Episode 1
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鈥� Whoopee, Walking My Baby Back 成人快手 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鈥檒l hear how this music was part of his parents鈥� record collection and provided a soundtrack to James鈥� 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鈥檒l also learn how James was the first artist to sign to The Beatles鈥� Apple Records in 1968, why he admires the craft of the great teams such as Rodgers and Hammerstein and their ability to 鈥榳rite to order鈥� 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.
Last on
Broadcast
- Sun 8 Mar 2020 21:00成人快手 Radio 2