m excited to be doing what I love most. I do feel the pressure, but I’m hoping the singers will put up with me and continue to teach me, as they’ve so graciously done in the past.”
A few more highlights: Taylor’s first album to top the Billboard 200 was his 2015 release, Before This World, more than 45 years after he first charted. His 2020 album American Standard, which he promoted in the video from The Voice, debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200. This made James Taylor the first artist to have US #1 albums in every decade since the 1970s. James Taylor has four children: Sally and Ben with Carly Simon, and twin sons Rufus and Henry with his third wife, Caroline ‘Kim’ Smedvig.
