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Arts & Culture

AMERICAN MASTERS: Troubadours: Carole King/James Taylor & The Rise Of The Singer-Songwriter

James Taylor and Carole King
Courtesy of Getty Images
James Taylor and Carole King

Airs Friday, Dec. 30, 2011 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV

In the wake of the turbulent 1960s, a new style of song and songwriter came to the fore – a style marked by vulnerable introspection and raw, naked emotion. Backed by little more than a lone acoustic guitar or simple piano, these exciting voices descended upon Los Angeles, the emerging epicenter of the American music scene, and the Troubadour, the famed West Hollywood club that nurtured this community of gifted young artists – and blossoming critical, commercial sensations.

Interweaving the intriguing story of the club that cemented their musical legacy, "Troubadours" is a first-hand account of the genesis of the singer-songwriter movement, centering on the historic collaboration between Carole King and James Taylor, as well as on Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Joni Mitchell, Kris Kristofferson, Bonnie Raitt, the Eagles, Elton John and many others.

Past episodes and clips from AMERICAN MASTERS are available for online viewing. AMERICAN MASTERS is on Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and you can follow @PBSAmerMasters on Twitter.

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Song Montage: Carole King/James Taylor & The Rise Of The Singer-Songwriter