''That's Why I'm Here'' is the eleventh studio album by singer-songwriter

James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Taylor achieved his breakthrough in 1970 with the single "Fi ...

released in 1985, four years after his previous effort, ''

Dad Loves His Work ''Dad Loves His Work'' is the tenth studio album by James Taylor, released in 1981. The album includes the duet with JD Souther titled " Her Town Too", which peaked at number 11 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number 5 on the ''Billboard'' Adul ...

''. The album contains a version of

Buddy Holly Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer, songwriter, and musician who was a central and pioneering figure of rock and roll. He was born to a musical family in Lubbock, Texa ...

's " Everyday", as well as the participation of several singers, including Don Henley,

Joni Mitchell Roberta Joan Mitchell (née Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian and American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and painter. As one of the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitch ...

Graham Nash Graham William Nash (born 2 February 1942) is a British and American musician, singer and songwriter. He is known for his light tenor voice and for his contributions as a member of the Hollies and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Crosby, Stills ...

and

Deniece Williams June Deniece Williams (née Chandler; born June 3, 1950) is an American singer. She has been described as "one of the great Soul music, soul voices" by the BBC. She is best known for the songs "Free (Deniece Williams song), Free", "Silly (song ...

. "My Romance" was not on the LP or cassette version. "Only One" peaked at number 6 on the US Adult Contemporary chart and at number 3 in Canada.

Reception

In regard to "Only One," ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' remarked, "Taylor breaks no new ground with this single, but his pure voice and beautiful sense of melody and harmony will be welcome," and said the album's title track is "a happy celebration of the artist's years as public property." ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

s review stated, "Taylor's calm manner and breezy, light rock melody belie some fairly complex conclusions in this autobiographical statement."

Track listing

All songs were written by

, except where noted.

Vinyl and Cassette

;Side one #"That's Why I'm Here" – 3:39 #"Song for You Far Away" – 2:58 #"Only a Dream in Rio" (James Taylor, Jim Maraniss ( Portuguese translation)) – 5:01 #"Turn Away" – 3:25 #"Going Around One More Time" ( Livingston Taylor) – 3:27 ;Side two #

" Everyday" (

Norman Petty Norman Petty (May 25, 1927 – August 15, 1984) was an American musician, record producer, publisher, and radio station owner. He is considered to be one of the founding fathers of early rock & roll. With Vi Ann Petty—his wife and vocalist—he ...

) – 3:16 #"Limousine Driver" – 3:54 #"Only One" – 4:22 #"Mona" – 2:51 #" (The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance" (

Burt Bacharach Burt Freeman Bacharach ( ; May 12, 1928 – February 8, 2023) was an American composer, songwriter, record producer, and pianist who is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential figures of 20th-century popular music. Start ...

Hal David Harold Lane David (May 25, 1921 – September 1, 2012) was an American lyricist. He was best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach and his association with Dionne Warwick. Early life David was born and raised in New ...

) – 3:46 #"That's Why I'm Here (Reprise)" – 0:29

CD

# "That's Why I'm Here" – 3:39 # "Song for You Far Away" – 2:58 #"Only a Dream in Rio" (James Taylor, Jim Maraniss ( Portuguese translation)) – 5:01 #"Turn Away" – 3:25 #"Going Around One More Time" ( Livingston Taylor) – 3:27 #" My Romance" (

Lorenz Hart Lorenz Milton Hart (May 2, 1895 – November 22, 1943) was an American lyricist and half of the Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart. Some of his more famous lyrics include "Blue Moon"; " The Lady Is a Tramp"; "Manhattan"; " Bewitched, Bo ...

Richard Rodgers Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979) was an American Musical composition, composer who worked primarily in musical theater. With 43 Broadway theatre, Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers wa ...

) – 2:48 (CD bonus track) #" Everyday" (

) – 3:16 #"Limousine Driver" – 3:54 #"Only One" – 4:22 #"Mona" – 2:51 #" (The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance" (

) – 3:46 #"That's Why I'm Here (Reprise)" – 0:29

Personnel

Musicians

(keyed to vinyl) * James Taylor – guitars, lead vocals, backing vocals (1, 2, 4–6, 9, 10) *

Clifford Carter Clifford Carter (born August 10, 1952) is an American keyboardist, musical director, composer and arranger. Carter is known for his performances with such artists as James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Rosanne Cash, Michael Franks (mus ...

– keyboards (1, 4) * Don Grolnick – keyboards (1, 8) * Bill Payne – keyboards (1, 2, 4–10) * Dan Dugmore –

steel guitar A steel guitar () is any guitar played while moving a steel bar or similar hard object against plucked strings. The bar itself is called a "steel" and is the source of the name "steel guitar". The instrument differs from a conventional guitar i ...

