Ry Cooder: James Taylor’s favourite guitarist of all time
James Taylor‘s list of influences features guitarists with flags in different areas of the musical landscape, all of which have helped him mould his own unique sound. As his roots are firmly planted in the folk world, those who came before him in that specific field have been a constant source of inspiration, but Taylor is unafraid to admire artists across the spectrum.
Although he never received formal lessons to teach him how to play the guitar, music was in his DNA. Taylor’s mother, Gertrude, studied at the New England Conservatory of Music and pursued a career as an opera singer before giving up her ambitions for motherhood. Additionally, his siblings Kate, Alexander and Livingston all also became professional musicians.
While his family tried to steer Taylor down the academic route, it was never his calling, and as a result, his time at preparatory school was short-lived. However, after a lengthy stay in a psychiatric hospital as a teenager, Taylor decided to move to New York City and chase his musical dream by throwing himself into the Greenwich Village scene.
Although he’s never been particularly religious, his boarding school was connected to a church, and his education provided him with a love of hymns, which became a crucial part of Taylor’s musical vocabulary.
During an interview with Guitar World, he explained: “Early on, I was very influenced by what my friend Waddy Wachtel calls the great folk scare of the early ’60s. It was a great time to be a guitarist and a developing musician; it was so accessible and there were clubs with open-mics and a community of people that played and shared things and were largely self-taught. Church hymns are really sort of 101 for Western music, and it’s a great foundation.”
He further detailed his primary influences, plus the guitarist whose work has touched him more than anyone else. Taylor stated: “Reverend Gary Davis was huge for me, as well as Joseph Spence, music of the Bahamas. And Ry Cooder, who’s still sort of my favorite guitar player. I’ve emulated him as much as I can.”
Taylor has spoken about his love of Cooder on many occasions. During an interview with The Independent in 2020, the singer-songwriter revealed that he made sure all of his children appreciate his greatness, saying: “I’ve got four kids and they’re all musical to a greater or lesser extent. So I’m constantly saying,’ Go listen to Lee Dorsey, listen to Ry Cooder, listen to Neil Sedaka’. I am always recommending them.”
Cooder, who has worked with everybody from Captain Beefheart to The Rolling Stones, is also an acclaimed film composer, having created the soundtracks to movies including Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas and Wong Kar-wai’s My Blueberry Nights.
Additionally, in 2002, Taylor convinced Cooder to appear on the title track of his album October Road. After spending his career attempting to replicate the Ry Cooder sound, Taylor finally managed to get the authentic product on his record, which proved to be as splendid as he’d always imagined.
