Album of the Day

James Taylor seems pretty unassuming for a musical pioneer, but when SWEET BABY JAMES came out in 1970, it put him in the vanguard of the singer-songwriter movement. Actually his second album (after a self-titled release for Apple), James' Warner Bros. debut took off with audiences in need of a breather from the turmoil of the late 1960s; such gentle ballads as “Country Road” and the Top Ten hit “Fire And Rain” were easy-going but never empty-headed. Though some of L.A.'s top session players (and pal Carole King) lend instrumental support here, Taylor's warm voice and acoustic guitar work are enough to hook you on their own. The Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer was born on this day in 1948, and to celebrate his birthday, we'll give another listen to SWEET BABY JAMES.