As America marks its 250th anniversary, American musical icon James Taylor returns to Tanglewood with his All-Star Band for performances on Friday, July 3, and Saturday, July 4, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. in Tanglewood’s Koussevitzky Music Shed. Taylor’s July 4 performance will be followed by an Independence Day fireworks display over the Stockbridge Bowl and proceeds from the holiday concert will be donated by Kim and James Taylor to support Tanglewood. 

The 2026 concerts mark 52 years since Taylor first performed at Tanglewood, beginning a favorite annual tradition that has become the emotional centerpiece of the festival’s Popular Artist Series. Summer after summer, Taylor displays his inimitable ability to maintain an intimate audience connection while consistently selling out the Shed and drawing a capacity “Lawn Nation” crowd, many of whom share his deep ties to the Berkshires. One of the world’s most decorated and beloved singer-songwriters, Taylor was awarded the 2024 Tanglewood Medal in recognition of his extraordinary accomplishments as an artist and performer and his many contributions to the Tanglewood and Berkshires communities. Prior medal recipients were: Seiji Ozawa (the BSO’s longest serving music director), John Oliver (Tanglewood Festival Chorus founder and director), and John Williams (composer and Boston Pops Conductor Laureate). 

James Taylor

As a recording and touring artist, James Taylor has touched people with his warm baritone voice and distinctive style of guitar-playing for more than 50 years, while setting a precedent to which countless young musicians have aspired. Over the course of his celebrated songwriting and performing career, Taylor has sold more than 100 million albums, earning gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards since the release of his self-titled debut album in 1968. In 2015, Taylor released Before This World, the first-ever #1 album of his illustrious career. Taylor has won multiple GRAMMY Awards, has been inducted into both the Rock and Roll and the prestigious Songwriters Halls of Fame and in February 2006, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences selected him its MUSICARES Person of the Year. Taylor was also awarded the distinguished Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government and the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama in 2012. In November of 2015, Taylor was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor and in December of 2016 he received the Kennedy Center Honors, which are presented annually to individuals who have enriched American culture by distinguished achievement in the performing arts. In early 2020 Taylor released Break Shot, a deeply personal and authentic audio-only memoir detailing his first 21 years. He also released his newest album, American Standard, his 19th studio album, which earned Taylor the 2021 GRAMMY Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album and gave him the honor of being the first artist to have a Billboard Top 10 album in each of the past six decades. Taylor lives primarily in the Berkshires with his wife, Kim and their sons, Henry and Rufus. 

How to Purchase Tickets

Tickets for the two James Taylor concerts go on sale Friday, January 16 starting at 10 a.m. at www.tanglewood.org. or in person at Tanglewood’s Linde Center Box Office, which will open specially on January 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  There is a limit of 8 tickets per purchaser for each of Taylor’s concerts.  

Tickets may also be purchased by calling 888-266-1200 on Monday–Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 12:30–4:30 p.m. or in person at the Symphony Hall Box Office during regular Box Office hours.  

All tickets for Tanglewood Popular Artist Series concerts will be Mobile Delivery or Hold at Box Office. We have adopted this industry standard in order to better protect consumers from price gouging, hidden fees, and other deceptive practices by some third-party ticket resellers. 

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Tanglewood Season Sponsorship

The BSO is proud to welcome back Berkshire Health Systems as the Official Health System of Tanglewood. 

Tanglewood

One of the world’s most beloved music festivals since its founding in 1937, Tanglewood is the famed summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and its training academy, the Tanglewood Music Center, as well as the Boston Pops. It’s also the year-round home of the Tanglewood Learning Institute. In a typical summer, Tanglewood welcomes more than 350,000 visitors to performances, recitals, and seminars across 500 acres nestled between Lenox and Stockbridge. Learn more. 

Further program and event details for the 2026 Tanglewood season including additional dates in the Popular Artists Series will be announced in late January. Sign up to receive Tanglewood season announcements and other BSO and Boston Pops program updates here.