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James Taylor and his Excellent Band
James Taylor and his Excellent Band will tour the UK in late June and early July in support of his latest CD, Covers, which was released this week. James Taylor comes to The O2 on Mon 6 July.Hear Music/Universal have released James Taylor's exceptional collection of covers from notable recording artists from the fifties, sixties and seventies. The album, aptly titled Covers, includes the single "It's Growing" which was A listed at BBC Radio 2. The album is already out in the USA where it entered the US charts at #4, sold 94,500 copies the first week and has been nominated for two Grammy Awards; Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Male Pop Vocal for the cover of "Wichita Lineman". The international version contains three extra tracks - covers of Tom Waits' "Shiver Me Timbers", Eddie Floyd's "Knock On Wood" and Rogers and Hammerstein's "Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'". "An album of other peoples' music is something I've wanted to do for years," says Taylor. "I've enjoyed performing these songs over the years but to record them live in a room with these incredible musicians was just extraordinary." The album was recorded last January when James Taylor gathered his 'Band of Legends' for a rare 10-day recording session in a converted barn on his property in western Massachusetts. Band arrangements of material featured on the album include covers of Big Mama Thornton's version of "Hound Dog," Junior Walker's "(I'm A) Road Runner" and "Wichita Lineman," (one of the most revered songs penned by Jimmy Webb). These songs were improvised on the spot and recorded live with some of the best players in popular music. The recording sessions included musical heavyweights Luis Conte, Michael Landau, Jeff Babko, Lou Marini, Arnold McCuller, Jimmy Johnson, David Lasley, Walt Fowler, Andrea Zonn, Kate Markowitz, Steve Gadd, and Larry Goldings. Over the course of his career, James Taylor has sold over 40 million albums, and won over 40 gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards as well as five GRAMMY® Awards. Taylor's first "Greatest Hits" album earned him the RIAA's elite Diamond Award, given for sales in excess of 10 million units in the United States. In 2000, Taylor was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame. In February 2006, The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences named Taylor its MUSICARES Person of the Year. James Taylor was recently nominated for an Emmy for the PBS - Great Performances broadcast of his One Man Band, a CD/DVD set of live recordings which Rolling Stone Magazine described as "an artistic snapshot of his life" and career to date. Additional background material for James Taylor can be found at www.jamestaylor.com. Tickets go on sale Saturday 7 February at 9am and are available from the James Taylor event page. Download as PDF [84KB PDF doc opens in new window] |
