Album of the Day

The rise of singer-songwriters in the early 1970s produced some of that decade's greatest music, and among the movement's defining albums is James Taylor's SWEET BABY JAMES. The 1970 Warner Bros. collection may not have been the performer's first, but it arrived as a breath of fresh air to listeners eager for something simple, intimate and honest. Except for a take on Stephen Foster's “Oh, Susanna,” all 11 songs are originals, and over the years several have attained classic status including “Sunny Skies,” “Country Road,” the title track and the hit “Fire And Rain,” which reached #3 on the chart (as did the album). Taylor's resonant lyrics are paired with sympathetic backing from the likes of Carole King, guitarist Danny Kortchmar and future Eagle Randy Meisner, ensuring that the Grammy-nominated SWEET BABY JAMES still sounds sweet 50 years after its release.