Photos by Andy Argyrakis

The gates to Ravinia finally unlocked for the summer and America’s longest running music festival dove straight into the superstar likes of James Taylor & His All-Star Band for a sold out Saturday in the pavilion, prior to a second show on Sunday, June 9.

As far as the opening night was concerned, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer was essentially acoustic pop perfection across two acts and a little over just as many hours, going all the way back to his beginnings on The Beatles’ Apple Records in the late 1960s through the 2000s.

Even at 76-years-old, Taylor’s voice was absolutely ageless as he gently strummed the calming chords to “Something In The Way She Moves,” kicked it up a notch on Buddy Holly’s “Everyday” and settled snuggly into his own “Anywhere Like Heaven,” backed by breathtaking scenery on a massive video wall.

The singer/songwriter turned towards the latter day likes of “October Road,” which rivaled the caliber of such classics as “Copperline,” “Sweet Baby James” and “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight,” plus a few deeper tracks.

Following an intermission, Taylor and company resumed with the soothing “Carolina In My Mind,” continued the nomadic theme throughout “Mexico,” got bluesy come “Steamroller” and switched to folk for “Fire And Rain.”

Though individually known as one of the world’s most treasured troubadours, the headliner tipped his cap towards friend and fellow legend Carole King, offering signature takes of “Up On The Roof” and “You’ve Got A Friend,” joined by son Henry and all the backup singers who added blissful harmonies.

“Shower The People” shifted the focus back to personal selections until Marvin Gaye’s “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” wrapped the segment and really allowed the A-list accompanists to let loose, including saxophone player “Blue Lou” Marini (The Blues Brothers, Blood, Sweat & Tears), guitarist Michael Landau (Joni Mitchell, Tim McGraw) and drummer Steve Gadd (Simon & Garfunkel, Eric Clapton).

Taylor and the entire team kept the peaceful feels flowing with encores of “Shed A Little Light” and “Your Smiling Face,” but it was the lullaby-like “You Can Close Your Eyes” that wound down the first of hopefully several more heartwarming Ravinia evenings under the stars.

For additional information on James Taylor, visit JamesTaylor.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at Ravinia include James Taylor & His All-Star Band (Jun. 9); Robert Plant & Alison Krauss (Jun. 12); Hauser (Jun. 14); Michael Franti & Spearhead (Jun. 15); Kurt Elling (Jun. 16); Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue (Jun. 19); Violent Femmes (Jun. 21); Little Feat and Los Lobos (Jun. 22); Michael Feinstein (Jun. 23); Ben Platt (Jun. 28); Roger Daltrey (Jun. 29); Clint Black and Lyle Lovett And His Large Band (Jun. 30); Arrival (Jul. 5); Daryl Hall and Elvis Costello & The Imposters (Jul. 6); The Beach Boys (Jul. 7); Norah Jones and Mavis Staples (Jul. 14); Kodachrome: The Music Of Paul Simon (Jul. 19); Killer Queen (Jul. 27); Gipsy Kings (Jul. 31); Henry Mancini Centennial (Aug. 4); Victor Wooten & The Wooten Brothers (Aug. 7); Angélique Kidjo and Meshell Ndegeocello (Aug. 8); Indigo Girls and Melissa Etheridge (Aug. 11); Robert Glasper and J. Ivy (Aug. 14); “The Princess Bride” In Concert (Aug. 16); “Up” In Concert (Aug. 17); Gaelic Storm and The High Kings (Aug. 22); O.A.R. (Aug. 23); The Roots (Aug. 24); Samara Joy (Aug. 25); ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd (Aug. 29); The Voice Of Whitney Houston (Aug. 30); TLC and Shaggy (Aug. 31); Tom Jones (Sept. 7); Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit (Sept. 8) and Crowded House (Sept. 11). For additional details, visit Ravinia.org.

Related Articles

“American Standard” James Taylor is forever, plus he’s got a friend in Jackson Browne Multiple Grammy winner and guitar genius Pat Metheny’s “Side-Eye” stuns in Ravinia return Hometown heroes Chicago a “Hard Habit To Break” during Ravinia’s idyllic opening weekend Tony Bennett: “I Left My Heart” Tour at Rialto Square Theatre Blues alive and well at Ravinia courtesy of local legend Buddy Guy, guitar prodigy Jonny Lang Hard Rock rings in third birthday with The Jacksons’ homecoming, Eve 6’s alt-rock freebie Willie Nelson & Family “On The Road Again” and on fire for Ravinia sell out Easygoing, uplifting storytelling from James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt at Wrigley Field