Home : Music, The Biz, Awards/Awards Shows : Springsteen, Sting, Simon Serenade James Taylor With His Tunes
Springsteen, Sting, Simon Serenade James Taylor With His Tunes
Posted Feb 7th 2006 5:44PM by TMZ Staff
By BETH HARRIS, ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
From Bruce Springsteen's mournful harmonica on "Millworker" to Sting's acoustic guitar on "Close Your Eyes," a generation of singer-songwriters influenced by James Taylor paid tribute to him with their versions of his hits.
Stories abounded when a powerhouse lineup of Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, David Crosby, the Dixie Chicks, Dr. John and Taj Mahal kicked off Grammy week by honoring the 57-year-old Taylor as MusiCares Person of the Year on Monday night.
Crow was 12 when she saw Taylor at her first concert.
"It was the first time ever I heard 16,000 people sing in unison," she told 2,200 people at the Los Angeles Convention Center. "It was the first time I ever smelled pot and I knew I wanted to be a musician. This is for you, James. You changed my life."
Then she, Browne and Crosby launched into "Mexico," highlighted by a standout horn section.
Sting first saw Taylor as a 19-year-old
in Newcastle, England, in 1971.
"I'm a budding songwriter. At least I
think I am," the former Police frontman recalled. "I want to see
what all the fuss is about. Within four bars, I realize he's a
virtuoso of the guitar. He starts to sing in this soft, rich
baritone. I think, `I have to change my career. I'll become a bass
player in a punk band."'
Springsteen walked out with no
introduction, hailing the North Carolina-raised Taylor as "an
authentic Southern voice."
India.Arie showed off her fondness for
Taylor by carrying onstage a purse with his black-and-white picture
on it. Alison Krauss sang "Carolina in My Mind," the Dixie Chicks
harmonized on "Shower the People," and Simon opened the show with
an acoustic version of "Sweet Baby James."
Raitt recalled being a college student
in Massachusetts and playing shows with Taylor.
"He used to let me open for him and he
tuned my guitar," she said before singing "Rainy Day Man."
With companion Nicole Kidman keeping
time in the audience, Keith Urban played a driving guitar version
of "Country Road."
"Everyone has been telling these great
James Taylor stories, and nothing for me says it better than this
song," Carole King said, launching into "You've Got a
Friend."
Taylor joined her at the piano and they
dueted on the final chorus of the song that was an individual hit
for both of them.
"I can't thank you enough for showing
up. It's not the same without you," Taylor said. "It's strange to
be at an event like this and still be alive. It's very moving, very
terrifying and very wonderful to hear these songs done live."
It was a working evening for Taylor, who
joined his band for "Copperline" and "Shed a Little Light."
Taylor's brother, Livingston, sang
backup on "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" while Taylor's
twin 4-year-old sons, Rufus and Henry, jumped up and down to the
music and the crowd clapped along.
Taylor returned for an encore of his
classic "Fire and Rain."
Tags: Bonnie Raitt, BonnieRaitt, Bruce Springsteen, BruceSpringsteen, David Crosby, DavidCrosby, Dixie Chicks, DixieChicks, Paul Simon, PaulSimon, Sting
