Portrait of James Taylor

James Taylor

Origin: Boston, Massachusetts, United States Years: March 12, 1948

James Vernon Taylor, born on March 12, 1948, in Boston, Massachusetts, is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist whose warm baritone and virtuosic guitar playing defined the sound of 1970s folk-rock, achieving breakthrough with "Sweet Baby James" (1970). Throughout his career, he has balanced pop accessibility with artistic integrity, scoring hits like "Fire and Rain" (1970), "You've Got a Friend" (1971), and "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" (1975), with intimate vocals and honest lyrics about addiction, love, and recovery resonating with audiences worldwide. Taylor has won five Grammy Awards and was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2000) and the Songwriters Hall of Fame (1998), with his influence on acoustic guitar playing and intimate vocal delivery continuing to inspire musicians across genres. Beyond music, he has been a prominent advocate for drug addiction recovery and environmental causes, with annual benefit concerts raising millions for various charities. At 76, Taylor continues to tour and record, maintaining his status as one of America's most beloved singer-songwriters.

Folk RockSoft RockPop RockCountry RockAcoustic MusicAdult Contemporary

Discography Overview

James Taylor released 19 studio albums from 1968 to 2021, achieving classics with 'Fire and Rain' (1970), 'You've Got a Friend' (1971), and 'How Sweet It Is' (1975). His warm baritone and guitar work defined 1970s folk-rock. Won 5 Grammy Awards.

Key Albums

  • Sweet Baby James (1970)
  • Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon (1971)
  • JT (1977)
  • Dad Loves His Work (1981)
  • That's Why I'm Here (1985)
  • Hourglass (1997)

Key Songs

  • Fire and Rain (1970)
  • Sweet Baby James (1970)
  • You've Got a Friend (1971)
  • How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You) (1975) - Soul cover,
  • Carolina in My Mind (1970)
  • Shower the People (1976)
  • Handy Man (1977)
  • Her Town Too (1981)
  • Copperline (1997)
  • The Secret of Life (1986)
  • Gaia (2008)
  • Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (2001)

Career Timeline

  1. 1948 James Vernon Taylor born on March 12 in Boston, Massachusetts
  2. 1966 Battles drug addiction, enters psychiatric facility
  3. 1968 Signs with Apple Records
  4. 1968 Releases self-titled debut album
  5. 1970 Releases 'Sweet Baby James', breakthrough album
  6. 1970 Achieves crossover success with 'Fire and Rain'
  7. 1971 Wins Grammy for 'You've Got a Friend' with Carole King
  8. 1972 Forms The Flying Machine
  9. 1975 Achieves pop breakthrough with 'How Sweet It Is'
  10. 1976 Signs with Columbia Records
  11. 1977 Achieves #1 with 'Handy Man'
  12. 1979 Releases 'Flag'
  13. 1981 Achieves success with 'JT'
  14. 1985 Signs with Warner Bros. Records
  15. 1986 Releases 'That's Why I'm Here'
  16. 1991 Signs with Columbia Records
  17. 1993 Releases 'Live in London'
  18. 1997 Releases 'Hourglass'
  19. 1998 Inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame
  20. 2000 Inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
  21. 2001 Releases 'October Road'
  22. 2008 Releases 'Covers'
  23. 2015 Releases 'Before This World'
  24. 2020 Appears at One World: Together at Home
  25. 2022 Announces tour at age 74
  26. 2024 Continues touring and recording

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Influence Graph

How James Taylor sits in the influence chain

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