Rise to Success: Career Highlights of James Taylor
How James Taylor built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
James Vernon Taylor is a celebrated American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He has won six Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, solidifying his legacy as a prominent figure in popular music.
10 hours ago : James Taylor delights St. Paul crowd with heartwarming songs and engaging stage presence.
James Taylor's concert at St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center received rave reviews. He charmed the audience with heartwarming songs, engaging stories, and endearing dad jokes, creating a memorable experience.
1963: Performing as "Jamie & Kootch"
By the summer of 1963, James Taylor and Danny Kortchmar were playing coffeehouses around Martha's Vineyard, billed as "Jamie & Kootch".
1964: Isaac Taylor Became Dean of UNC School of Medicine
From 1964 to 1971, Isaac Taylor, James Taylor's father, rose to become the dean of the UNC School of Medicine.
1964: Single Cut with The Corsairs
In 1964, James Taylor's band, The Corsairs (later The Fabulous Corsairs), cut a single in Raleigh featuring James's song "Cha Cha Blues" on the B-side.
1966: Formation of the Flying Machine
In 1966, James Taylor, after attending Elon University for a semester, moved to New York City to form a band called the Flying Machine, with Joel O'Brien and Zachary Wiesner. They played songs Taylor had written at McLean.
1966: Recording and Release of "Night Owl" Single
In late 1966, The Flying Machine recorded and released the single "Night Owl" backed with "Brighten Your Night with My Day", which received some radio airplay but only charted at No. 102 nationally.
1967: Moved to London
In late 1967, James Taylor moved to London, funded by a family inheritance, to pursue a solo career.
October 1968: Debut Album Recording
From July to October 1968, James Taylor recorded his debut album at Trident Studios in London, during the same time the Beatles were recording The White Album. Paul McCartney and George Harrison guested on "Carolina in My Mind".
December 1968: James Taylor Album Release in the UK
In December 1968, James Taylor's debut album, James Taylor, was released in the UK on Apple Records. Critical reception was positive but sales were poor.
February 1969: James Taylor Album Release in the US
In February 1969, James Taylor's debut album, James Taylor, was released in the US on Apple Records. Commercial potential suffered from Taylor's inability to promote it due to hospitalization.
July 1969: Troubadour Headlining and Newport Folk Festival Performance
In July 1969, James Taylor headlined a six-night stand at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. On July 20, he performed at the Newport Folk Festival.
October 1969: Signed with Warner Bros. Records
In October 1969, James Taylor signed a new deal with Warner Bros. Records after recovering from a motorcycle accident.
December 1969: Recording sessions for Sweet Baby James
In December 1969, James Taylor held the recording sessions for his second album, Sweet Baby James, in California with Asher as his manager and record producer.
February 1970: Release of Sweet Baby James
In February 1970, James Taylor's second album, Sweet Baby James, was released. It became a critical and popular breakthrough, boosted by the single "Fire and Rain".
October 1970: Performance at Vancouver Benefit Concert
In October 1970, James Taylor performed with Joni Mitchell, Phil Ochs, and Chilliwack at a Vancouver benefit concert supporting Greenpeace's protests against nuclear weapons tests.
1970: Greatest Hits Released
Between 1970 and 1976, James Taylor released Greatest Hits, comprising most of his best work during that period, which later became his best-selling album.
1970: Breakthrough with "Fire and Rain"
In 1970, James Taylor achieved his breakthrough with the single "Fire and Rain", which reached No. 3 on the charts.
January 1971: Sessions for Next Album Began
In January 1971, James Taylor began recording sessions for his next album, following the success of Sweet Baby James.
March 1, 1971: Time Magazine Cover Story
On March 1, 1971, James Taylor was featured on the cover of Time magazine as "the face of new rock," highlighting his career success and appeal.
April 1971: Release of Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon
In April 1971, James Taylor released Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon, which gained critical acclaim and featured the hit single "You've Got a Friend".
1971: Release of James Taylor and the Original Flying Machine
Following James Taylor's success as a solo artist, the Flying Machine's recordings were released in 1971 as James Taylor and the Original Flying Machine.
1971: Isaac Taylor's Tenure as Dean Ends
In 1971, Isaac Taylor's tenure as dean of the UNC School of Medicine ended, after holding the position from 1964.
1971: First No. 1 Hit with "You've Got a Friend"
In 1971, James Taylor had his first No. 1 hit with his recording of "You've Got a Friend", written by Carole King.
1971: Leading Role in Two-Lane Blacktop
In 1971, James Taylor played the leading role in Monte Hellman's film Two-Lane Blacktop.
