Greatest Hits, Vol. 2

Performer: James Taylor (Soft Rock)
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Personnel includes: James Taylor (vocals, acoustic guitar); Arnold McCuller, Valerie Carter, David Lasley, Kate Markowitz, Rosemary Butler (vocals); Danny Kortchmar (acoustic & electric guitar), Waddy Wachtel, Dan Dugmore, Michael Landau (electric guitar); Jerry Douglas (dobro); Mark O'Connor (violin); Bob Mintzer (tenor saxophone); Randy Brecker (trumpet); Dave Bargeron (trombone); Dr. Clarence McDonald, Billy Payne (keyboards); Don Grolnick (piano, organ, synthesizer); Leland Sklar, Tony Levin (bass); Russell Kunkel, Rick Maretta (drums, percussion); Carlos Vega, Steve Jordan (drums); Jim Maelen (percussion). Producers include: Peter Asher, James Taylor, Frank Filipetti, Don Grolnick, Danny Kortchmar. Engineers: Val Garay, Frank Filipetti, James Farber. Recorded at The Sound Factory, Los Angeles, California; Record One, Los Angeles, California; Right Track Recording, New York, New York; Power Station, New York, New York; Skyline Studios, New York, New York. All tracks have been digitally remastered. Personnel: James Taylor (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, pennywhistle, background vocals); Randy Brecker (vocals, trumpet); David Lasley, Deniece Williams, Kenia Gould, J.D. Souther, Zbeto, Elaine Eliaf, Kate Markowitz, Lani Groves, Rosemary Butler, Arnold McCuller, Valerie Carter (vocals); Danny Kortchmar (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Dan Dugmore (guitar, electric guitar, banjo); Michael Landau (guitar, electric guitar); Bob Mann (guitar); Waddy Wachtel (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Jerry Douglas (dobro); Mark O'Connor (violin, fiddle); Yo-Yo Ma (cello); Stevie Wonder (harmonica); David Sanborn (saxophone); Bob Mintzer (tenor saxophone); Dave Bargeron (trombone); Don Grolnick (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, organ, keyboards, synthesizer); Clifford Carter (keyboards, synthesizer); Clarence McDonald, Bill Payne (keyboards); Russ Kunkel, Carlos Vega (drums, percussion); Steve Jordan , Rick Marotta, Rick Shlosser (drums); Peter Asher (tambourine); Airto Moreira, Jimmy Maelen (percussion); Leah Kunkel (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Frank Filipetti; George Massenburg; James Farber; Val Garay. Recording information: Chalker's Creek, Martha's Vineyard, MA; Right Track Studios, New York, NY; The Sound Factory, LA; Westlake Audio, LA. Photographers: Dan Borris; Danny Clinch. Unknown Contributor Role: Whistle. The 24 years-in-the-making sequel to James Taylor's first best-of anthology, reassuringly VOLUME 2 sports the same minimalist graphic cover design. Not surprisingly, the music reflects a similar aesthetic; Taylor has always been a careful craftsman and something of a minimalist, favoring small, intimate-sounding acoustic backdrops to electric bombast. It's a testament to his vision that the songs here are very much of a piece with the songs on VOLUME 1. Three covers--Buddy Holly's "Everyday," Carole King's "Up on the Roof," and Otis Blackwell's "Handy Man"--demonstrate that Taylor still has no peer as an interpreter of '50s and '60s pop-rock. Other highlights include his wonderfully catchy Motown pastiche "Your Smiling Face," the rueful, yet stirring "Never Die Young," and the concluding "Enough to Be on Your Way," featuring a guest appearance by none other than cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

Entertainment Weekly (12/1/00, p.102) - "...Taylor hasn't changed his easygoin' honey-cured style over the decades, but this collection of pst-1976 work shows his output hasn't slacked either..." - Rating: B+

James Taylor was the archetype for the gentle, inward-looking singer/songwriter movement of the early '70s. The easy lilt and timbre of Taylor's voice belies the complex emotional content of his songs, which aren't merely carefree folk-based odes, but instead look unflinchingly at a flawed man's journey through life. It's a tribute to his knack for making great pop records that he managed a long, decade-plus string of big hits. Taylor remained relevant long after his impressive run of top 40 hits, recording numerous million-selling records in the '90s & '00s and winning multiple Grammys.

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