Early in my guitar playing, maybe 30 years ago, I knew I wanted to one day be able to play anything by James Taylor. But I think there was a part of me that thought it might just be too difficult. Regardless, I figured I’d give it a try. So I closed the door to my room and sat with my guitar and a cassette tape of JT’s greatest hits (for you young’ns, this does not mean Justin Timberlake. Also, you can google what a cassette tape is after this is over). 

I would play about a measure on the tape and then stop it, and then I’d fiddle around on the guitar until I either found it, or had to rewind the cassette a bit and listen again. After a few hours of this I sat back and realized I was doing exactly what I thought I couldn’t do before, I was playing it all the way through. It was a lesson in not doubting myself, and not giving up on something before I even tried. 

I’m sure there’s plenty of debate about which Carolina is being lauded here, but I’m content to be pretty evenly divided. While South Carolina is my home, I’ve got some special connections with the North Carolina mountains, as well. I recall days of driving I-26 and I-40, windows down, listening to JT sing what I was feeling in my heart, whether it was anticipating my destination or leaving what was behind me. Or maybe a little of both.

Enjoy!