James Taylor to bring iconic sound, songs to Greenville

Donna Isbell Walker
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James Taylor's songs are intricately woven into the American musical tapestry.

Since the late 1960s, Taylor has written and recorded more than his share of iconic songs, tunes like "You've Got a Friend," "Carolina in My Mind," and "Shower the People."

In this Feb. 15, 2011 photo, singer James Taylor poses for a portrait in New York. (AP Photo/Victoria Will)

The singer-songwriter, who performs Saturday at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena, is known for his music, his political activism and the personal struggles that inspired much of his early work. But here are a six facts you might not know about Taylor:

1. In the early 1970s, Taylor and fellow singer Carly Simon had one of rock's most celebrated, and turbulent marriages. According to an interview in the current issue of Time magazine, Simon saw Taylor's photo on the Time cover in 1971 and told her sister, "I'm gonna marry that man," even though they hadn't yet met. They met a month later, married in 1972 and divorced in 1983. Their two children, Ben and Sally, are also musicians.

2. Fans can get free guitar lessons from Taylor's website. The video lessons show his hands on the guitar as he explains chords, finger placement and more while playing such songs as "Country Road" and "Fire and Rain."

3. His "James Taylor's Greatest Hits" album is one of the top 100 best-selling albums of all time, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, with 11 million copies sold. Overall, he's sold 33 million albums during his nearly five-decade career.

4. Taylor was the first American artist signed to the Beatles' Apple Records label. His self-titled debut album was released in 1968.

5. Of his five Grammy Awards, four were in the pop category, while his most recent award, in 2003, was for a country song. He won for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals for a duet with Alison Krauss, "How's the World Treating You."

6. It probably isn't surprising that Taylor is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, part of the class of 2000. But he's also a member of numerous other halls of fame, including the Songwriters Hall of Fame, North Carolina Music Hall of Fame and the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.


Who: James Taylor

When: 8 p.m. Saturday

Where: Bon Secours Wellness Arena

How much: $65-$85

Call: 800-745-3000

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