James Taylor Breaks Silence on DNC Snub: Will Legend Still Perform?

James Taylor is speaking out about being cut for time at the Democratic National Convention.
The 76-year-old singer-songwriter was slated to be the final performer on the United Center in Chicago stage Monday night but never did, thanks to a lengthier-than-planned lineup of speakers ahead of President Joe Biden’s keynote address.
Other planned musical performers, Jason Isbell and Mickey Guyton, still took the stage at the DNC. The Associated Press and Getty Images uploaded photos of Taylor rehearsing earlier in the day.
“It was exciting to see and hear so many of the speakers at the opening night of the Democratic convention here in Chicago,” Taylor wrote in a statement shared to social media Tuesday night. “And we had a great rehearsal with Rickey Minor and terrific singers, Kenya Hathaway and Mathew Johnson before the event.
“Lots of friends got in touch, wishing us well: Kim, Owen Young and me. But it became clear, as the evening unfolded, that there wouldn’t be time for our ‘You’ve Got a Friend’ with cello and voices. Maybe the organizers couldn’t anticipate the wild response from the floor of the United Center…”
Taylor concluded, “Anyway, sorry to disappoint. But a great and inspirational, quintessentially American moment. We were honored to be there…”
Newsweek reached out to a representative for Taylor and DNC organizers about whether he will return Wednesday or Thursday to perform.
Hours before Taylor’s statement, DNC officials released a statement on the last-minute cancellation.
“Because of the raucous applause interrupting speaker after speaker, we ultimately skipped elements of our program to ensure we could get to President Biden as quickly as possible so that he could speak directly to the American people,” the statement read.
“We are proud of the electric atmosphere in our convention hall and proud that our convention is showcasing the broad and diverse coalition behind the Harris-Walz ticket throughout the week on and off the stage.”
At the 2012 DNC, Taylor performed “Carolina In My Mind,” “You’ve Got a Friend,” and “How Sweet It Is” from the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“I’m a lifelong Democrat, and I pay a lot of taxes, and I want a government that I paid for,” Taylor has previously said, per The Hollywood Reporter. “I do feel as a citizen, I just feel compelled to respond when I’m asked for support.”
Tuesday at the DNC saw performances from Common and Patti LaBelle, and a surprise appearance by Lil Jon, who lit up the arena with “Turn Down For What.”
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