When people use the term “singer/songwriter” (often modified by the word “sensitive”) in praise or in criticism, they’re thinking of
James Taylor. In the early ’70s, when he appeared with his introspective songs, acoustic guitar, and calm, understated singing style, he mirrored a generation’s emotional exhaustion after tumultuous times. Just as Bing Crosby’s reassuring voice brought the country out of the Depression and through World War II, Taylor’s eased the transition from ’60s activism and its attendant frustrations into the less political, more inward-looking ’70s. He was rewarded with a series of hit albums and singles (surprisingly, many of the latter were covers of old songs rather than his own compositions), and he managed to survive his initial fame to achieve lasting popularity. He continued to tour successfully for decades, and, starting with his 1970 breakthrough Sweet Baby James, all but one of his regular album releases for the rest of the century went gold or platinum, while his 1976 Greatest Hits album achieved a diamond certification reflecting sales of more than ten million copies.
Between 1970 and 1976, James Taylor released six albums with Warner Bros. Records that became the foundation for his unparalleled career that includes five Grammy® Awards, induction into the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame, and more than 100 million records sold worldwide.
Each album in the set has been remastered, a process overseen by Peter Asher, who signed Taylor to the Beatles’ Apple Records label in 1968, worked as his manager for 25 years, and originally produced several of these albums.
Disc One: Sweet Baby James, 1970
Disc Two: Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon, 1971
Disc Three: One Man Dog, 1972
Disc Four: Walking Man, 1974
Disc Five: Gorilla, 1975
Disc Six: In the Pocket, 1976