November 1972: Release of One Man Dog and Marriage to Carly Simon
In November 1972, James Taylor released his fourth album, One Man Dog, and married fellow singer-songwriter Carly Simon on November 3 in Manhattan.
1972: Grammy Award for You've Got a Friend
In early 1972, James Taylor won his first Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, for "You've Got a Friend".
January 1974: Recording sessions for Walking Man
In January 1974, James Taylor began recording sessions for his fifth album, Walking Man.
1975: Release of Gorilla
In 1975, James Taylor's album Gorilla was released, reaching No. 6 and featuring the hit single "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)".
1976: Greatest Hits Released
Between 1970 and 1976, James Taylor released Greatest Hits, comprising most of his best work during that period, which later became his best-selling album.
1976: Release of In the Pocket
In 1976, James Taylor released In the Pocket, his last studio album under Warner Bros. Records, featuring collaborations with various artists and the hit single "Shower the People".
1976: Greatest Hits Album Certified Diamond
In 1976, James Taylor's Greatest Hits album was certified Diamond, having sold 11 million copies in the US, making it one of the best-selling albums in US history.
August 11, 1977: Rolling Stone Review of JT
On August 11, 1977, Rolling Stone published a favorable review of James Taylor's album JT, praising its variety and healthiness.
1977: Release of Album JT
Following the release of his album JT in 1977, James Taylor retained a large audience. Every album released from 1977 to 2007 sold over 1 million copies.
1978: Grammy Nomination for JT
In 1978, James Taylor's album JT received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year, and he won a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Handy Man."
1978: Guest appearance on Wonderful World
In early 1978, James Taylor guested with Paul Simon on Art Garfunkel's recording of Sam Cooke's "Wonderful World", which achieved Top 20 success in the U.S.
1979: Release of Flag and No Nukes Concert
In the summer of 1979, James Taylor released the Platinum album Flag and participated in the No Nukes concert, performing "Mockingbird" with Carly Simon.
March 1981: Release of Dad Loves His Work
In March 1981, James Taylor released the album Dad Loves His Work, exploring themes related to family and relationships, and featuring the hit single "Her Town Too".
October 1985: Release of That's Why I'm Here
In October 1985, James Taylor released the album That's Why I'm Here, which showcased a more consistent level of quality and fewer covers compared to his previous records.
1989: Hugh Taylor Operates The Outermost Inn
Since 1989, Hugh Taylor, James Taylor's youngest brother, has operated The Outermost Inn, a bed-and-breakfast in Aquinnah, Massachusetts, with his wife after leaving the music industry.
2002: Release of album October Road
In 2002, James Taylor released the album "October Road", with parts of his relationship with Caroline Smedvig worked into the songs "On the 4th of July" and "Caroline I See You".
2007: Continued Album Success
Every album James Taylor released from 1977 to 2007 sold over 1 million copies, demonstrating his sustained popularity.
2015: First Number-One Album in the US with Before This World
In 2015, James Taylor achieved his first number-one album in the United States with Before This World.
2015: Before This World Reaches No. 1
In 2015, James Taylor's album Before This World reached No. 1 on the album charts, marking his highest position ever, superseding Taylor Swift.
2017: Concert cancellation in Manila
In 2017, James Taylor cancelled his concert in Manila as a protest against the extrajudicial killings of suspects in the Philippine Drug War.
January 2020: Release of audio memoir
In January 2020, James Taylor released his audio memoir "Break Shot: My First 21 Years" on Audible.
February 28, 2020: Release of "American Standard"
On February 28, 2020, James Taylor released his album "American Standard".
May 2020: Tour dates rescheduled
In May 2020, James Taylor and Jackson Browne rescheduled their 2020 tour dates to 2021 due to the COVID-19 crisis.
2021: Son Henry tours as backing vocalist
As of 2021, James Taylor's son Henry has toured as a backing vocalist with his father.
2021: Rescheduled tour dates
In May 2020, James Taylor and Jackson Browne rescheduled their 2020 tour dates to 2021 due to the COVID-19 crisis.
August 20, 2022: Performance at Tanglewood
On August 20, 2022, James Taylor performed at Tanglewood in celebration of John Williams' 90th birthday, where he sang "Getting to Know You", "Sweet Baby John" and "Your Smiling Face".
October 24, 2024: Performance at Tim Walz rally
On October 24, 2024, James Taylor performed multiple songs, including "America the Beautiful", "Sweet Baby James", and "You've Got a Friend" at a rally held by Tim Walz in Wilmington, North Carolina as part of the Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign.
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