Rocking Retro – James Taylor
Today he’s a boring, coffeeshop Good Morning America staple, but back in the 70’s, James Taylor led the songwriter craze of pop, alongside the likes of Carole King and Joni Mitchell. I still get a lot of flack for loving Taylor, but anyone who has heard his bestselling Greatest Hits album knows the scope, brevity, and sheer genius of the man.
Originally a product of the Beatles’ ill-fated Apple label, Taylor went on to become one of the bestselling artists of all time. His music is completely accessible and your mom loves it, but from a historical perspective Taylor was the forerunner of a movement in pop music, the early 70’s answer to the overdone, overproduced, over-dramatic bands of the late 60’s. With the Vietnam War still raging and the US in a period of civil unrest, James Taylor and his acoustic guitar represented a more laid-back, back-to-basics side of rock and roll. And the music was pretty amazing, too. Actually, it’s timeless.
He may not “rock” in a traditional, cliche, loud-guitar sense, but for any fan of true music and beautiful songwriting, James Taylor totally rocks. Some hits after the jump.
