With a career thriving well into its fourth decade and one of the most beloved and continually best-selling catalogs in the world, JAMES TAYLOR is more than the definitive singer/songwriter. He's an American treasure.

While busy in the studio recording his 18th album, October Road, due for release on Columbia Records on August 13th, James picked up another Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight," a guest track on Michael Brecker's Nearness Of You album. It was the latest in a string of Grammy wins going back three decades. Taylor earned his first Grammy (Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male) in 1971 for his recording of Carole King's "You've Got A Friend." He received his second one, Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male in 1977 for his wry interpretation of Jimmy Jones' "Handy Man," from JT, his Columbia Records debut, which has since gone on to hit triple platinum. Taylor won another Grammy in 1998 when his Hourglass album snared the Best Pop Album Award. His contribution to In Harmony, a Sesame Street album, helped that album win a Best Recording For Children Grammy at the 1980 ceremony.

James Taylor was the first artist signed to the Beatles' Apple Records; his self-titled debut album contained instantly memorable songs like "Carolina In My Mind" and "Something In The Way She Moves," immediately establishing Taylor as an important new voice in contemporary music. Moving to Warner Bro. Records in 1969, James Taylor recorded his first platinum album, Sweet Baby James, released in March 1970. A year later, Taylor was featured on the cover of Time magazine, who heralded him as the harbinger of "the singer/songwriter era."

Over the course of his career, James Taylor has earned 40 gold, platinum, and multi-platinum awards for his timeless catalog. Taylor's first Greatest Hits album earned him the RIAA's elite Diamond Award, given for sales in excess of 10 million units in the United States. For his extraordinary achievements, James Taylor was honored with the 1998 Century Award, Billboard magazine's highest accolade, bestowed for distinguished creative achievement. The year 2000 saw Taylor's induction into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the prestigious Songwriter's Hall of Fame.
As much as he's revered for his recordings, James Taylor has been perennially in-demand as one of the world's most popular live concert performers and has toured regularly to consistently standing-room-only audiences throughout his career.

In November 2001, as a holiday present to his fans, James released a newly recorded version of the seasonal classic "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" to select radio stations across the country.

In the past year James married Caroline (Smedvig) Taylor, traveled the nation on a seven-month tour, performed in the Concert for New York, and The Rainforest Benefit. This year, James has received the ASCAP Founders Award. Presently much of his time is spent in the studio completing his new album October Road and at home enjoying time with Caroline and their year-old twins Rufus and Henry.

Visit his official Sony website at
www.jamestaylor.com.