James Taylor to Play Giant Center, 7/9

Five-time time Grammy Award winner James Taylor will bring his summer tour to Giant Center on Thursday, July 9 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets for this show are $42.85, $72.85 and $102.85 (processing fees apply and there is an eight-ticket limit), and are available at Giant Center Box Office. They can be charged by phone at 717-534-3911 or 800-745-3000, and online at www.HersheyEntertainment.com or www.TicketMaster.com.

The shows will include material from his recently announced new album Before This World, the legendary singer/songwriter's first album of new songs since 2002's platinum-selling October Road. Recorded at his home studio TheBarn, in Washington, MA, Taylor enlisted the longtime members of his band for the sessions including bassist Jimmy Johnson, drummer Steve Gadd, guitarist Michael Landau, keyboardist Larry Goldings, percussionist Luis Conte, fiddler and vocalist Andrea Zonn and vocalists Arnold McCuller, David Lasley and Kate Markowitz. Taylor also called on close friends Yo-Yo Ma and Sting to add their remarkable talent to the new album, (Ma's cello is heard on "You And I Again" and "Before This World"; Sting added vocals to "Before This World.") Additionally, Taylor's wife Kim and son Henry sing harmony on "Angels Of Fenway" and the classic folk tune "Wild Mountain Thyme."

On Before This World, Taylor continues to explore many of the themes that have absorbed him throughout his career. "My sort of self-expression and the autobiographical aspect of my work is a thru-line that links all my albums together," he explains. "I think I have grown musically, and I think people can hear it in what I played in '68, and you can hear it in what I'm singing about now. It is ongoing, it's still me, but it's still evolving."

The past ten years have been full of an extensive tour schedule and notable achievements for Taylor -- including his acclaimed One Man Band tour and concert performance film, which aired on PBS and was nominated for an Emmy Award, his wildly successful Troubadour Reunion tour and Live at the Troubadour album with Carole King, two collections of cover songs Covers and Other Covers, a heartwarming Christmas album, James Taylor at Christmas and 2014's sold out tour across the US, Europe and the UK.

One of the defining musical figures of our time, Taylor continues to express himself and touch our lives with the enduring songs he creates. "I really just feel as if I want to make music now," he said as he completed work on the new album. "I've done a lot of thinking about why I continue to be compelled to do this kind of work, but I still feel a huge connection with it."

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 40 years, while setting a precedent to which countless young musicians have aspired. Over the course of his celebrated song-writing and performing career, Taylor has sold more than 100 million albums, earning gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards for classics ranging from Sweet Baby James in 1970 to October Road in 2002. He 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 James as its MUSICARES Person of the Year.