King James

James Taylor has earned plenty of distinctions in his career, including multiple platinum albums and induction into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. Yet Taylor, who arrives at the Spokane Arena’s Star Theatre on Monday, has one credential few can match. He virtually invented a new musical genre, which is now an indispensable part of American pop music: the sensitive singer-songwriter balladeer. In short, Taylor paved the way for the Jackson Brownes and Jack Johnsons of the

musical world. Every time you hear a mellow, musical world. Every time you hear a mellow, folk-tinged ballad on your AAA or adult contemporary radio format, you can trace its lineage right back to “Fire and Rain.”

That song, Taylor’s first hit, was nothing short of a sensation when it came out in 1970, partly because he was still a mystery man.

Taylor had paid his dues for years in the Greenwich Village and London folk scenes, but when the record came out he was still relatively obscure – a brooding genius who had been discovered playing London clubs by no less than the Beatles.

He was one of the first artists signed by Apple Records, the Beatles’ own label, in 1968. American music fans heard plenty about him, since Paul McCartney kept raving about him, but few actually heard him. His debut on Apple, featuring McCartney on bass, did not spawn a U.S. hit.

That all changed when Taylor switched to Warner Bros. and released his second album, “Sweet Baby James,” in 1970. The album and the “Fire and Rain” single both shot to No. 3 on the Billboard charts.

“Fire and Rain” became one of those rare songs that received constant airplay, but never seemed to wear out its welcome. It stayed on the Top 40 charts for more than three months; the album stayed on the charts for 54 weeks.

A mythology even grew up around the song, fed by rumors: It was about a girlfriend named Suzanne who had died in a plane crash; it was about a girlfriend who had committed suicide; it was written while Taylor was in a mental institution.

The first rumor, based on the line “sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground,” was false. Flying Machine was the name of his first band, formed with guitarist Danny Kortchmar, when Taylor first came to New York.

The other two rumors had some grounding in truth. The Suzanne in the line “Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you” was an acquaintance, not a girlfriend, who had committed suicide.

As for the mental hospital? Taylor had spent months, while still a teen, in a Massachusetts psychiatric hospital for depression.

He had also spent time in another hospital there in an attempt to kick a heroin habit. The middle part of the song – “My body’s achin’ and my time is at hand” – is a reference to that time.

So Taylor had crafted a perfect pop song for its time – well-written enough to be vivid, yet vague enough to fit any theory that fervid fans could come up with.

“The Encyclopedia of Rock Stars” says that Taylor would “rarely deviate from this popular style.” Maybe that’s true in terms of his warm, soothing baritone, but not exactly when it comes to his subsequent material.

Most of his hits were not nearly so introspective; they tended toward cheerful love songs like “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You”), jaunty novelty covers like “Handy Man” and stylish covers of old tunes like “Mockingbird” and “Up On the Roof.”

Taylor became a sort of American music throwback, a kind of modern crooner. His career, in some ways, has mirrored the achievement of that first hit: The public has never seemed to tire of him.

About 30 years into his career, he won his first Best Pop Album Grammy, for “Hourglass” in 1998 (he has four other Grammys). His 2002 album, “October Road,” went platinum. His 1976 “Greatest Hits” compilation has sold an astounding 10 million units.

This tour coincides with the release of a new package, “One Man Band,” a combination CD and DVD, to be released by Starbucks/Hear Music on Nov. 13. The CD part will contain live versions of many of Taylor’s big hits; the DVD will include concert performances, interviews and footage from Taylor’s own personal archives.

The Arena show is billed as “An Evening With James Taylor,” and will feature a full band behind him. It’s part of a 12-city Western swing which includes a Saturday date in Missoula.