In Taylor’s case, the turmoil in his teens forced him to leave boarding school and enter a mental institution, where he was treated with antipsychotic drugs. After being released, he began to develop his already promising musical talent, while at the same time escalating what became 20 years of addiction.
Full Answer
What happen to JT Taylor?
JT Taylor is working on a new album, "Brand New Me." A video for the single, "All I Want," is planned for release next month. He also has acting credits on his resume, with roles in the movie "The Mambo Kings" and Broadway play "Raisin."
Did Carole King and James Taylor have a relationship?
While it is a common assumption that King and James Taylor were romantically involved and/or married, they never even dated. King credits Taylor for helping her build the confidence to perform for live audiences; up until their friendship, she was far more comfortable out of the spotlight.
Is Carole King married now?
Rick Sorensonm. 1982–1989Rick Eversm. 1977–1978Charles Larkeym. 1970–1976Gerry Goffinm. 1959–1969Carole King/Spouse
How many wives has James Taylor?
James married actress Kathryn Walker at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine on December 14, 1985. The singer credits his second wife with helping him get off heroin. After 11 years of marriage the couple divorced in 1996.
Who is JT's son?
His son Xavier is also a musician and JT has spent his time helping his son carve out a name for himself in the industry. JT sang with "Kool & The Gang" as their lead singer from 1978 to 1988. He joined them again briefly in ’96. During his Hall of Fame interview, JT addressed some of the issues he had with the band.
Is JT still married to Starleana?
I always keep that in the forefront and count my blessings," said the singer about their break up. JT is still married to his wife, Starleana, who is a singer and former member of the 80’s group, Aurra. They share a son, Xavier, together.
How old is JT Taylor?
The group's former lead singer, JT Taylor, is now almost 70 years old. After leaving the group to pursue a solo career, he's mostly laid low, according to Amo Mama, but he occasionally performs international solo shows, spends most of his time with family, and is currently helping his son Xavier gain fame in the music industry as well.
Who is the lead singer of Kool and the Gang?
Sadly, though, the band's co-founder, Ronald "Khalis" Bell, passed away at only 68 years old on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. The world has lost a true music legend. The lead singer of Kool & the Gang, as well as Ronald "Khalis" Bell's friends and family, are mourning the loss of the singer-songwriter. Stay tuned for more information.
Why did James Taylor drop out of high school?
At age 16, Taylor dropped out of high school in order to form a band with his brother, Alex Taylor. The future star was living in New York at the time, and in 1965, the 17-year-old developed a deep and persistent depression.
How many times has James Taylor been married?
James Taylor has been married three times. His second marriage, to actress Kathryn Walker, lasted about a decade, and he's currently hitched to Boston Symphony Orchestra trustee and publicist Caroline "Kim" Hessberg-Taylor. Taylor's first marriage, however, is his most famous and tumultuous.
How long did James Taylor's addiction to heroin last?
Thus began an addiction to opiates that lasted for the better part of 20 years. From late 1967 to early 1968, "I was clean," Taylor told Rolling Stone. "Then I started to take a lot of codeine.
What happened to John Lennon?
The shocking murder hit Taylor hard, as he and Lennon knew each other. Taylor had been the first act signed to the Beatles' Apple Records, and in the late '60s, as Taylor told The Guardian, he "gave John opiates," which he believes led to a heroin problem for Lennon, which in turn accelerated the Beatles' eventual split .
What was James Taylor's first project?
One of James Taylor's first professional music projects was a late-'60s, New York-based band called the Flying Machine. Not only was that the place where Taylor honed the musical chops that would propel his career for decades, but it's also where he got his first taste of hard drugs.
What is the second verse of "The Girl in the Song" about?
As for the rest of the song, according to a 1972 interview with Rolling Stone ( via The Girl in the Song), the second verse is about his personal and professional anxiety, while the third verse "refers to [his] recuperation in Austin Riggs," a residential treatment facility.
Did James Taylor have health issues?
James Taylor had major health issues as a young adult. Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images. James Taylor hit big in the 1970s, but his artistic journey began in the previous decade. Unfortunately, Taylor's young adulthood was stymied by urgent health issues, both mental and physical.
How old is JT Taylor's son?
The singer and his wife, Starlena -- part of the Taylor Made artist roster -- are the parents of a 3-year-old boy, Xavier, who already has taken an interest in singing. JT Taylor is working on a new album, "Brand New Me.". A video for the single, "All I Want," is planned for release next month. He also has acting credits on his resume, ...
