I was raised by musician parents. My mother, a singer. My father, a guitarist. They lovingly surrounded me with some of the best American music ever performed or recorded. The artist whose music traversed our walls and held the greatest influence was James Taylor.

Taylor’s songs were a family affair. My middle name is James and many nights mom and dad would serenade me with his music as they laid me down to sleep.

At the age of 12, I realized out of all the songs I had heard my dad sing and play throughout the years, my favorites were all James Taylor songs. I mentioned to my father that I might be a fan. He smiled. “Don’t you remember our lullaby, ‘Sweet Baby James?’ You’ve been a fan your whole life, Son.” However, I was finally discovering his music on my own. Up to then, I hadn’t had the slightest desire to play guitar, but the beauty of James’ 1993 live recording lit a fire in my heart for the guitar.

I put away my high school cap and gown and moved to Music City, USA, (Nashville, TN) where I attended Belmont University. In addition to the demands of the University’s music program, I was one of four members of a promising, up-and-coming recording act. My father worked hard to help pave the way for me by financing my first year of school. He was always so proud to hear my stories from the road and from the new city I was exploring, but he especially loved hearing about what the band and I were working on. I knew my father was ill, but our conversations never ventured there.

In 2012, My dad played his last lick. I was twenty years old: too young to be forced to navigate life without the steady hand of my father’s compass.

I managed to survive my 20‘s without him, but there will always be a certain sadness hanging in the background of my heart. I’m really looking forward to the next decade and I know my dad would’ve loved to hear about what I’m working on now. My most recent project: I, a guitarist. She, a singer and a wonderful, independent mother to her eleven-year-old son, Tony.

I miss my dad every day, and as I practiced this song around the house and heard her son humming along made me nostalgic. One of the many joys in becoming the man in their lives has been to have the opportunity to see through what my father unwillingly left unfinished. It’s important to me that her son knows he will always have a friend in me, and that his mother and I will always love him no matter what.

We are all missing our loved ones right now. I’m grateful in this time of isolation to be with a few of mine. It was very fulfilling to film this video. To see our story play out on screen to one of my absolute favorite releases from James Taylor brings it all full circle for me. I hope you enjoy my rendition of “You’ve Got a Friend.”

All the best,
Sam

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Credits—
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Guitar/Vocal Performance — Sam VanFossen
“You’ve Got a Friend” composer — Carole King
Video/Concept/Director/Editor — Crystal Bowersox
Audio Engineering — Will Padgett