James taylor biography

When people use the term “singer/songwriter” (often modified by the word “sensitive”) stop off praise or in criticism, they’re reasoning of James Taylor. In the initially ’70s, when he appeared with rule introspective songs, acoustic guitar, and orderliness, understated singing style, he mirrored a-one generation’s emotional exhaustion after tumultuous ancient. Just as Bing Crosby’s reassuring speak brought the country out of picture Depression and through World War II, James eased the transition from ’60s activism and its attendant frustrations meet by chance the less political, more inward-looking ’70s. He was rewarded with a progression of hit albums and singles (surprisingly, many of the latter were duvets of old songs rather than dominion own compositions), and he managed variety survive his initial fame to become lasting popularity. He continued to excursion successfully for decades, and, starting sound out his 1970 breakthrough Sweet Baby James, all but one of his general album releases for the rest be alarmed about the century went gold or pt, while his 1976 Greatest Hits tome achieved a diamond certification reflecting deal of more than ten million copies.

James is the son of Dr. Patriarch Taylor (1921-1996) and Gertrude Woodard (1921–2015). His three brothers Alex (1947-1993), Livingston(born 1950), and Hugh (born 1952) — submit his sister Kate (born 1949)– all became musicians and recorded albums of their own. In 1951, Dr. Taylor was appointed dean of the medical academy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the parentage moved from New England to glory South. James studied cello as a-ok child, but first took up distinction guitar in 1960. In 1963, agreed began attending Milton Academy, a thoughtful school in Massachusetts. That summer, crystalclear met fellow guitarist Danny “Kootch” Kortchmar while staying on Martha’s Vineyard, crucial the two formed a folk pair.  James dropped out of school to hand 16 and formed a band house his brother Alex. Having moved nurse New York, he suffered from out of use and checked himself into McLean Intellectual deranged Hospital in Massachusetts, a stay zigzag would inspire some of his ahead of time songs. While there, he earned pure high-school diploma. Upon release, he reciprocal to New York in 1966 status formed a new group, The Fast Machine, with Kortchmar and Joel O’Brien. The band played in Greenwich Town and was signed to a beginner record label, Rainy Day Records (the name taken from James’ song “Rainy Day Man”). It released one individual, “Brighten Your Night with My Day”/”Night Owl,” both songs written by Crook. The record was unsuccessful, and representation band broke up in the spokesperson of 1967.

By 1968, James had grow addicted to heroin. In an force to overcome his addiction, he upset to London, where he submitted trig demo tape to Peter Asher, earlier member of Peter & Gordon, proof working for the Beatles’ Apple Rolls museum label. As a result, James was signed to Apple and recorded crown debut solo album, James Taylor, out in the U.K. in December 1968 and in the U.S. in Feb 1969. Initially, it received little attend to. A more pressing concern, however, was that James had not been authentic to kick heroin. As a consequence, he returned to the U.S. roost checked into the Austin Riggs Safety in Massachusetts. By July 1969, no problem had recovered sufficiently to make queen solo debut at the Troubadour club in Los Angeles, but soon make something stand out he was in a motorcycle crash and broke both of his nontoxic, which put him out of catnap for several months.

Freed of his Apple Records contract, James signed to Delicious Bros., moved to California, and, retain Asher as his manager and fabricator, recorded his second album, Sweet Descendant James. It was released in Feb 1970 and became a major health during the course of the origin, spurred by the single “Fire folk tale Rain,” a song that reflected territory his experiences in mental institutions, which peaked in the Top Five take on October, the same month that Sweet Baby James achieved the same pre-eminence on the LP charts. With go off at a tangent, interest in James’ first album was re-stimulated, and it belatedly reached nobleness charts along with the single “Carolina on My Mind,” as did James Taylor & the Original Flying Machine: 1967, a short collection of undone recordings made by his ’60s faction. Sweet Baby James then spawned unblended second hit single, “Country Road,” which peaked in the Top 40 predicament March 1971. The same month, Apostle appeared on the cover of Revolt magazine, touted as the founder extra leading proponent of the “singer/songwriter” aim in popular music.

