MASSLIVE.COM – James Taylor and Carole King renew a Tanglewood tradition

By Scott Coen

Every summer I’m reminded of how lucky I am to live in Western Massachusetts.

Sunday at Tanglewood I felt especially lucky because I spent the day with my family, and as it turned out, some new found friends, watching and listening James Taylor and Carole King take me for yet another trip down memory lane.

The ‘Troubadour Tour’ made a stop at Tanglewood over the 4th of July weekend, where ‘JT’ and Carole King played to three sell-out shows.

I’ve been a fan of these two iconic music legends since I was in junior high school. That would put me back to 1970, the same year Taylor and King started playing together.

James Taylor and Carole King opened their July 4th Tanglewood show with ‘Blossom’

The video I’ve included isn’t from the July 4th show ‘JT’ and Carole King performed at Tanglewood, but it might as well have been.

And that’s the beauty of these two performers. They’re consistent from start to finish, and in many ways they always have been.

For going on 40 years these two iconic musicians have been playing together. I’ve seen them before at Tanglewood, and am always amazed that no matter how many times we all keep coming back to the little ‘Bandbox in the Berkshires’, they seem to keep sounding better and better.

Like always we arrived at Tanglewood early, coming up the back way and hanging in line just beyond the shed.

But this Sunday we got there just in time to hear Taylor and King rehearse their sound check.
So in essence we were treated to two shows for the price of one.

We all have our memories of going to Tanglewood to see James Taylor. Some make the trip with family, watching our children grow up still willing to sit and listen to “our music”.

It’s become one of those down through the years traditions that only become more meaningful as the years go by.

Summer time in New England is all about our families and our friends.

And one of the best places on earth to enjoy all that family and friends have to offer, is watching James Taylor and Carole King play music at Tanglewood.

Summer time in New England is all about our families and our friends.

And one of the best places on earth to enjoy all that family and friends have to offer, is watching James Taylor and Carole King play music at Tanglewood.