James Taylor

"Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose," sang a young James Taylor. Yet by the mid-'70s his songs' shades had brightened considerably, when he proved himself as adept at upbeat R&B as introspective folk-pop. Over the years, Taylor has blended these and other elements into essential listening as natural as his beloved Berkshire woods and as personal as a letter from a cherished old friend.

An inward-looking loner who confessed his shattered dreams to millions, James Taylor remains an artist whose vulnerabilities create music of quiet strength and renewal. Incidentally, he's also a gifted singer/guitarist able to infuse everything from "Handy Man" to "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" with a sense of playful discovery, as you're about to discover.

In the early '70s, few listeners might've guessed that James Taylor could give the world lessons in artistic longevity. But with time, his music has gained seasoning and serenity. From "Carolina in My Mind" to "Copperline" and into the 21st century, Taylor has followed an unhurried creative path, his repertoire growing deeper and richer with every passing year.

Lanky, longhaired, and dark-eyed, James Taylor took the pop music world by storm in 1970 with his beguilingly melancholy LP Sweet Baby James. His subtly crafted songs, crushed-velvet voice, and ruefully romantic persona spoke to a generation needing solace and wisdom. The troubled youth of "Fire and Rain" grew into the reflective patriarch of "October Road" — and over that span of three decades a legendary career unfolded. Baby James' life and times are contained herein.