James Taylor has just rolled out a 28-date spring and summer run with Jackson Browne — along with the news of his latest album, titled American Standard, coming on February 28th. The new collection features tunes culled from the “great American Songbook,” including, “My Blue Heaven,” “Ol’ Man River,” “Pennies From Heaven,” “The Nearness Of You,” and “God Bless The Child,” among others.
Taylor spoke about the covers collection, which marks his first new music since his 2015 chart-topping album, Before This World: “I’ve always had songs I grew up with that I remember really well, that were part of the family record collection — and I had a sense of how to approach, so it was a natural to put American Standard together. I know most of these songs from the original cast recordings of the famous Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals, including My Fair Lady, Oklahoma, Carousel, Showboat, and others. In terms of how they were performed and recorded before, we paid attention to the chords and melody, but we were interested in doing something new, and in bringing something new to it, we’ve reinterpreted the songs, that’s what makes it worth doing.”
During a recent chat with PBS, James Taylor spoke candidly on how he handles his music and career today: “Life for me is pretty realized. The blanks are filled in. I know who I love, I know who my family is, I know who my musical community is that I work with. I have friends who do this also, who basically say — 'Y'know, I don't think I'm that motivated by it anymore. I'm not that interested in having people's attention, or, y'know, having them focus on me.' But I seem to be endlessly interested in it and I like my audience, too. What I seem to feel more as time goes by is grateful.”
JUST ANNOUNCED: James Taylor & Jackson Browne tour dates (subject to change):
May 15 – New Orleans LA – Smoothie King Center
May 16 – Houston TX – Toyota Center
May 18 – Ft. Worth TX – Dickies Arena
May 21 – Salt Lake City, UT – Maverik Center
May 22 – Boise, ID – ExtraMile Arena
May 24 – Tacoma, WA – Tacoma Dome
May 25 – Portland, OR – Moda Center
May 27 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center
May 28 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center
May 29 – San Diego, CA – Pechanga Arena
June 10 – Chicago, IL – United Center
June 12 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
June 13 – Detroit, MI – DTE Energy Center
June 15 – Dayton, OH – Nutter Center
June 16 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
June 18 – Hershey, PA – Giant Center
June 19 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
June 21 – Boston, MA – Fenway Park (James Taylor with Brandi Carlile and Shawn Colvin)
June 23 – Roanoke, VA – Berglund Center Coliseum
June 24 – Charleston, WV – Charleston Coliseum
June 26 – Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center
June 27 – Memphis, TN – FedEx Forum
June 29 – Atlanta, GA – Infinite Energy Center
June 30 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
July 4 – Lenox, MA – Tanglewood (James Taylor only)
July 7 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
July 8 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
July 10 – Camden, NJ – BB&T Center
James Taylor & Bonnie Raitt tour dates (subject to change):
April 14 – Victoria, BC – Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre
April 15 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
April 17 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
Apr 19 – Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome
April 21 – Winnipeg, MB – Bell MTS Place
April 24 – Ottawa, ON – Richcraft Live at the Canadian Tire Center
April 25 – London, ON – Budweiser Gardens
April 27 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
April 29 – Montreal, QC – Centre Bell
May 1 – Halifax, NS – Scotiabank Centre
May 2 – Moncton, NB – Avenir Centre
May 5 – St. John’s, NL – Mile One Centre
