Stars at Tanglewood

For nearly 60 years there has been handwringing in some quarters about the apparent decline in the popularity of classical music. In December 1968, a New York Times headline proclaimed Dip in Concert Audiences Troubles Impresarios.

Tanglewood, that elegant bastion of elite musical expression, was not immune to this concern. The summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937, it still attracted large audiences but those audiences were getting older even as a vibrant youth culture embraced alternative lifestyles. The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan and others were recasting the musical scene, just as Beethoven, Mozart and Schoenberg had been revolutionaries in their times.

So, in that year, Tanglewood expanded its musical offerings through the Contemporary Trends series, a precursor of today’s Popular Artist concerts. The tradition of appearances by popular artists—some of whom are not even musicians—continues today adding a counterpoint to Tanglewood’s classical foundation. And, as has been the case over the decades, this year’s Popular Artists line-up offers an engaging and diverse slate of performers that includes old-favorites and new luminaries.

Perhaps preeminent among these performers is James Taylor who has performed sold-out concerts at Tanglewood virtually since the beginning of the Popular Artist concerts. Fifty-one years after his first Memorial Day weekend appearance, his introspective lyrics, warm baritone and guitar playing still draw capacity crowds.

Fire and Rain, Country Road, Something in the Way She Moves, Carolina in my Mind, Sweet Baby James and many more of his songs form an anthology for his generation but his creative virtuosity has not dimmed. In 2015, he released Before This World which earned him his first-ever No. 1 album on the Billboard charts. In 2021 he released his newest album, American Standard, which earned him the Grammy Award for best traditional pop vocal album. With its release, he became the first artist to have a Billboard Top 10 album in each of six decades.

His July 4 concert is already sold out but limited tickets were still available for July 3rd at the time of this writing. He takes the stage at 8PM both nights with his All-Star Band and special guest, Tiny Habits.

Taylor may be the most consistent headliner in the Popular Artists series, but he is not the season opener. That honor goes to the BSO itself under the baton of conductor Constantine Kitsopoulis. It will perform the score for Top Gun: Maverick as the Academy Award-winning movie is screened in the Koussevitzky Music Shed on Friday, June 20th, at 8PM.

The score features music by Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga and Hans Zimmer and was produced by Lorne Balfe.

The following night, Saturday, June 21st, at 7PM, A Prairie Home Companion starring Garrison Keillor takes the stage. Joining Keillor will be music director Rich Dworsky and the band, the Royal Academy of Radio Actors (Tim Russell, Sue Scott and sound-effects wizard Fred Newman) and other guest performers.

Hip hop artist and multiple GRAMMY Award-winner Nas will perform at Tanglewood for the first time this year, joining forces with the Boston Pops on June 27th, at 7PM.

Following his first full-length album, Illmatic in 1994, Nas went on to create 14 subsequent albums, eight of which went platinum or multiplatinum. His work earned 16 GRAMMY nominations before he released King’s Disease in 2020, his first-ever win for best rap album.

Seven-time GRAMMY, Oscar, and Golden Globe-winning performer and composer Jon Batiste performs June 28th at 7PM, returning after highly successful Tanglewood appearances in 2021 and 2024. Batiste recently released his eighth studio album, Beethoven Blues. Beethoven Blues follows Baptiste’s studio album World Music Radio, released August 2023 which received five Grammy nominations including Album of the Year.

John Mulaney will further expand this season’s varied lineup. The comedian makes his Tanglewood debut Sunday, June 29th, at 6PM. Mulaney is a three-time Emmy, Critics’ Choice and WGA award-winning writer, comedian and actor.

Barenaked Ladies, comprised of Ed Robertson, Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn and Tyler Stewart, which has sold more than 15 million records worldwide, makes its second appearance at Tanglewood July 8th. During its diverse career, Barenaked Ladies has hosted a cruise, had its own Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor and participated in the first-ever “space-to-earth musical collaboration” with astronaut Chris Hadfield. It has amassed eight JUNO Awards, two GRAMMY nominations, and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

Emmylou Harris and Graham Nash share the stage for A Very Special Evening on July 29th at 7PM. Both artists first performed at Tanglewood in 1975 and bring their respective complete shows to the historic venue this summer.

A 14-time GRAMMY winner and Billboard Century Award recipient, Harris has recorded more than 25 albums and has lent her talents to countless fellow artists’ recordings. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008 and earned a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement award in 2018.

Graham Nash, a founding member of both the Hollies and Crosby, Stills and Nash, is a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. He was inducted twice into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for his work with Crosby, Stills and Nash and for his work as a solo artist for his albums, Songs for Beginners and Wild Tales.

Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me!, NPR’s popular news quiz program returns live on August 28th at 8PM with host Peter Sagal, judge-scorekeeper Bill Kurtis and a to-be-named celebrity guest.

More than a half century after the release of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s debut album, Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band will make its Tanglewood debut on August 30th at 7PM. While the band’s original roster has given way to new performers, Lynyrd Skynyrd remains a cultural icon with a catalog of more than 60 albums, billions of streams and tens of millions of records sold.

Thirteen-time GRAMMY winner Bonnie Raitt performs on August 31st at 7PM. A 2000 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Raitt was also named one of Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” and “100 Greatest Singers of All Time.” Known for her lifelong commitment to social activism, she was a Kennedy Center Honoree last year in recognition of her impact on the nation’s performing arts and culture.

The summer closes with multiplatinum artist and EGOT winner John Legend on September 5th at 7PM. Legend, who has garnered 13 GRAMMY Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award and three Emmy Awards, will be backed by his full band. The live show will showcase Legend’s musical depth and the storytelling that have been hallmarks of his career.

Tanglewood.org is the official site for all Tanglewood tickets. Tickets also may be purchased by calling 617-266-1200 on Monday-Friday, 10AM to 4PM and Saturday 12:30–4:30PM or at the Symphony Hall Box Office during regular Box Office hours.