2002 James Taylor – October Road

Arnold McCuller, David Lasley, Greg Phillinganes, James Taylor, Jimmy Johnson, Luis Conte, Mike Landau, Steve Gadd

October Road is singer-songwriter James Taylor‘s fifteenth studio album. It was released on August 13, 2002 in two versions: a single-disc version and a “limited edition” two-disc version, which contains three extra songs, as well as a video presentation. October Road would become James Taylor’s last album of original material until the 2015 Before This World.

The album debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 with 154,000 copies sold in its opening week, which is Taylor’s best sales week performance for an album in the SoundScan era. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA on November 21, 2002, and has sold 1,076,000 copies in the US as of May 2015.

Tracks

1 September Grass (John Sheldon) 04:52
2 October Road (James Taylor) 03:58
3 On The 4th Of July (James Taylor) 03:26
4 Whenever You’re Ready (James Taylor) 04:15
5 Belfast To Boston (James Taylor) 04:17
6 Mean Old Man (James Taylor) 03:44
7 My Traveling Star (James Taylor) 03:56
8 Raised Up Family (James Taylor) 04:41
9 Carry Me On My Way (James Taylor) 04:31
10 Caroline I See You (James Taylor) 04:59
11 Baby Buffalo (James Taylor) 04:51
12 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Hugh Martin; Ralph Blane) 03:50

Biography

James Taylor

Musicians

1 September Grass

Bass	Jimmy Johnson
Drums	Steve Gadd
Guitar	John Sheldon
Keyboards	Rob Mounsey
Percussion	M Hans Liebert
Background Vocals	Arnold McCuller
Background Vocals	Caroline Taylor
Background Vocals	David Lasley
Background Vocals	Kate Markowitz
Vocals	James Taylor

2 October Road

Bass	Jimmy Johnson
Drums	Steve Gadd
Guitar	Ry Cooder
Guitar	Mike Landau
Organ	Clifford Carter
Sax	Michael Brecker
Violin	Stuart Duncan
Percussion	Luis Conte
Background Vocals	David Lasley
Vocals	James Taylor

3 On The 4th Of July

Bass	Jimmy Johnson
Drums	Steve Gadd
Guitar	Mike Landau
Keyboards	Clifford Carter
Synthesizer	Rob Mounsey
Percussion	Luis Conte
Background Vocals	Arnold McCuller
Background Vocals	Chiara Civello
Background Vocals	David Lasley
Background Vocals	Kate Markowitz
Vocals	James Taylor

4 Whenever You’re Ready

Bass	Jimmy Johnson
Drums	Steve Gadd
Guitar	Mike Landau
Keyboards	Greg Phillinganes
Horns	Lou Marini
Horns	Walt Fowler
Percussion	Luis Conte
Percussion	M Hans Liebert
Background Vocals	Arnold McCuller
Background Vocals	David Lasley
Background Vocals	Kate Markowitz
Vocals	James Taylor

5 Belfast To Boston

Bass	Jimmy Johnson
Drums	Steve Gadd
Keyboards	Greg Phillinganes
Piano	M Hans Liebert
Bagpipes	Rob Mounsey
Whistle	Rob Mounsey
Percussion	Rob Mounsey
Background Vocals	Arnold McCuller
Background Vocals	David Lasley
Background Vocals	John Lattanzi
Background Vocals	Kate Markowitz
Background Vocals	Kay Hanley
Background Vocals	Michael Eisenstein
Background Vocals	Nina Gordon
Background Vocals	Steve Scully
Vocals	James Taylor

6 Mean Old Man

Bass	Jimmy Johnson
Drums	Steve Gadd
Guitar	John Pizzarelli
Piano	Larry Goldings
Synthesizer	Rob Mounsey
Vocals	James Taylor

7 My Traveling Star

Bass	Jimmy Johnson
Drums	Steve Gadd
Keyboards	Rob Mounsey
Violin	Stuart Duncan
Percussion	Luis Conte
Background Vocals	Sally Taylor
Vocals	James Taylor

8 Raised Up Family

Bass	Jimmy Johnson
Drums	Steve Gadd
Guitar	Mike Landau
Keyboards	Greg Phillinganes
Horns	Lou Marini
Horns	Walt Fowler
Percussion	Luis Conte
Percussion	M Hans Liebert
Background Vocals	Arnold McCuller
Background Vocals	David Lasley
Background Vocals	Kate Markowitz
Vocals	James Taylor

9 Carry Me On My Way

Bass	Jimmy Johnson
Drums	Steve Gadd
Guitar	Mike Landau
Percussion	Luis Conte
Vocals	James Taylor

10 Caroline I See You

Bass	Jimmy Johnson
Drums	Steve Gadd
Fender Rhodes	Clifford Carter
Piano	Robbie Kilgore
Piano	Clifford Carter
Harmonica	Tommy Morgan
Vocals	James Taylor

11 Baby Buffalo

Bass	Jimmy Johnson
Drums	Steve Gadd
Organ	Clifford Carter
Percussion	Luis Conte
Background Vocals	Sally Taylor
Vocals	James Taylor

12 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Bass	Jimmy Johnson
Drums	Steve Gadd
Guitar	John Pizzarelli
Synthesizer	Clifford Carter
Sax	Harry Allen
Vocals	James Taylor

Strings

Cello – Paula Hochhalter, Steve Erdody (Tracks 6, 7, 10)
Viola – Brian Dembow, Carrie Holzman-Little, Karen Elaine Bakunin (Tracks 6, 7, 10)
Violin – Alan Grunfeld, Bruce Dukov, Julie Gigante, Karen Jones, Kenneth Yerke, Liane Mautner, Margaret Wooten, Natalie Leggett, Robin Olson, Tamara Hatwan (Tracks 6, 7, 10)
Violin – Belinda Whitney, Cenovia Cummins, Donna Tecco, Richard Sortomme (Track 12)

Liner Notes

Producer – Russ Titelman
Arranged By (Strings) – Dave Grusin (Tracks 6, 7, 10)
Arranged By (Strings) – Rob Mounsey (Track 12)
Conductor – Dave Grusin (Tracks 6, 7, 10)
Concertmaster – Ralph Morrisob (Tracks 6, 7, 10)
Coordinator – JoAnn Tominaga
Engineer (Additional) – M Hans Liebert, Mark Howard, Ben Parrish, Bruce MacFarlane, J Prins, Jason Wormer, Jimmy Hoyson, Keith Shortreed, Luke Yaeger, M Hans Liebert, Matt Beaudoin, Rafi Sofer
Engineer – Dave O’Donnell
Mastered By – Ted Jensen
Mixed By – Dave O’Donnell, Russ Titelman
Mixed By (Assistant) – Ryan Smith

Art Direction – Gail Marowitz
Consultant (Cover) – Stephanie Mauer
Design – Giulio Turturro
Photography – Craig Nelson, Sante D’Orazio, Russ Titelman

Mastered At Sterling Sound
Mixed At Right Track Recording
Recorded At Linden Oaks Studios
Recorded At Clinton Recording Studio
Recorded At Q Division Studios
Recorded At Secret Studio, New York
Recorded At The Village Recorder
Recorded At Capitol Studios
Recorded At Flying Monkey Studio
Recorded At Signal Path Studios
Recorded At Right Track Recording
Phonographic Copyright Sony Music Entertainment Inc
Copyright Sony Music Entertainment Inc
Copyright Owl Rat Publishing
Copyright Rowzer Music
Copyright Loew’s Incorporated