Current Wife: Caroline Smedvig
James Taylor is currently married to Caroline Smedvig, who serves as the managing director of the Middlesex School development office. They married in 2001 and have remained together since. The couple does not have children together, though Taylor has four children from previous relationships. Smedvig is a private figure with limited public media coverage. Her professional role at Middlesex School is listed on the school's official website Middlesex School.
Their marriage has been noted for its stability compared to Taylor's earlier high-profile unions. The couple resides in the Boston area and maintains a low public profile. Taylor has referenced Smedvig in interviews as a grounding presence during his later career. No public records indicate separation or divorce. Their relationship is consistently cited in verified biographical sources.
First Wife: Carly Simon
Carly Simon was James Taylor's first wife. They married in 1972 and divorced in 1983. The couple has two children: Sally Taylor and Ben Taylor. Both children have pursued careers in music and visual arts. The marriage coincided with peak commercial success for both artists in the early 1970s. Their joint financial and artistic ventures are documented in multiple music industry sources Forbes.
Their divorce was finalized in 1983 after over a decade of marriage. Neither party has publicly cited specific causes for the separation. Both continued successful solo careers afterward. Simon remains one of the most commercially successful singer-songwriters of the 1970s. Their co-parenting relationship has been described as amicable in published interviews.
Early Relationships and Dating History
Notable Past Relationships
Before marrying Carly Simon, James Taylor dated several notable figures in the music and entertainment industry. One prominent relationship was with actress and singer Joni Mitchell during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their mutual influence on each other's songwriting is widely recognized in music journalism. Taylor's early career period coincided with the Laurel Canyon music scene Billboard.
Career Context During Relationships
Taylor's relationship timeline aligns with key commercial milestones in his discography. His albums from the 1970s reflect the personal experiences of these relationships. The period of his marriage to Carly Simon produced some of his most commercially successful work. Industry analysts at SEC filings and music trade publications have noted the correlation between his personal life and creative output.