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 an acclaimed American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award recipient, his musical achievements led to his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Taylor's career is marked by his distinctive vocal style and introspective songwriting, solidifying his place as a significant figure in popular music.
1963: Playing Coffeehouses with Danny Kortchmar
By the summer of 1963, James Taylor and Danny Kortchmar were playing coffeehouses around Martha's Vineyard, billed as "Jamie & Kootch".
1964: Recorded Single with The Corsayers
In 1964, James Taylor and The Corsayers cut a single in Raleigh that featured James's song "Cha Cha Blues" on the B-side.
1966: Formation of The Flying Machine
In 1966, James Taylor moved to New York City to form a band called The Flying Machine with Danny Kortchmar, Joel O'Brien, and Zachary Wiesner. They played at the Night Owl Cafe.
1966: Recording of Single "Night Owl"
In late 1966, The Flying Machine recorded a single, James Taylor's "Night Owl", backed with his "Brighten Your Night with My Day".
1967: Moved to London
In late 1967, James Taylor moved to London funded by a family inheritance and began working as a solo artist.
October 1968: Recording First Album
From July to October 1968, James Taylor recorded his first album at Trident Studios, at the same time the Beatles were recording The White Album.
December 1968: Release of James Taylor album in the UK
In December 1968, Apple Records released James Taylor's debut album, James Taylor, in the UK.
February 1969: Release of James Taylor album in the US
In February 1969, Apple Records released James Taylor's debut album, James Taylor, in the US.
July 1969: Performances at Troubadour and Newport Folk Festival
In July 1969, James Taylor headlined at the Troubadour in Los Angeles and 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.
February 1970: Release of Sweet Baby James
In February 1970, James Taylor released his second album, "Sweet Baby James", featuring Carole King's participation. The album and the single "Fire and Rain" both reached No. 3 on the Billboard charts, marking Taylor's critical and popular breakthrough.
October 1970: Performance at Greenpeace benefit concert
In October 1970, James Taylor performed with Joni Mitchell, Phil Ochs, and Chilliwack at a Vancouver benefit concert that funded Greenpeace's protests. The concert protested the US Atomic Energy Commission's nuclear weapons tests at Amchitka, Alaska.
1970: Breakthrough with "Fire and Rain"
In 1970, James Taylor achieved his breakthrough with the No. 3 single "Fire and Rain".
1970: Best Work Released
In 1970, James Taylor was building up his best work. This was included in the Greatest Hits album later released.
January 1971: Sessions for Taylor's next album began
In January 1971, James Taylor started sessions for his next album.
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."
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 included his 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 band's recordings were later released in 1971 as James Taylor and the Original Flying Machine.
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 album and marriage to Carly Simon
In November 1972, James Taylor released his fourth album, "One Man Dog". On November 3, he married Carly Simon in a small ceremony in Manhattan.
January 1974: Recording Sessions for Walking Man began
In January 1974, James Taylor began recording sessions for his fifth album, Walking Man.
1975: Release of Gorilla album
In 1975, James Taylor released the album "Gorilla", which reached No. 6 and featured his hit single "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)".
1976: Release of In the Pocket album
In 1976, James Taylor released "In the Pocket", his last studio album under Warner Bros. Records. It featured collaborations with Art Garfunkel, David Crosby, Bonnie Raitt, and Stevie Wonder.
1976: Greatest Hits Album Certified Diamond
In 1976, James Taylor's Greatest Hits album was certified Diamond and has sold 11 million copies in the US alone.
1976: Warner releases Greatest Hits
In November 1976, Warner Bros. Records released "Greatest Hits", comprising James Taylor's best work between 1970 and 1976.
August 11, 1977: Rolling Stone review of JT
On August 11, 1977, Peter Herbst of Rolling Stone gave a particularly favorable review to the JT album.
1977: Release of album JT
Following his 1977 album JT, James Taylor retained a large audience over the decades, with every album released from 1977 to 2007 selling over 1 million copies.
1978: Guest appearance on Art Garfunkel's recording of "Wonderful World"
In early 1978, James Taylor guested with Paul Simon on Art Garfunkel's recording of Sam Cooke's "Wonderful World", which reached the Top 20 in the U.S. and topped the AC charts.
1979: Release of Flag album
In the summer of 1979, James Taylor released the album "Flag", featuring a cover of "Up on the Roof". He also appeared at the No Nukes concert, performing "Mockingbird" with Carly Simon.
March 1981: Release of Dad Loves His Work album
In March 1981, James Taylor released the album "Dad Loves His Work", featuring themes about his relationship with his father. The album had a hit single with JD Souther, "Her Town Too".