What movie did James Taylor play?
He also has acting credits on his resume, with roles in the movie "The Mambo Kings " and Broadway play "Raisin.". Taylor is buoyed by a resurgence of classic soul formats in major cities, but says he pays attention to what younger acts are doing.
Why did Kool and the Gang change their name?
He says the name change was made to let people know he was back in the group. Some band members resented it, just as the Supremes did when Diana Ross was singled out.
Why did Taylor leave the gang?
Taylor left The Gang amicably in 1989 to pursue a solo career and immediately scored an R&B; hit with "All I Want is Forever," a duet with Regina Belle. Sales were lukewarm for follow-up solo efforts. Kool and the Gang also sputtered without Taylor, 46, whom fans had come to identify as "The Voice.". Taylor and the band teamed once again in 1995, ...
What does Taylor say about starving Ethiopians?
Taylor had a problem with the line referring to starving Ethiopians: "Tonight, thank God it's them instead of you.". "Spiritually, that didn't connect with me," says Taylor, who thought the line showed the divide between the haves and have-nots. Instead, he helped with background vocals.
Who did Taylor Swift meet?
He says he was awed meeting Sammy Davis Jr., Jeffrey Osborne, Peabo Bryson and Earth, Wind and Fire's Bailey. "I'm still a kid in the playground with that stuff," Taylor says. He is optimistic about the state of music.
Does Taylor have a problem with sampling?
Taylor has no problem with sampling, the recycling -- some would say stealing -- of established music, saying it is "part of the technology of today" and has allowed some artists to develop careers. He says, however, that artists relying solely on sampling could be "pigeonholed" into only one form of music.
What did James Taylor do after he was released?
After being released, he began to develop his already promising musical talent, while at the same time escalating what became 20 years of addiction.
Where does James Taylor build his fire?
On a chilly afternoon, James Taylor begins building a fire. Standing in the cavernous barn on the compound he owns in western Massachusetts , he slowly feeds pieces of wood into a small antique fireplace, nurturing the flames until they roar. “It’s a ritual,” he says.
What does Taylor believe about marriage?
Love and Marriage. In fact, Taylor believes people “should marry in pairs—an older couple and a younger couple. The older would take the place of grandparents who raise the children” while “the younger couple make a life for themselves. When we had multigenerational families, that would happen.”.
Overview
James "J.T." Warren Taylor (born August 16, 1953) is an American singer and actor who achieved worldwide fame as the lead singer of Kool & the Gang between 1979 and 1988.
Taylor joined Kool & the Gang in 1979, and remained with the group for 9 years. His tenure as lead singer was the most successful era in the band's history, with the albums Ladies' Night (1979), Celebrate! (1980), and Emergency (1984), and hit singles including "Ladies' Night", the US No. 1 "C…
Early life
Taylor was born on August 16, 1953 in Laurens, South Carolina, and grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey. Before his rise to fame, he was a teacher and night club singer, having first joined a band at the age of 13. In 1978 he played with Milton Galfas, Christopher Galfas, and Eleton Johns in Full Force. He left Full Force when Christopher Galfas brought him to his brother's House of Music studio to audition for Kool & the Gang.
Kool & the Gang
Taylor joined the band in 1979 after the group auditioned for a lead singer. He noted that vocals added more warmth to the songs, especially to ballads, which the group had avoided as no one could sing them properly. Taylor also recalled some resistance from some members and the group of female singers they had used on The Force and Everybody's Dancin'. In 1979, the band recorded and released Ladies' Night, which became their most successful album since their form…
Solo career
In 1988, Taylor pursued a solo career and has released four solo albums to date.
In 1989, he released his first solo album, titled Master of the Game, which produced several hits, including the album's first single "All I Want Is Forever", a duet with Regina Belle. The single "The Promised Land" was included on the soundtrack of Ghostbusters II.
In 1991, Taylor released his second solo album, Feel the Need, which garnered the hits "Long Ho…
Acting career
In the 1990s, Taylor began his acting career in the 1992 Hollywood film The Mambo Kings and the long-running Broadway musical Raisin.
External links
• James "J.T." Taylor at AllMusic
• James "J.T." Taylor at Discogs
• Facebook page
• Myspace