(2, 9) guitars (6) * Jeff Pevar – guitars (4, 7) *

Tony Levin Anthony Frederick Levin (born June 6, 1946) is an American musician and composer specializing in electric bass guitars, Chapman Stick and upright bass. He also sings and plays synthesizer. Levin is best known for his work with King Crimson (19 ...

– bass (1–3, 5, 7, 8, 10) *

Leland Sklar Leland Bruce Sklar (born May 28, 1947) is an American bassist and session musician. He rose to prominence as a member of James Taylor's backing band, which coalesced into a group in its own right, The Section, which supported so many of Asylu ...

– bass (4, 6) *

Russ Kunkel Russell Kunkel (born September 27, 1948) is an American drummer who has worked as a session musician with many popular artists, including Jackson Browne, Jimmy Buffett, Harry Chapin, Rita Coolidge, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Cass Elliot, Dan Fo ...

– drums (1–3, 5, 7–10) * Rick Shlosser – drums (4, 6) * Jimmy Maelen – percussion (1, 2, 5, 7, 8) *

Airto Moreira Airto Guimorvan Moreira (born August 5, 1941) is a Brazilian jazz drummer, composer and percussionist. He is married to jazz singer Flora Purim, and their daughter Diana Moreira is also a singer. Coming to prominence in the late 1960s as a membe ...

– percussion (3) * Starz Vanderlocket – percussion (4) *

Greg "Fingers" Taylor Greg "Fingers" Taylor (June 3, 1952 – November 23, 2023) was an American harmonica player, best known for his work with Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band. Career Greg Taylor was born in Wichita, Kansas, on June 3, 1952, where he attended Wich ...

–

harmonica The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica incl ...

(5, 7) *

David Sanborn David William Sanborn (July 30, 1945 – May 12, 2024) was an American alto saxophonist. He worked in many musical genres; his solo recordings typically blended jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He began playing the saxophone at the age o ...

– saxophone (1, 7, 10) *

Michael Brecker Michael Leonard Brecker (March 29, 1949 – January 13, 2007) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He was awarded 15 Grammy Awards as a performer and composer, received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music in ...

– saxophone (7) * Barry Rogers – trombone (7) * Kenny Kosek – violin (7, 10) * David Lasley – backing vocals (1, 4, 8) *

– backing vocals (1) *

Randy Brecker Randal Edward Brecker (born November 27, 1945) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. His versatility has made him a popular studio musician who has recorded with acts in jazz, rock music, rock, and R&B. Early life Brecker was ...

– backing vocals (3), trumpet (7) *

Eliane Elias Eliane Elias (born 19 March 1960) is a Brazilian jazz pianist, singer, composer and arranger. Biography Elias was born in São Paulo, Brazil, on 19 March 1960. She started studying piano when she was seven, and at age twelve she was transcribing ...

(credited as Elaine Eliaf) – backing vocals (3) * Kenia Gould – backing vocals (3) * Zbeto – backing vocals (3) * Peter Asher – backing vocals (4) * Rosemary Butler – backing vocals (4, 6) * Frank Filipetti – backing vocals (4) * Arnold McCuller – backing vocals (4, 6) *

Rory Dodd Rory Dodd (born Port Dover, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian rock vocalist who has performed many songs written by Jim Steinman. He is probably best known for singing as the duet voice (the "Turn around, bright eyes" lyrics) on Bonnie Tyler's versi ...

– backing vocals (5) * Eric Troyer – backing vocals (5) * Don Henley – backing vocals (9) *

– backing vocals (9) *

– backing vocals (9, 10)

Production

* Producers – Frank Filipetti and James Taylor * Production Assistants – Graham Holmes and Edd Kolakowski * Recorded and Mixed by Frank Filipetti * Assistant Engineers – Renatta Blauer, Moira Marquis and Billy Miranda. * Mastered by

Ted Jensen Ted Jensen (born September 19, 1954) is an American mastering engineer, known for having mastered many recordings, including the Eagles' '' Hotel California'', Green Day's '' American Idiot'' and Norah Jones' ''Come Away with Me''. Early life ...

at Sterling Sound (New York, NY). * Art Direction – John Berg * Front Cover Photo – Andrew Brucker * Back Cover Photo – Patricia Caulfield

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 1985 albums James Taylor albums Albums produced by Peter Asher Albums produced by Frank Filipetti Columbia Records albums Albums recorded at MSR Studios Albums recorded at AIR Studios