What's Up!

March 29, 2020

What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!

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AMY KAUFMAN Los Angeles Times (TNS) E ven here, in the stillness of the Berkshires forest near Lenox, Mass., James Taylor grows anxious. He has to be conscious of how he enters his days since he most often experiences stress during the first six hours of being awake. "I was glad to get a chance to see my shrink. I haven't seen her since before the break," he says. "I think any attempt at mental health is an excellent idea. It's a little bit self-centered and navel-gazing, to a certain extent, to focus on yourself to that degree. But some of us need to become conscious of what we're doing that we need to stop doing." It's still winter here, and the 71-year- old, who has just driven the mile of his maple-lined entry after visiting with his therapist, walks into The Barn — his recording studio, a building just a few paces from where he sleeps — and takes off his coat. He keeps on his trademark newsboy cap while tending to the fire in the wood-burning stove. It's difficult to imagine a more tranquil environment. But in recent years, Taylor says, he has found his anxiety becoming "a bear." From the inception of his career, the musician has been open about his mental health struggles. In his senior year of high school, he spent 10 months at Boston's McLean Hospital during his first depressive episode. A couple of years later, he checked into another residential treatment center in an attempt to kick his heroin addiction. It was there that he composed the majority of his first hit record, 1970's "Sweet Baby James" — a story he shared whenever he spoke about his songwriting. Which is why, when Taylor has been asked by publishers over the years to write his memoirs, he has declined. Because he finds it redundant to talk about his music — "it should be listened to, and it either connects or it doesn't" — he has been more forthcoming about his personal struggles since he became famous 50 years ago. "I didn't necessarily feel worthy of anyone's attention, so when I was interviewed, I'd just say, 'Well, whatever you think is worthy of writing about. Here's the whole thing,'" he says, settling into a chair at the kitchen table. Help promote new music Then, last summer, Audible approached Taylor about collaborating on a project. Because he was preparing to release an album of classic covers — "American Standard," which came out Feb. 28 — his manager thought that teaming up with the audio company might help to promote the new music. Initially, Taylor envisioned creating something for Audible that would focus on his songwriting. He planned on selecting six of his tunes and talking about the process of writing them, their meaning and reception. But when he began talking to the project's producer, Bill Flanagan — an author and television executive who oversaw VH1's "Storytellers" and CMT's "Crossroads" — a different idea emerged. "We talked on the phone about the parameters — about 90 minutes of James talking about something — and the best idea that came up was his detailing the first 21 years of his life," says Flanagan, who has known Taylor for 35 years. "In the years I was at VH1 and MTV, he never wanted to do a 'Behind the Music' special — he could never be talked into it. 38 WHAT'S UP! MARCH 29-APRIL 4, 2020 Go Online! "Break Shot: My First 21 Years" By James Taylor audible.com Free for the next 36 days; $7.95 regular price 'Baby James' Grows Up Now 72, James Taylor finally talks about the early years James Taylor looks back at the first 21 years of his life in the new Audible.com audiobook "Break Shot: My First 21 Years." In it, the "Fire & Rain" singer details his upbringing and his slide into mental issues and drugs but cuts off before he would have to talk about many of his past relationships. (File Photo) MAKER SPACE

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