James Taylor's Great American Songbook

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Legendary singer-songwriter James Taylor on his favourite Great American Songbook records.

Legendary singer-songwriter James Taylor guides listeners through his favourite songs from the Great American Songbook.

James Taylor's Great American Songbook: Episode 1

Episode 1

BBC Radio 2 - James Taylor's Great American Songbook, Episode 1

James Taylor plays his favourite American standards.

James Taylor presents a personal take on the Great American Songbook, talking us through the music that was a soundtrack to his early years.

Legendary singer-songwriter James Taylor guides us through his favourite songs from the Great American Songbook, exploring the enduring appeal of standards such as Makin’ Whoopee, Walking My Baby Back Home and God Bless The Child. He reveals how the melodies, chord changes and lyrics have had a profound influence on his own songwriting style. 

We’ll hear how this music was part of his parents’ record collection and provided a soundtrack to James’ childhood years in North Carolina. This started a lifelong love affair with these songs that he believes represent the high point of American popular music.

We’ll also learn how James was the first artist to sign to The Beatles’ Apple Records in 1968, why he admires the craft of the great teams such as Rodgers and Hammerstein and their ability to ‘write to order’ and how modern production and performance could be taking us away from this level of songwriting skill. 

An eclectic playlist includes classics from Ray Charles and Betty Carter, Billie Holiday and Nina Simone, a song from the original album soundtrack of the musical Oklahoma! and interpretations of Songbook favourites by fellow singer-songwriters Joni Mitchell, Paul McCartney and Lady Gaga.

Amazing music. Played by an amazing line up.

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James Taylor's Great American Songbook

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