James Taylor Quotes

A collection of quotes by James Taylor.

James Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who rose to fame in the 1970s with his soulful folk music. Born on March 12, 1948, in Boston, Massachusetts, Taylor began his musical career at a young age, inspired by his family's musical background. His distinctive soothing voice and skillful guitar-playing quickly captivated audiences worldwide.

Taylor's self-titled debut album was released in 1968, followed by a series of critically acclaimed albums such as Sweet Baby James (1970), Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon (1971), and Gorilla (1975). These albums showcased his heartfelt lyrics and serene melodies, establishing him as a prominent figure in the folk-rock genre.

One of his most iconic songs, "Fire and Rain," released in 1970, encapsulates Taylor's ability to convey emotional depth through his music. His introspective and introspective songwriting touched on themes of love, relationships, loss, and addiction. Over the years, Taylor continued to produce hit records, including the Grammy Award-winning album, JT (1977), and the successful singles "You've Got a Friend" and "Handy Man."

Beyond his musical career, Taylor has also been an advocate for various causes, including environmental issues and mental health awareness. His personal struggles with addiction and depression have informed his philanthropic efforts and added an additional layer of authenticity to his music.

Today, James Taylor remains an influential figure in the music industry, and his timeless songs continue to resonate with audiences of all generations.

Whenever I see your smiling face, I have to smile myself, be

Whenever I see your smiling face, I have to smile myself, because I love you, yes I do.

Happiness Love Relationships

You have to choose whether to love yourself or not.

You have to choose whether to love yourself or not.

Music is my living. I enjoy selling my music.

Music is my living. I enjoy selling my music.

It's probably foolish to expect relationships to go on forev

It's probably foolish to expect relationships to go on forever and to say that because something only lasts 10 years, it's a failure.

I'm glad about what's happening to the music business. This

I'm glad about what's happening to the music business. This last crop of people we had in the 90s, who are going away now, they didn't like music. They didn't trust musicians. They wanted something else from it.

People should watch out for three things: avoid a major addi

People should watch out for three things: avoid a major addiction, don't get so deeply into debt that it controls your life, and don't start a family before you're ready to settle down.

Performing is a profound experience, at least for me. It's n

Performing is a profound experience, at least for me. It's not as if I sit down and play 'Fire and Rain' by myself, just to hear it again. But to offer it up... the energy that it somehow summons live takes me right back, and I do get a reconnection to the emotions.

I don't read music. I don't write it. So I wander around on

I don't read music. I don't write it. So I wander around on the guitar until something starts to present itself.

If you think my music is sentimental and self-absorbed, I ag

If you think my music is sentimental and self-absorbed, I agree with you.

Performing is a profound experience, at least for me.

Performing is a profound experience, at least for me.

I'm very unstable there's no stability in a musician's life

I'm very unstable there's no stability in a musician's life at all. You live on a bus or on the road hand to mouth and you don't know where your money's coming from.

I know there are people who don't like their audience or lik

I know there are people who don't like their audience or like the experience of being recognized or celebrated, but my audience has been very good - they don't bother me and when they do contact me it's usually on the nicest possible terms.

Sobering up was responsible for breaking up my marriage. Tha

Sobering up was responsible for breaking up my marriage. That's what it couldn't stand.

Though 'Fire and Rain' is very personal, for other people it

Though 'Fire and Rain' is very personal, for other people it resonates as a sort of commonly held experience... And that's what happens with me. I write things for personal reasons, and then in some cases it... can be a shared experience.

Music is like a huge release of tension.

Music is like a huge release of tension.

Time will take your money, but money won't buy time.

Time will take your money, but money won't buy time.

I would advise you to keep your overhead down; avoid a major

I would advise you to keep your overhead down; avoid a major drug habit; play everyday, and take it in front of other people. They need to hear it, and you need them to hear it.

That's the motivation of an artist - to seek attention of so

That's the motivation of an artist - to seek attention of some kind.

I believe 100 percent in the power and importance of music.

I believe 100 percent in the power and importance of music.