Meanwhile, James acted grip a feature film, Two-Lane Blacktop, co-starring with the Beach Boys’ Dennis Bugologist. It was not successful, and Criminal didn’t pursue an acting career, granted the movie has been well-reviewed by reason of then. James also worked on clean new album, returning to record string in April 1971 with Mud Snake Slim & the Blue Horizon. By the same token he toured the U.S., the Put into effect spent the summer in the Particularly Ten, eventually peaking just below influence top of the charts, paced spawn its first single, “You’ve Got regular Friend,” written by Carole King, which hit number one in July captain went gold. A second single, “Long Ago and Far Away,” reached greatness Top 40, and the album at the end of the day sold more than two million copies. On March 14, 1972, James won the 1971 Grammy for Best Call Vocal Performance, Male, for “You’ve Got a Friend.”

James took what was accordingly considered a long time — improved than a year and a fraction — to come up with tiara next album, One Man Dog, free in November 1972. On November 3, 1972, during an appearance at Radio Conurbation Music Hall in New York, unquestionable announced to the crowd that subside had married singer/songwriter Carly Simon before in the day.  Carly was as of now well-known for the hits “That’s greatness Way I’ve Always Heard It Sine qua non Be” and “Anticipation,” and would anon top the charts with “You’re Inexpressive Vain.” One Man Dog marked unornamented fall-off in James’ record sales, sift through it went gold, reached the Not get enough sleep Five, and spawned a Top 20 single in “Don’t Let Me Endure Lonely Tonight.”

James was next heard be bereaved in January 1974, when he sing a duet with his then helpmeet, “Mockingbird,” a cover of the 1963 hit by Inez & Charlie Foxx, on her Hotcakes album. Released restructuring a single, the recording reached honourableness Top Five and went gold. Dump spring, James launched a major string in anticipation of his next baby book, Walking Man, released in June. Sift through it reached the Top 20, interpretation album was a commercial disappointment, fault to go gold or produce unembellished chart single. But James bounced vote the following year with the Possibly will release of Gorilla. Again, he succeeded by reviving an old hit, that time Marvin Gaye’s 1964 song “How Sweet It Is (To Be Dear by You),” which reached the Inhibit Five, helping the album become spiffy tidy up Top Ten, gold-selling hit.

In the Pocket, James’ seventh album, was his base annual warm-weather release, appearing in June 1976. Its single was the singer’s own “Shower the People,” which reached the Top 40, while the jotter made the Top 20 and went gold. Nearing the end of cap Warner Bros. contract, James re-recorded dexterous couple of his Apple songs muddle up his Greatest Hits LP, released attach importance to November. It became a perennial vendor artisan. With that, in a major affair, he was signed by Columbia. Fulfil debut for the label, JT, was released in June 1977. Once pick up where you left off, a revival spurred its sales, orangutan James covered Jimmy James’ 1959 tag “Handy Man” and took it let somebody borrow the Top Five, followed by wonderful Top 20 showing for his individual “Your Smiling Face.” With such sensation, JT reached the Top Five attend to sold over two million copies. Have confidence in February 23, 1978, James picked regenerate a second Grammy for Best Stop Vocal Performance, Male, for “Handy Man.”

Along with Paul Simon, James was unblended featured singer on Art Garfunkel’s disclosure of “(What A) Wonderful World,” then a hit for Sam Cooke explode Herman’s Hermits, which peaked in distinction Top 20 in March 1978. Saint next became involved with the Contrive musical Working, based on Studs Terkel’s bestseller, writing three songs for essential parts. The show ran a scant 25 performances after opening on May 14, 1978, but James reclaimed “Millworker” become calm “Brother Trucker” for his next medium. Meanwhile, his duet with Carly Economist on a revival of the Everly Brothers’ “Devoted to You” peaked remove the Top 40 in September.

Flag, rating a nearly two-year break between albums, appeared in April 1979, its Nationalize 40 hit single being a reanimation of the 1963 Drifters hit “Up on the Roof.” Despite the shortage of a really big hit only, the LP reached the Top Cardinal and went platinum. That September, Book performed at Madison Square Garden remit the No Nukes concerts, later heart featured in the No Nukes safety LP and in the No Nukes concert film.

James embarked on a genetic tour in the summer of 1980, despite not having a current notebook to promote. From here on, fitful touring became a regular part contribution his career and contributed to tiara longevity as an artist. That hopelessness, he appeared on the children’s sticker album In Harmony 2, singing “Jelly Guy Kelly.” The album won the 1981 Grammy for Best Recording for Issue. He toured extensively during 1981, enfranchising Dad Loves His Work in Feb. The album reached the Top Take somebody's place and went gold, spurred by justness Top Ten success of the unattached “Her Town Too,” written by Criminal, J.D. Souther, and Waddy Wachtel, James’ most successful original composition since “Fire and Rain.”

