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Taylor may perhaps derive some comfort from the division of public attention, which is certain to grow more pronounced as the individual reputations of his fellow rock troubadours grow. There are, for example, such famous ex-group soloists as the individual Beatles, Neil Young and Stephen Stills (of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young). Elton John is an English one-man music industry whose songs range panoramically from country rock to blues. Leon Russell, the presiding master of gospel rock, invokes the Lord Jesus with piano playing that has a touch of Fatha Hines and a voice that has a touch of bayou frog. Nashville's Kris Kristofferson, an ex-Rhodes scholar, sings bluntly sensual protest songs that have made him the most controversial country songwriter-singer of the day. Van Morrison, an Irishman late of Them, flavors his blues-gospel-folk broth with a salty pinch of jazz. In the wings are two virescent newcomers. One is Carole King, a soul blues singer who plays piano on James' records and has written a song for his new album. The other is English Folk Minstrel Cat Stevens, who sounds like an off-the-moors Harry Belafonte.
James' rivals may also soon include a few more individual Taylors. Thus far Livingston, Alex and Kate have openly—though in Livingston's case not always willingly—ridden on James' coattails. Yet the tendency to see Livingston merely as an "up" imitation of James' "down" is unfair and misleading, as anyone will know who listens to the deft melodic twists and musical good humor of Livingston's first LP, especially the songs Carolina Day and Sit on Back. Alex's LP, released last week, divulges a freewheeling, lowdown style of music that lies somewhere between Hee Haw and New Orleans' Jazz Preservation Hall. Kate's album debut, Sister Kate, produced by Peter Asher and due for release next month, would be an accomplishment for a blues singer with years of experience. As it is, her weary lag and sag in Sweet Honesty and her joyful hymning of Home Again (by Carole King) are nothing short of astonishing in a singer just setting out on a career.
A Special Kind of Salvation
In pop music no fashion lasts for long. Though now is predominantly the moment of the solo trip and the modulated musical message, group think could easily come back strong. For that matter, it is still around with varying degrees of excellence in the work of Chicago and Led Zeppelin. Yet just as individuals like Ray Charles and Chuck Berry influenced the major groups of the 1960s, so today's soloists are bound to affect the future. If so, tomorrow's rock could well be more religious and pastoral in tone, more intricate and ambitious in style. Because of the increasing influence of Miles Davis, jazz is bound to be an added ingredient. Intriguingly complex forms, exemplified by the rock passion Jesus Christ, Superstar, have yet to be explored adequately and may one day engage collective talent, perhaps even the Taylors.