James Taylor - Sweet Baby James

James Taylor-“Performing these songs in their original, stripped-down form in small halls is like going to the well for water," says Taylor. "It reconnects me to the music and puts me back in touch with the audience."

Iconic singer/songwriter James Taylor's latest CD/DVD set is more than just the live version of the some of the most treasured recordings in the history of American music. "One Man Band" tells the story of Taylor's songs through exclusive interviews and rare multi-media footage, including home movies and photographs from Taylor's personal archives. The result is an extraordinary, one-of-a-kind portrait of an artist, his renowned repertoire and the personal stories behind the songs. The set list is drawn from Taylor's recent concerts at the Colonial Theatre in the Berkshires and features new performances from some of the singer/songwriter's most beloved recordings interspersed with Taylor's insightful and humorous anecdotes on the inspiration for the songs.

"The whole thing has been working in my mind for years," said Taylor. "The stage set itself: half warm and homey, half empty and stark; the projected slides and film pieces; the drum machine; the illustrated introductions... all of it."

In a way, it feels as if James Taylor's entire career has been leading up to "One Man Band." His music embodies the art of songwriting in its most fundamental form. He has been at it for decades: transforming introspective meditations into lyrics, melodies and harmonies that comfort and reassure the listener with the sense that these sometimes painful, sometimes celebratory moments are a part of life, shared by us all.

Over the course of his long career, James Taylor has earned 40 gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards and five GRAMMY® Awards for a catalog running from 1970's "Sweet Baby James" to his GRAMMY® Award-winning efforts "Hourglass" (1997) and "October Road" (2002). 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. For his accomplishments, James was honored with the 1998 Century Award, Billboard magazine's highest accolade, bestowed for distinguished creative achievement. The year 2000 saw his induction into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the prestigious Songwriter's Hall of Fame. In February 2006, The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences selected James its MUSICARES Person of the Year.

In 1971, James was featured on the cover of Time magazine, who heralded him as the harbinger of "the singer/songwriter era." Today, this quintessential singer/songwriter has seen that era crossover into the 21st century. As a touring artist, Taylor blazed a path to which countless numbers of young musicians have since aspired.

"I feel like we could take this evening around the world," Taylor says of his latest work. As his unmistakable warm baritone moves into a few bars of "Something in the Way She Moves," once again the world is drawn to him.

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