October 1985: Release of That's Why I'm Here album
In October 1985, James Taylor released the album "That's Why I'm Here", which included the song "Only a Dream in Rio".
1988: Release of "Never Die Young"
In 1988, James Taylor released the album "Never Die Young", with the title track becoming a charting hit.
1989: Hugh Taylor Operates The Outermost Inn
Since 1989, Hugh Taylor has operated The Outermost Inn, a bed-and-breakfast in Aquinnah, Massachusetts, with his wife.
1991: Release of "New Moon Shine"
In 1991, James Taylor released the platinum album "New Moon Shine", which featured popular songs like "Copperline" and "(I've Got to) Stop Thinkin' About That", both of which became hit singles on Adult Contemporary radio.
1993: Release of "Live" album
In 1993, James Taylor released the two-disc album "Live", capturing his live concerts, including Arnold McCuller's descants in the codas of "Shower the People" and "I Will Follow".
1995: Performance in Randy Newman's "Faust"
In 1995, James Taylor performed the role of the Lord in Randy Newman's "Faust".
1997: Release of "Hourglass"
In 1997, James Taylor released "Hourglass", an introspective album that received critical acclaim and explored themes of his past and family. The album reached No. 9 on the Billboard 200, and included the hit "Little More Time With You".
2000: Inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
In 2000, James Taylor, a six-time Grammy Award winner, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
2002: Release of "October Road"
In 2002, James Taylor released "October Road", which was Platinum-certified and featured quiet instrumental passages. In 2002, Taylor also collaborated with Alison Krauss, singing "The Boxer" at the Kennedy Center Honors Tribute to Paul Simon.
2002: Songs Reflect Relationship on 'October Road' Album
In 2002, part of James Taylor's relationship with Caroline Smedvig was worked into the album "October Road", specifically on the songs "On the 4th of July" and "Caroline I See You".
October 2004: Joining the Vote for Change tour
In October 2004, James Taylor joined the Vote for Change tour, playing concerts in American swing states to mobilize voters for John Kerry and against George W. Bush, with joint performances alongside the Dixie Chicks.
October 24, 2004: Performance at the World Series
On October 24, 2004, James Taylor performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Game 2 of the World Series in Boston.
December 2004: Appearance on The West Wing
In December 2004, James Taylor appeared as himself on an episode of The West Wing, singing Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come".
2006: MusiCares Person of the Year
In 2006, James Taylor was the Grammy Award-sponsored MusiCares Person of the Year, with a black-tie ceremony held in Los Angeles where musicians paid tribute to him by performing his songs.
2006: Release of "James Taylor at Christmas" and Performance in "Cars"
In the fall of 2006, James Taylor released a repackaged Christmas album, "James Taylor at Christmas", and performed Randy Newman's song "Our Town" for the Disney animated film "Cars".
January 1, 2007: Headlining concert in Albany, New York
On January 1, 2007, James Taylor headlined the inaugural concert at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York, honoring the newly sworn in Governor Eliot Spitzer.
October 25, 2007: Performance at the World Series
On October 25, 2007, James Taylor performed both "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "America" for a World Series game in Boston.
November 2007: Release of "One Man Band"
In November 2007, James Taylor's album "One Man Band" was released on CD and DVD on Starbucks' Hear Music Label, featuring recordings from his "One Man Band Tour".
December 23, 2007: CBS Sunday Morning Broadcast
On December 23, 2007, James Taylor was featured on CBS Sunday Morning in a broadcast that showed him alluding to his early drug problems during a Troubadour performance.
2007: String of Million-Selling Albums Ends
Every album that James Taylor released from 1977 to 2007 sold over 1 million copies.
January 2008: Recording of "Covers" album
In January 2008, James Taylor recorded approximately 20 songs by other artists for a new album with a band, including Luis Conte and Michael Landau. The resulting album was named "Covers".
June 5, 2008: Performance at the NBA Finals
On June 5, 2008, James Taylor performed at Game 1 of the NBA Finals in Boston.
September 2008: Release of "Covers"
In September 2008, James Taylor released the album "Covers", which featured his interpretations of songs by other artists. In summer 2008, Taylor also toured 34 North American cities with his band, on the James Taylor and His Band of Legends tour.
2008: Free concerts in North Carolina
During October 19–21, 2008, James Taylor performed a series of free concerts in five North Carolina cities in support of Barack Obama's presidential bid.
2008: Nominated for Grammy Award
In 2008, James Taylor was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of "Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album" for "James Taylor at Christmas".
January 18, 2009: Performance at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration
On January 18, 2009, James Taylor performed "Shower the People" with John Legend and Jennifer Nettles at the "We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration" at the Lincoln Memorial.
