Take It Easy at Fenway Park James Taylor and Jackson Browne Reignite a Classic
On August 3, 2016 at Boston’s iconic Fenway Park, music history was once again celebrated as James Taylor and Jackson Browne brought the timeless song Take It Easy to life before a capacity crowd. The performance united two generations of singer-songwriters, offering both nostalgia and renewed appreciation for a song that helped define the early 1970s rock landscape.
Take It Easy was originally written by Jackson Browne with substantial lyrical contribution from Glenn Frey, and first became a hit for the Eagles as the opening track of their debut album released in 1972. The single reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and has since been embraced as one of the most influential songs in classic rock, eventually earning a place among The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
The roots of the song date back to a collaboration born out of friendship and creative chemistry. Browne was struggling to complete the track for his own debut when Frey, his neighbor in Los Angeles, offered ideas that helped finish the lyrics, including the iconic verse about standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona. The result was a breezy anthem capturing the freedom of the open road, restlessness of youth, and the simple philosophy of slowing down and enjoying life’s journey.
At Fenway Park, the collaboration between Taylor and Browne elevated Take It Easy beyond a simple concert highlight. Taylor, a Boston native whose career has spanned decades and encompassed folk, pop, and singer-songwriter traditions, brought his warm vocal delivery to the piece while Browne’s connection to the song’s origin lent authenticity and depth to the performance. The shared stage underscored the song’s longevity and its capacity to resonate with audiences across generations.
This particular rendition also highlighted the living nature of classic songs and their ability to adapt to the moments and artists who keep them alive. While Take It Easy remains inseparable from the Eagles’ original recording, Browne’s performance at Fenway Park served as a reminder that the song’s spirit lives beyond any single version. The arrangement’s blend of country rock and reflective lyricism provided a fitting soundtrack to an evening that balanced musical celebration with reverence for rock history.
For fans present at Fenway Park and those discovering the performance through video, the appearance of Taylor and Browne together was a vivid illustration of how a song first released more than four decades earlier continues to inspire and connect. Take It Easy at Fenway Park was not merely a revival of a classic but an affirmation of its enduring message about freedom, reflection, and the joy found in musical fellowship.