Livingston Taylor picked up his first guitar at the such as Linda Ronstadt; Jimmy Buffett; Fleetwood ageof 13. Who knew that this would signal the beginning Mac; Emerson, Lake and Palmer; and Jethro Tull. He of a 40-year career that has encompassed performance, also maintains a busy concert schedule on his own, songwriting and teaching. performing an average of 80 shows a year that mostly include his own music with an occasional cover of folk, Born in Boston in 1950, Livingston grew up in Chapel rock, a classic Gershwin, or something from the best of Hill, North Carolina—the fourth child in a very musical Broadway. The depth of Livingston’s musical knowledge family that includes Alex, James, Kate and Hugh. At 16, is belied by his relaxed and comedic onstage presence. Livingston moved back to Boston where he finished high Livingston describes himself as a pop singer and tours school and began performing in the Boston coffeehouse solo, playing his guitar and the piano. circuit. At 18, he met legendary producer Jon Landau, who later produced Livingston’s first recording for Livingston is a full professor at Berklee College of Atlantic Records when he was 19. Music, where he has taught a Stage Performance course since 1989. He teaches young artists invaluable lessons That first record initiated a creative output that has filled learned over the course of an extensive career on the multiple recordings since. Livingston has written most road; the course is consistently voted the most popular of his music repertoire, including Top 40 hits “I Will at the College. be in Love with You” and “I’ll Come Running”—and, recorded by his brother James, “I Can Dream of You,” Blue Sky, Livingston latest release in the spring of 2014 “Going Round One More Time” and “Boatman” (all on is the third in a series of albums over the last decade the double Grammy-winning album Hourglass). that include There you are Again (2005) and Last Alaska Moon (2009). It completes a body of work that makes it Since those early coffeehouse days, Livingston has clear that this artist is not slowing down. never stopped performing, touring with major artists Livingston as Performer ... “ ... has a subtle way of working a crowd and the obvious gift of pleasing one.” – The Courier-Gazette Rockland, ME
“I love playing live, I love being on the road, I love touring, I love being around my audience — all parts of the experience.” – Quoted from Livingston Taylor in Melrose Free Press Melrose, MA
Livingston as Songwriter ... “From his well-crafted, introspective songwriting to the beautiful melodies he creates, to the warmth he generates during his live performances, Taylor has mastered the craft of being able to take his listeners on a journey.” – The Sampson Independent Clinton, NC
Livingston as Teacher ... “I think of a performance as a conversation between you and an audience. A conversation based on listening, with the knowledge that the best conversations are the results of taking in, as opposed to putting out.” – From Livingston’s book Stage Performance
Discography There You Are Again (Whistling Dog 2005) The Best of Livingston Taylor (Universal Music 2005) Snapshot (Whistling Dog 1999) Carolina Day, 1970-1980 (Razor and Tie 1998) Ink (Chesky 1997) “When you go to see Livingston Taylor Bicycle (1999) perform on stage, he transforms love, joy Unsolicited Material (Whistling Dog 1995) and spirituality into something so tangible, Our Turn to Dance (Vanguard 1993) that you can carry it home with you when Good Friends (Chesky 1993) the concert is over.” Life is Good (Critique 1988) Man’s Best Friend (Epic 1980) - Jean Mudge, fan Echos (Capricorn 1979) Three-Way Mirror (Epic 1978) www.livtaylor.com Performance Options
Concert Private Event On stage, Livingston Taylor brings together the pure joy Livingston is available for select corporate and of performance with a professionalism gained from 40 association functions, fundraising galas, and private years of experience. Livingston’s ease in the presence events. of his audience makes the musical ride an exhilarating journey—showcasing a diverse repertoire that includes Full Symphony Program country, broadway, bluegrass, and blues. The full lush sounds of America’s pop and festival orchestras are the perfect setting for Livingston’s music. Master Class With complete symphonic charts that span Livingston’s Livingston’s performance clinic is an intensive study most popular songs (“I Will Be in Love With You,” of the art and technique of gathering and holding an Everybody’s Just Like Me,” and recorded by audience in all performance environments—from the his brother James, “Carolina in My Mind”), plus a full school class or cafeteria to Madison Square Garden. dose of Broadway and movie favorites (“When Sunny Livingston combines his performance experience with Gets Blue,” “The Trolley Song,” “Somewhere Over the 20 years of teaching at the Berklee College of Music Rainbow”) … add to this program a five-string banjo/ to create a stage performance clinic that is guaranteed symphony blistering bluegrass dual, and the mixture to dramatically improve the participants’ ability to see becomes poignant, poppy, and above all else … fun. and be heard in front of any audience. Surveyed year Livingston’s relaxed stage manner dressed up in a after year as Berklee’s most informative, helpful course tuxedo guarantees a great evening. (professor), it is a perfect launch for those interested in effective stage communication.
To inquire about booking Livingston, visit www.livtaylor.com or call 617-266-6540. Promoting Your Event
Visit “Presenter Resources” on www.livtaylor.com to Livingston is also usually available to do radio download select promotional materials. Photographs, interviews leading up to show dates. Please contact us Livingston’s biography, select press reviews, song lyrics with specific promotional requests or to schedule an and other graphics are all available online. interview with Livingston. Livingston Taylor www.livtaylor.com Stage Performance ... now available!
With anecdotes drawn from his experience on the road and inspired by his classes at Berklee College of Music, Livingston conveys these lessons learned with a piercing insight and natural humor.
Introduction (excerpt from Stage Performance) I’ve always been curious. Why is water wet? What keeps convinced me that the only way to organize this book a plane in the air? Why does glass shatter? Why is stone was to collect a semester of tapes of lectures to an hard? Why does gold shine and iron rust? I’ve spent actual class. It has been something of a distillation countless gentle hours thinking about gravity and how it process to get those into print. I have left it in the order might be controlled. And I’m at my best when I’m straining in which I found it, which is to say, it is the unfolding of to observe it all—squishy earthworms, gray green moss, a semester’s classes. Although there is a vague outline, light bulbs, bacteria, doorknobs, paramecium, firebrick, I’m content to let each class follow its own course. mushrooms, faded wood, indelible ink and bamboo. Rather than force the book into some rigid framework, Born a camera, I am always photographing my instant the chapters spring from the moment. Reading from of consciousness. That curiosity brings us to this book. front to back is fine, but feel free to let it fall open where it may and dig in. I teach a performance class at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, a school that’s been in existence for I love being around my students at Berklee— 60 years and that is well known as one of the foremost 20-something is a great age—just aware enough to jazz and contemporary music schools in the world. have the entire mountain range in view, and energetic The random nature of my class (not to mention my life) and innocent enough to believe it can, in fact, be crossed. Livingston Taylor www.livtaylor.com