Never Die Young
Encyclopedia
Never Die Young is singer-songwriter
James Taylor
's twelfth album. It was released in 1988, three years after his previous effort, That's Why I'm Here
. The album reached #25 on the Billboard 200
and eventually was certified Platinum by the RIAA.
The album features the title track, which managed to peak at #80 on the Billboard Hot 100
, becoming the only charting single from the album.
, except where noted.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
's twelfth album. It was released in 1988, three years after his previous effort, That's Why I'm Here
That's Why I'm Here
-Track listing:All songs were written by James Taylor, except where noted.#"That's Why I'm Here" – 3:39#"Song for You Far Away" – 2:58#"Only a Dream in Rio" -Track listing:All songs were written by James Taylor, except where noted.#"That's Why I'm Here" – 3:39#"Song for You Far Away" – 2:58#"Only a...
. The album reached #25 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and eventually was certified Platinum by the RIAA.
The album features the title track, which managed to peak at #80 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, becoming the only charting single from the album.
Track listing
All songs were written by James TaylorJames Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
, except where noted.
- "Never Die Young" – 4:24
- "T-Bone" (Bill PayneBill PayneBill Payne is a founding member of American rock band Little Feat. He is considered by many other piano rock musicians, including Elton John, to be one of the finest American piano rock and blues music artists...
, Taylor) – 3:47 - "Baby Boom Baby" (Taylor, Zachary Wiesner) – 4:59
- "Runaway Boy" – 4:18
- "Valentine's Day" – 2:35
- "Sun on the Moon" – 4:09
- "Sweet Potato Pie" – 3:30
- "Home by Another Way" (Timothy Mayer, Taylor) – 3:50
- "Letter in the Mail" – 4:41
- "First of May" – 4:01
Personnel
- James Taylor — guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals - Michael BreckerMichael BreckerMichael Leonard Brecker was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Acknowledged as "a quiet, gentle musician widely regarded as the most influential tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane," he has been awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer and was inducted into Down Beat Jazz...
— tenor saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846... - Rosemary ButlerRosemary ButlerRosemary Butler began her career playing bass and singing in an all-girl band named the Ladybirds. The band appeared on several LA area television shows before opening for the Rolling Stones in 1964. She then joined all-female hard rock band Birtha who released two albums for Dunhill Records...
— vocals - Dan Dugmore — banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, pedal steel guitar - Don GrolnickDon GrolnickDon Grolnick was an American jazz and pop pianist and composer, most noteworthy for his work with artists such as Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Roberta Flack, Carly Simon, Bette Midler, Billy Cobham, David Sanborn, Marcus Miller, Bob Mintzer, Dave Holland and Steely Dan...
— piano - Lani Groves — backing vocals
- David LasleyDavid LasleyDavid Lasley is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his contributions as a background singer for such artists as Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor and Luther Vandross....
— vocals - Jay Leonhart — bass
- Bob Mann — guitar
- Arnold McCullerArnold McCullerArnold McCuller is an American vocalist, record producer, born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. While establishing his own career as a singer, and working as a very busy session musician, McCuller has become best known for his work as a back-up singer for famous artists with long careers, including...
— vocals - Jeff Mironov — guitar
- Mark O'Connor — violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
- Bill PayneBill PayneBill Payne is a founding member of American rock band Little Feat. He is considered by many other piano rock musicians, including Elton John, to be one of the finest American piano rock and blues music artists...
— keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Leland SklarLeland SklarLeland "Lee" Bruce Sklar is an American musician, singer-songwriter and film score composer. A prominent bass guitarist, Sklar has contributed to thousands of albums as a session musician...
— bass - Greg Taylor — harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
- Carlos Vega — drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...