JT (album)

JT is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor. It was released on June 22, 1977, via Columbia Records, making it his first album released for the label. Recording session took place from March 15 to April 24, 1977, at The Sound Factory in Los Angeles with Val Garay. Production was handled by Peter Asher.

The album peaked at number 4 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in the United States and was Taylor's highest-charting album since Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon. By January 31, 1997, it was certified 3 times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. At the 20th Annual Grammy Awards, it was also nominated for Grammy Award for Album of the Year, but lost to Rumours by Fleetwood Mac.

The album spawned three singles: "Handy Man" (Taylor's final top 10 hit), "Your Smiling Face" and "Honey Don't Leave L.A.". "Handy Man", a Jimmy Jones cover, peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Adult Contemporary and won the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. "Your Smiling Face", the other big hit, peaked at #20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #6 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The record also contains other Taylor classics such as "Secret O' Life" and "Terra Nova", with the participation of Taylor's then-wife Carly Simon.

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Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Christgau's Record Guide	B^[3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	^[2]
MusicHound Rock	^[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	^[5]

The New York Times noted that "perhaps the most obvious way that the new songs don't equal the old is their relative lack of memorable melody."^[6]

Track listing

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Your Smiling Face"	James Taylor	2:50
2.	"There We Are"	Taylor	3:02
3.	"Honey Don't Leave L.A."	Danny Kortchmar	3:05
4.	"Another Grey Morning"	Taylor	2:44
5.	"Bartender's Blues"	Taylor	4:12
6.	"Secret O' Life"	Taylor	3:34

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Handy Man"	Otis Blackwell Jimmy Jones	3:17
2.	"I Was Only Telling a Lie"	Taylor	3:24
3.	"Looking for Love on Broadway"	Taylor	2:23
4.	"Terra Nova"	Taylor Carly Simon	4:32
5.	"Traffic Jam"	Taylor	1:58
6.	"If I Keep My Heart Out of Sight"	Taylor	3:01
Total length:			37:57

Personnel

James Taylor – lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar
Danny Kortchmar – guitars
Dan Dugmore – steel guitar (tracks: 2, 5)
Dr. Clarence McDonald – keyboards
Leland Sklar – bass guitar
Russ Kunkel – drums, castanets (track 7), wood block (track 9), tambourine and handclaps (track 10)
Peter Asher – cowbell (track 3), castanets (track 7), cabasa (tracks: 7, 9), wood block (track 9), tambourine and handclaps (track 10), producer
David Sanborn – saxophone (track 3)
Red Callender – tuba (track 10)
David Campbell – string arrangements and conductor (tracks: 1, 5), viola (track 2)
Linda Ronstadt – harmony vocals (track 5)
Leah Kunkel – backing vocals (track 7)
Carly Simon – harmony vocals (track 10)

Technical

Val Garay – recording, mixing
Doug Sax – mastering
John Kosh – art direction, design
David Alexander – front cover, sleeve photos
Jim Shea – back cover, inside photos

Charts

Chart (1977)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[7]	10
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[8]	31
US Billboard 200^[9]	4

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)^[10]	3× Platinum	3,000,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

^ Ruhlmann, William. "JT - James Taylor | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: T". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 15, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
^ Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. p. 1125. ISBN 1-57859-061-2.
^ "James Taylor: Album Guide". rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
^ Rockwell, John (8 July 1977). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. p. C11.
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 305. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ "Charts.nz – James Taylor – JT". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
^ "James Taylor Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
^ "American album certifications – James Taylor – J.T." Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 15, 2021.

External links

James Taylor – JT at Discogs (list of releases)

v t e James Taylor
Studio albums	James Taylor Sweet Baby James Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon One Man Dog Walking Man Gorilla In the Pocket JT Flag Dad Loves His Work That's Why I'm Here Never Die Young New Moon Shine Hourglass October Road Covers Before This World American Standard
Live albums	Live/Best Live One Man Band Amchitka Live at the Troubadour Live at the Beacon Theatre (DVD video)
Holiday albums	A Christmas Album James Taylor at Christmas
Compilation albums	Greatest Hits Classic Songs Greatest Hits Volume 2 The Best of James Taylor The Essential James Taylor
Extended plays	Other Covers
Singles	"Carolina in My Mind" "Knocking 'Round the Zoo" "Sweet Baby James" "Fire and Rain" "Country Road" "You've Got a Friend" "Long Ago and Far Away" "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" "One Man Parade" "Hymn" "Mockingbird" (with Carly Simon) "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" "Mexico" "Shower the People" "Woman's Gotta Have It" "Handy Man" "Your Smiling Face" "Honey Don't Leave L.A." "Devoted to You" (with Carly Simon) "Up on the Roof" "Her Town Too" "Hard Times" "Everyday" "It's Growing" "Change"
Other songs	"Night Owl" "Something in the Way She Moves" "Sunny Skies" "Steamroller Blues" "You Can Close Your Eyes" "Highway Song" "I Was a Fool to Care" "Bartender's Blues" "Secret O' Life" "Millworker" "Summer's Here"
Related articles	Discography James Taylor and the Original Flying Machine Working Vote for Change Tour Troubadour Reunion Tour Carly Simon Sally Taylor Kate Taylor Livingston Taylor Alex Taylor Isaac M. Taylor Two-Lane Blacktop

This page was last edited on 26 March 2024, at 19:04

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