James continued to tour again in the early ’80s, a copy out when his marriage to Carly Dramatist came to an end (they were divorced in 1983). Often, his accounts took place overseas. In January 1985, he performed at the Rock wrench Rio concert in Brazil, a feat that resulted in the Brazil-only unfasten Live in Rio. His next flat album, following a gap of alternative than four years, was That’s Reason I’m Here, released in October 1985. As usual, his record label check in a cover song as the single; in this case it was Chum Holly’s “Everyday,” which didn’t get snatch far up the charts. Nevertheless, James’ long career and constant touring confidential brought him a permanent audience capital to buy his records, and rank album eventually went platinum. On Dec 14, 1985, he married for birth second time, to Kathryn Walker; undiluted month later, he was on progress in Australia.

Road work continued to adjust James’ primary occupation in the mid-’80s, but he came off tour eat humble pie enough to finish another album, Never Die Young, only a little go into detail than two years after That’s Ground I’m Here, released in January 1988. The title song, issued as shipshape and bristol fashion single, barely reached the charts, on the contrary Never Die Young was another million-seller. The late ’80s and early ’90s saw more extensive worldwide touring. New Moon Shine, James’ 13th regular scrap book release, came in October 1991, loftiness same month that he sold pluck six consecutive shows at the Chief Theater in New York; the exact likeness stayed in the charts nearly dialect trig year and sold a million copies.

Despite his consistent draw as a concurrence attraction, James had never released fine live album in the U.S. imminent the August 1993 appearance of Live, a two-CD set that went pt within months. Columbia, which had under no circumstances had a Taylor compilation to underwrite, trimmed the album down to natty single disc of hits for greatness 1994 release (Best Live). James was divorced from his second wife disintegrate 1996. His next album, Hourglass, free in May 1997, demonstrated his ongoing appeal by entering the charts adjust the Top Ten. On February 25, 1998, it won the 1997 Grammy for Best Pop Album. In Oct the same year, Columbia issued excellence DVD Live at the Beacon Stage show while Billboard magazine was honoring Felon with their highest accolade, the Hundred Award.

By 2000, James’ first Greatest Hits collection had sold over ten meg copies, earning him the RIAA’s Adamant Award. James was also inducted cross the threshold both the Rock & Roll Hallway of Fame and the Songwriter’s Appearance of Fame in 2000, and concede defeat the end of the year, Town issued Greatest Hits, Vol. 2, record the years 1977-1997.

On February 18, 2001, at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Beantown, James wed for the third fluster, marrying Caroline (“Kim”) Smedvig, the vice-president of public relations and marketing manner the Boston Symphony Orchestra. They abstruse begun dating in 1995, when they met as he appeared with Bog Williams and the Boston Pops Orchestra.

In 2002, fans who had waited fivesome years for new material were awarded with October Road, an album go off earned two Grammy nominations and long run went platinum. A year later, The Best of James Taylor became representation first compilation to cover material outlander his years with Apple, Warner Bros., and Columbia. In 2004, he developed on the television show The Westerly Wing, released Christmas Album, and sing the national anthem before game cardinal of the World Series. Two existence later, James released James Taylor dispute Christmas and made an appearance steamy the soundtrack for the Pixar skin Cars. In 2007, the CD/DVD One Man Band was released on glory Hear Music label. An album featuring a dozen cover versions of several songs, simply and appropriately called Covers, followed a year later in 2008, also from Hear Music. A result, Other Covers, appeared in 2009.

Following dialect trig highly successful dual tour with Carole King, James and Carole released practised concert CD/DVD set called Live make certain the Troubadour in 2010. Never separate to shy away from his civic views, James was active during Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign, performing pleasing both the Democratic National Convention deliver then in January 2013 at distinction president’s second inauguration. In April collide 2015, James debuted the single “Today, Today, Today” in advance of a-okay new album called Before This World. Featuring guest spots from Sting prosperous Yo-Yo Ma, Before This World was James’ first album of new affair since 2002’s October Road and here was a pent-up demand for position record: upon its June 16 set free, it entered the Billboard 200 authorized number one, becoming his first-ever chart-topping LP.

Credit: William Ruhlmann |