Livingston Taylor BY MARK DOLEJS Livingston Taylor, WOW! What a fantastic night of music and stories at The Carolina Theatre of Durham ...
Livingston Taylor
BY MARK DOLEJS
Livingston Taylor, WOW! What a fantastic night of music and stories at The Carolina Theatre of Durham on Wednesday night. The house was not full, but my heart was. The only thing that would have made this night better is if Taylor had played longer than the one hour he was on stage. He was the opener for Al Stewart, who he’s been touring with.
Livingston Taylor
As he first walked out on stage to plug in his acoustic guitar, someone from the crowd yelled “Glenwood!” His head immediately jerked up and he responded and the banter went back and forth briefly. I don’t know for sure, but I’m assuming there were several folks in the crowd that attended Glenwood Elementary School in Chapel Hill with him in the late 1950s.
Livingston Taylor
This kicked off Taylor’s set with a story from his childhood. He reminisced about riding his bike past Memorial Hall at UNC in Chapel Hill, and hearing music emitting from the building. He found his way into that show and eventually ended up in front of the musician after the show, and asking for an autograph. That musician was Louis Armstrong.
Livingston Taylor
“Louie Is Blowing The World Away” was the first song of the night, followed by “I belong” and Rogers & Hammerstein’s “Getting to Know You.”
In addition to a song called “Hell of a Ride,” which he’s never recorded, Taylor played “Carolina On My Mind.” Taylor talked about calling his brother James, a few days before the show. He said James asked him to share the song with us. The song was originally released on James Taylor’s debut album in 1968.
Livingston Taylor
Taylor played one song on the piano, “When I Get Too Old To Dream,” before playing a really fun song called “Railroad Bill.” The song is about a character that keeps arguing with the songwriter and not cooperating and doing the things the writer wants him to do. At one point the songwriter, Taylor, says “I got the pen in my hand! I can do what I want.”
The night was finished out poetically with audience sing-alongs from The Wizard of Oz, “In The Merry Old Land of Oz” and “Over The Rainbow.”
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- MARK DOLEJS
Photography is an avenue that
Mark Dolejs uses to learn about the people and places that cross his path. After more than 30 years as a photojournalist, Mark enjoys concert, macro, and roadside photography. Follow Mark on Instagram at @solidrockpix.
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