James Taylor and his All-Star Band To Return To Tanglewood
The 2026 concerts mark 52 years since Taylor first performed at Tanglewood, beginning a favorite annual tradition.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Dec. 16, 2025
As America marks its 250th anniversary, American musical icon James Taylor will return to Tanglewood with his All-Star Band for performances on Friday, July 3, and Saturday, July 4, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. in Tanglewood's Koussevitzky Music Shed. Taylor's July 4 performance will be followed by an Independence Day fireworks display over the Stockbridge Bowl and proceeds from the holiday concert will be donated by Kim and James Taylor to support Tanglewood.
The 2026 concerts mark 52 years since Taylor first performed at Tanglewood, beginning a favorite annual tradition that has become the emotional centerpiece of the festival's Popular Artist Series. Summer after summer, Taylor displays his inimitable ability to maintain an intimate audience connection while consistently selling out the Shed and drawing a capacity “Lawn Nation” crowd, many of whom share his deep ties to the Berkshires. One of the world's most decorated and beloved singer-songwriters, Taylor was awarded the 2024 Tanglewood Medal in recognition of his extraordinary accomplishments as an artist and performer and his many contributions to the Tanglewood and Berkshires communities. Prior medal recipients were: Seiji Ozawa (the BSO's longest serving music director), John Oliver (Tanglewood Festival Chorus founder and director), and John Williams (composer and Boston Pops Conductor Laureate).
More About James Taylor
As a recording and touring artist, James Taylor has touched people with his warm baritone voice and distinctive style of guitar-playing for more than 50 years, while setting a precedent to which countless young musicians have aspired. Over the course of his celebrated songwriting and performing career, Taylor has sold more than 100 million albums, earning gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards since the release of his self-titled debut album in 1968. In 2015, Taylor released Before This World, the first-ever #1 album of his illustrious career. Taylor has won multiple GRAMMY Awards, has been inducted into both the Rock and Roll and the prestigious Songwriters Halls of Fame and in February 2006, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences selected him its MUSICARES Person of the Year. Taylor was also awarded the distinguished Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government and the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama in 2012. In November of 2015, Taylor was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor and in December of 2016 he received the Kennedy Center Honors, which are presented annually to individuals who have enriched American culture by distinguished achievement in the performing arts. In early 2020 Taylor released Break Shot, a deeply personal and authentic audio-only memoir detailing his first 21 years. He also released his newest album, American Standard, his 19th studio album, which earned Taylor the 2021 GRAMMY Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album and gave him the honor of being the first artist to have a Billboard Top 10 album in each of the past six decades. Taylor lives primarily in the Berkshires with his wife, Kim and their sons, Henry and Rufus.
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