Watch Jackson Browne and James Taylor Perform ‘Take It Easy’
James Taylor and Jackson Browne joined each other onstage as their delayed summer tour hit the road in the Midwest.
Playing in Chicago and the Cleveland and Detroit suburbs over the past few days, the two veteran troubadours highlighted their individual sets with guest appearances from each other. Taylor joined Browne to trade lines during the "The Pretender," while Browne returned the favor each night during an encore rendition of "Take It Easy," a song Browne cowrote with Eagles' Glenn Frey. (The band and Browne each recorded the song shortly after it was written.)
Browne even escorted Taylor's wife onstage to join the troupe of backup singers for "Take It Easy" during their show at the DTE Energy Music Theatre near Detroit. "That's my wife ... with Jackson Browne," Taylor quipped. "I knew this would happen, but I didn't expect so soon."
Watch James Taylor and Jackson Browne Perform 'Take It Easy' in Chicago
On his own, Browne delivered an hour-long, 10-song set that touched on his new album, Downhill From Everywhere, with the title track, "Until Justice Is Real" and the single "My Cleveland Heart," which was, unsurprisingly, a big hit during the Saturday concert at Blossom Music Center outside of Cleveland.
He and his eight-member band - featuring veteran bassist Bob Glaub, guitarist Val McCallum and multi-instrumentalist Greg Leisz - kept the hits out front, though, including "Somebody's Baby" from the Fast Times at Ridgemont High soundtrack, "Doctor My Eyes," "Late for the Sky" and "Running on Empty."
Taylor also kept the focus on favorites during his hour-and-50-minute headline set - starting with "Country Road" and including well-worn favorites such as "Mexico," "Sweet Baby James," "Fire and Rain," "Carolina on My Mind," "Shower the People" and his version of Marvin Gaye's "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)."
He also sampled his 2020 album American Standard album, which was released shortly before the pandemic hit, with "As Easy as Rollin' Off a Log," while the classic "You've Got a Friend" replaced "Secret O' Life" as the show-closer after the July 29 opening date at Chicago's United Center.
Watch James Taylor and Jackson Browne Perform 'The Pretender' in Chicago
The Taylor-Browne tour runs through Aug. 28 in Holmdel, N.J., then takes September off before picking up Oct. 16 in New Orleans and wrapping Nov. 1 in San Diego.