RAIN OR SHINE, SWEET BABY JAMES DELIVERS

At 78, James Taylor still has the songs,
the voice, the humor and one hell of a band

There are concerts that are simply enjoyable, and then there are nights like James Taylor and his All-Star Band at Wolf Trap on August 30, when great songs, superb musicians and Taylor’s wonderfully dry humor make you glad you came.

The evening began with an apt invitation: “Whenever You’re Ready.” We were.

Taylor’s catalog hardly needs an introduction, but his between-song manner is part of the fun. He is funny without working at it and clearly enjoys himself up there, whether he’s telling a story, teasing the audience or turning things over to one of his musicians.

Backed by his All-Star Band, Taylor had a lot of musical firepower at his disposal. Four backup singers, guitars and bass, keyboards, piano and accordion, drums and percussion—including bongos—two horns, and the gorgeous, plaintive sound of fiddle filled out the arrangements without overwhelming Taylor’s voice or guitar.

The band alone would have been worth hearing. Jimmy Johnson, on bass and serving as musical director, anchored the group. Larry Goldings moved between keyboards, piano and accordion, while Michael Landau added his distinctive guitar work. Carmella Ramsey, from Nashville, brought beautiful fiddle textures. On drums was Steve Gadd, a legend in his own right, whose playing was understated but unmistakable. The horn section featured trumpet and synth player Walter Fowler and saxophonist Lou “Blue Lou” Marini, familiar to many from The Blues Brothers and Saturday Night Live. Cuban percussionist Luis Conte kept things jumping.

The vocalists—Kate Markowitz, Dorian Holley, Kim Taylor, Ramsey and Henry Taylor—added some terrific harmonies. Having Taylor’s wife and son among the singers also made this very much a family affair.

During “Shower the People,” the screen filled with images of individuals of all ages joining in remotely on Zoom. Faces appeared across the screen—young and old, each participating from somewhere beyond the amphitheater. With Taylor singing about reaching out to one another, seeing all those people doing exactly that was unexpectedly affecting.

“Handy Man” took the video in a completely different—and much funnier—direction. First appeared a cheeky pin-up image of a handsome, muscular handyman suggestively painting a wall—a little eye candy that drew plenty of laughs. Then the screen shifted to the comic antics of Harold Lloyd in a silent-film sequence, with one thing after another hilariously going wrong around the house. The escalating physical comedy fit the playful spirit of the song perfectly.

“Rainy Day Man” proved almost comically appropriate: it was, in fact, raining cats and dogs. The lawn concertgoers were getting drenched, but remarkably, they seemed happy to be there. Somehow, being soaked while listening to James Taylor sing “Rainy Day Man” felt less like bad luck and more like participating in the joke.

“That’s Why I’m Here,” dedicated to John Belushi, and the achingly beautiful “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight” brought out Taylor’s more reflective side without bogging down the evening, in spite of such heavy themes as recovery, loneliness, and resilience.

“Mexico” changed things up, followed by “Line ’Em Up” and then “Millworker,” from Working, based on Studs Terkel’s landmark collection of interviews with American workers. Fiddle and other instrumental touches gave “Millworker” a mournful edge that made it a standout.

Finally, “Steamroller” let the electric guitar loose and sent the first set out with some welcome swagger.

The second set began more quietly with “Country Road” and “Copperline,” Taylor’s affectionate evocation of North Carolina. The arrangement felt almost stripped down, little more than fiddle, Taylor’s voice and guitar, without the full complement of backup singers and horns. The simplicity suited him.

Taylor then turned to Carole King, his longtime friend and musical collaborator dating back to their early days at the Troubadour. He played guitar and sang backup on her landmark Tapestry, and his recording of her “You’ve Got a Friend” became the only No. 1 single of his career. Taylor may joke that he’s a “No Kings” person, but his affection for this particular King was obvious as he performed the song that has linked the two for more than half a century.

“Up on the Roof,” another Carole King composition made famous by the Drifters, followed, this time with the full band behind Taylor.

“Never Die Young,” the title track from his 1988 album, came next before Taylor reached “Carolina in My Mind,” written while he was in Spain and longing for home. At Wolf Trap, thousands of people sang it with him.

Then came “Fire and Rain.” No backup singers. Just Taylor, his voice and the song.

“Your Smiling Face” picked things up again before the encore, when Taylor’s son Henry joined him for “Shed a Little Light.” Henry has inherited his father’s remarkable vocal qualities—truly a chip off the old vocal chords.

“How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)” brought everyone back together and gave the band another chance to cut loose.

Taylor had songs that have become part of our collective memory, musicians at the top of their game, a wry sense of humor, and a voice that remains unmistakably his. Those were more than enough to hold a crowd of thousands at Wolf Trap.

Outside the covered seats, meanwhile, the rain kept coming. People on the lawn were soaked, the band was cooking, Taylor was cracking jokes, and nobody seemed particularly interested in going home. Not a bad way to spend a rainy Sunday night at Wolf Trap.

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photos by Karl Magnuson

James Taylor & His All-Star Band
Wolf Trap
Filene Center, 1551 Trap Road in Vienna, VA
Aug 30, Sept 1 & 2, 2026 at 730
for tickets and future shows, visit James Taylor and Wolf Trap
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