JAMES TAYLOR: CELEBRATING AN AMERICAN STANDARD to be Presented by Live with Carnegie Hall

On Friday, July 1 at 7:30 p.m. (EDT), Live with Carnegie Hall will present James Taylor: Celebrating an American Standard, featuring a never-before-seen stream of a one-night-only historic performance curated by the renowned singer/songwriter in April 2011 to mark Carnegie Hall's 120th anniversary, kicking off his four-concert Perspectives series that season. This festive evening paid tribute to the many extraordinary musical and cultural events that took place on the Hall's stages over twelve decades. In addition to Taylor and his band, featured special guests-invited by Taylor himself-included Vince Bruce, Barbara Cook, Steve Martin, Bette Midler, Kevin Pollak, Dianne Reeves, Sting, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and some special surprises. The idea to stream this 120th anniversary concert was initiated in 2020 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Taylor's Carnegie Hall debut on June 12, 1970.

Previously only seen by the sold-out audience in attendance that evening, this epic celebration will now be enjoyed by music-lovers around the world, streamed for free on Carnegie Hall's webpage (carnegiehall.org/live) and the Hall's Facebook and YouTube channels. The program will also be available later for free on-demand viewing.

Shortly after James Taylor's 1970 Carnegie Hall debut at age 22, Time magazine observed that his artistry reached "a level both of intimacy and controlled emotion rarely achieved in purely pop music." The connection he made to listeners was indelible, and his hits-"Fire and Rain," "Sweet Baby James," "Carolina In My Mind," to name just a few-became a soundtrack to the American experience. Over the course of his career, Taylor has performed at Carnegie Hall more than 40 times, curating a Perspectives series at the Hall during the 2010-2011 season. He also serves as a Carnegie Hall Artist Trustee.

In addition to this streamed concert, Carnegie Hall is offering one lucky person the opportunity to win a Yamaha FG-800 acoustic guitar, signed and personalized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, generously donated by Kim and James Taylor. The prize also includes a numbered and signed special limited edition 2-LP set of Taylor's 2020 Grammy Award-winning album, American Standard. The sweepstakes will be available on Carnegie Hall's Facebook page starting June 10 through July 12. Entry is free. For more information, visit carnegiehall.org/jamestaylorsweepstakes.

Live with Carnegie Hall features new original online programs that connect world-class artists with music lovers everywhere. The series features musical performances, storytelling, and conversations that offer deeper insights into great music and behind-the-scenes personal perspectives. Live with Carnegie Hall launched in April 2020 and has included episodes hosted by Joshua Bell, Tituss Burgess, Rosanne Cash, Judy Collins, Renée Fleming, Rhiannon Giddens, Angélique Kidjo, Ute Lemper, Audra McDonald, and more. A schedule of upcoming episodes as well as archived programs available for on-demand viewing can be found on carnegiehall.org/live.