Home ahoho JAMES TAYLOR WALKED ONSTAGE SURROUNDED BY 11 MUSICIANS — BUT WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR HIS FINAL SONG, HE QUIETLY SENT THEM ALL AWAY EXCEPT FOR ONE PERSON WHO MEANT MORE THAN THE MUSIC ITSELF. As the concert at Edinburgh Castle drew to a close, the legendary singer stepped forward with only an acoustic guitar beside one remaining band member. That person was his son, Henry. With James on acoustic guitar and Henry on electric, the pair performed You Can Close Your Eyes in a stripped-back duet that allowed their voices to blend with remarkable warmth and ease. For many in the audience, it wasn’t just the beautiful harmonies that lingered — it was watching a father and son share a stage with a connection no rehearsal could ever create.

JAMES TAYLOR WALKED ONSTAGE SURROUNDED BY 11 MUSICIANS — BUT WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR HIS FINAL SONG, HE QUIETLY SENT THEM ALL AWAY EXCEPT FOR ONE PERSON WHO MEANT MORE THAN THE MUSIC ITSELF. As the concert at Edinburgh Castle drew to a close, the legendary singer stepped forward with only an acoustic guitar beside one remaining band member. That person was his son, Henry. With James on acoustic guitar and Henry on electric, the pair performed You Can Close Your Eyes in a stripped-back duet that allowed their voices to blend with remarkable warmth and ease. For many in the audience, it wasn’t just the beautiful harmonies that lingered — it was watching a father and son share a stage with a connection no rehearsal could ever create.

ahoho · 02/08/2026 · comments off

When James Taylor arrived onstage to perform at Edinburgh Castle, he was joined by the entourage of 11 musicians who make up his touring band. However, when it came time to perform his final song ‘You Can Close Your Eyes’, James came to the front of the stage to perform with only one other member of his band. That member was his son, Henry, who joins his father’s tours as a backing singer. This duet allowed their family bond to shine through in a way that touched listeners’ hearts.

With James on the acoustic guitar and Henry on the electric, they played through the song together. From the very first line, their voices came together to sing in unison, and it was immediately clear that Henry had inherited his father’s talent. Their voices joined together softly, neither one overpowering the other in a way that added even more emotional depth to the already powerful song. The duet made online viewers so emotional that one even commented: “That had me crying like a baby.”

 

I was very moved by how clearly their strong bond shone through as they played. I felt it was especially clear to see how much admiration Henry has for his dad. As they played, I noticed Henry turning to look over at his father as they sang, smiling gently, his appreciation for him clear for all to see. It is moving to think that Henry is part of the legacy that James is leaving with us. The ways James has influenced and inspired his son will keep his legacy alive for a long time to come.

Music Man fans who love James Taylor will know that ‘You Can Close Your Eyes’ has become renowned as a song that James invites others to perform with him. From his ex-wife Carly Simon to Stephen Colbert on The Late Show to his ‘70s musical peers David Crosby and Graham Nash, James uses this song to connect with others. Henry is not the only one of his children he has performed this song with, as he also joined with his daughter Sally to sing a rendition of the song.

Our Music Man readers know how powerful music can be when bringing audiences and musicians together; however, it’s beautiful to see how many other kinds of bonds music can support. Whether peers or family members, music can forge all kinds of connections, bringing people together on common ground. James’ collaborations on ‘You Can Close Your Eyes’ are a clear example of how powerful this can become and, with his son joining him regularly for performances of this song, their close bond has been captured many times so that people may continue to appreciate it for a long time to come.

The touching father-and-son duet at Edinburgh Castle was a beautiful reminder of James Taylor’s enduring artistry and the legacy he’s passing to Henry. That quiet, smiling exchange made the song feel like a family heirloom—one listeners will long remember. Find out more via the useful links below this paragraph.

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Standing on the porch in the pouring rain in Atlanta, I shivered as I stared at my phone screen. The account balance had just jumped: $8,000,000 — the first payment for the $31.5 million software deal I’d just signed. For five sleepless nights, I’d only dreamed of this moment. I wanted to pay off my father’s bank debt, buy back my mother’s peace, and cover all the wedding expenses for my younger sister. I was coming home to be the “hero” who would save my family. But as I reached for the doorknob, my father’s voice rang out from inside: “If Julia finds out about that $470,000 inheritance, everything will fall apart. Her presence is a threat we can’t afford.” My mother added, “We have to get rid of her before the court divides the assets. Once she signs the waiver, she won’t be able to do anything anymore.” And the most painful thing was the scornful laughter of my younger sister, whom I always doted on: “She always wants to play the hero!” I quietly pulled out my phone, turned on the recording function, and pushed the door open. In stark contrast to my mother’s whining “house about to be confiscated” and her tattered coat, the living room smelled of $300 perfume, a bottle of fine wine was already opened, and my sister wore a sparkling diamond bracelet. My father coldly pushed a neatly folded piece of paper towards me: “Sign it, Julia, to save this house.” They had no idea I had recorded everything. And they certainly couldn’t have imagined that their plan to “swallow up” their inheritance was about to turn into a tragedy right in the middle of their wedding…

For years, as a maid in the wealthy Pembroke family, I chose to remain silent in the face of my mother-in-law’s insults. She gave me cleaning supplies for Christmas, an apron with the words “Know your place.” I endured it for my husband’s sake. Until she held out a dog collar in front of my five-week-old daughter, right in the middle of a lavish party with 60 guests. When she deliberately reached out to grab my baby, my instincts as a commanding officer flared up. I stepped back, pulled out my phone, recorded the whole thing, and rushed to the car with my baby. My husband ran after me, saying it was just “a harmless joke.” I looked him straight in the eye: “No, it wasn’t a joke. It was a threat. And you stood by and watched it happen.” That very night, a call from Colonel Ellis—my father—triggered a whole new machine that my husband’s family had never imagined. The next morning, my husband, trembling, delivered the news: “My father just ordered the entire family to be at the villa by noon. Your father is coming… and he’s bringing a whole entourage.” The Pembroke family thought I was just a poor girl. They were about to learn the most expensive lesson of their lives about touching a soldier’s daughter…

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mai plinh