April 2009: Release of "Other Covers"
In April 2009, James Taylor released "Other Covers", an album containing songs recorded during the same sessions as the original Covers album.
May 29, 2009: Performance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
On May 29, 2009, James Taylor performed on the final episode of the original 17-year run of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
September 8, 2009: Appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show
On September 8, 2009, James Taylor made an appearance at the 24th-season premiere block party of The Oprah Winfrey Show on Chicago's Michigan Avenue.
2009: Appearance in "Funny People"
In 2009, James Taylor appeared briefly in the movie Funny People, playing "Carolina in My Mind" for a MySpace corporate event.
January 1, 2010: Performance at the NHL Winter Classic
On January 1, 2010, James Taylor sang the American national anthem at the NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park.
March 7, 2010: Tribute Performance at the Academy Awards
On March 7, 2010, James Taylor sang The Beatles' "In My Life" in tribute to deceased artists at the 82nd Academy Awards.
March 2010: Troubadour Reunion Tour
In March 2010, James Taylor commenced the Troubadour Reunion Tour with Carole King and members of his original band, including Russ Kunkel and Leland Sklar. The tour grossed over $59 million and had ticket sales of over 700,000.
September 11, 2011: Performance at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum
On September 11, 2011, James Taylor performed "You Can Close Your Eyes" in New York City at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum for the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
November 22, 2011: Performance with Taylor Swift
On November 22, 2011, James Taylor performed "Fire and Rain" with Taylor Swift at her Speak Now World Tour concert in Madison Square Garden. They also sang Swift's song, "Fifteen".
2011: Appearance on Mr. Sunshine
In 2011, James Taylor appeared in the ABC comedy "Mr. Sunshine" as the ex-husband of Allison Janney's character, performing a duet of Leon Russell's "A Song for You".
July 2, 2012: Taylor Swift appeared as Taylor's special guest
On July 2, 2012, Taylor Swift appeared as James Taylor's special guest in a concert at Tanglewood.
2012: Support for Barack Obama's reelection campaign
In 2012, James Taylor was active in supporting Barack Obama's reelection campaign and opened the 2012 Democratic National Convention singing three songs. He also performed "America the Beautiful" at Obama's second inauguration.
April 24, 2013: Performance at memorial service for Sean Collier
On April 24, 2013, James Taylor performed at the memorial service for slain MIT police officer Sean Collier. He was accompanied by the MIT Symphony Orchestra and MIT a cappella groups, performing "The Water is Wide" and "Shower the People".
October 24, 2013: Performance at the World Series
On October 24, 2013, James Taylor performed both "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "America" for a World Series game in Boston.
2013: Performance with Utah Symphony and Mormon Tabernacle Choir
On September 6 and 7, 2013, James Taylor performed with the Utah Symphony and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at the Thirtieth Anniversary O.C. Tanner Gift of Music Gala Concert in Salt Lake City.
June 21, 2015: Debut week sales for "Before This World"
On June 21, 2015, James Taylor's album Before This World had 97,000 equivalent album units earned in its debut week, according to Nielsen Music, with 96,000 copies sold.
July 4, 2015: First No. 1 album on Billboard 200
On July 4, 2015, After a 45-year wait, James Taylor earned his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart with Before This World.
2015: First Number-One Album in the US with Before This World
In 2015, James Taylor achieved his first number-one album in the US with Before This World.
2015: Before This World album release
In 2015, James Taylor released his album, "Before This World", which reached No. 1 on the album charts.
October 23, 2018: Performance at the World Series
On October 23, 2018, James Taylor performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Game 1 of the World Series in Boston.
January 2020: Release of 'Break Shot: My First 21 Years' Audio Memoir
In January 2020, James Taylor released his audio memoir, "Break Shot: My First 21 Years," on the streaming service Audible.
February 28, 2020: Album 'American Standard' Released
On February 28, 2020, James Taylor's album, "American Standard," was released, debuting at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
May 2020: Tour Rescheduled Due to COVID-19
In May 2020, James Taylor and Jackson Browne rescheduled their 2020 tour dates to 2021 due to the COVID-19 crisis.
November 24, 2020: 'American Standard' Nominated for Grammy
On November 24, 2020, James Taylor's album "American Standard" was nominated for a Grammy in the category of "Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album".
2021: 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
In 2021, James Taylor and Jackson Browne performed the tour, rescheduled from 2020 due to the COVID-19 crisis.
August 20, 2022: Performance at Tanglewood for John Williams' Birthday
On August 20, 2022, James Taylor performed at Tanglewood in celebration of John Williams' 90th birthday.
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