I was lucky enough to first see James Taylor live in a small outdoor venue called Avaloch in rural Lenox, Massachusetts in the summer of 1970, after this first album recorded by the Beatles in London had been released and just before the release of the fabulously successful "Sweet Baby James" album by Warner Brothers. He appeared alone on-stage with a full head of long, long hair in a simple denim shirt and cut-up jeans with his four or five acoustic guitars, and for two and a half hours proceeded to absolutely enchant the sprawling lawn-full of hundreds of audience members with a spellbinding performance of all of the work from his first two albums. Although virtually unknown at the time, word of mouth had spread so quickly in the Berkshires area (who still considers him one of their own) that many of us went out to get this album to play before he appeared. The rest, as they say, is history.

This is his third time at bat, and this particular album showcases his truly amazing talents with a number of unforgettable songs like "You've Got A Friend', written by Carol King, "Mudslide Slim", and "Love Has Brought Me Around". It also shows a different aspect of his talents in that he has a wider selection of different types of songs, ranging all the way from a somber, reflective, and overtly political song like "Soldiers' to reflections about his newfound fame in "Hey Mister, That's Me Up On The Jukebox" to a lovely love song , "You Can Close Your Eyes". He has a number of short, sweet, and reflective songs like "Long Ago And Far Away", "Isn't It Nice to Be Home Again?", and "Places In My Past" that show just how durable and prolific an artist he had become. His performance on this third album is brilliant proof of just how incredibly talented an interpretive artist Taylor really is, suggesting the long, fabled ride in popularity he has enjoyed ever since. It is certainly a terrific showcase for how well Taylor can deliver on a variety of original works and covers of other contemporary folk songs. Enjoy

Mud Slide Slim is probably my favorite JT album, the one I consistently go back to -- like comfort food. I've listened to the album hundreds of times since I first discovered it in the early eighties, and I still don't think I'll ever tire of hearing it. My album favorites? I guess they'd have to be "You Can Close Your Eyes" and "Long Ago and Far Away." I've even learned to play them in rudimentary fashion on the guitar. Thank you, James, for nearly half a lifetime of musical nourishment for my soul!

This is the first album I bought with my own hard-earned money (back in 1972) and I never grow tired of it. Once you've heard "Long Ago and Far Away" you'll never forget it. It's good to know I'm not the only one who turns to JT for comfort.

A lot of people seem to mention Sweet Baby James as Taylor's finest hour. I disagree. This one is one of the finest albums I've ever heard by anyone. Taylor casts a slight overcast tinge throughout this album yet manages to inject bits of humor and optimism. It never sounds dated because the music is so strong and intelligent. My favorites are Long Ago & Far Away featuring Joni Mitchell, You Can Close Your Eyes, Riding On A Railroad, and Machine Gun Kelly. But you know what? Every song is a James Taylor masterpiece. If you're looking for excellence in the singer-soundwriter vein. This album is the one. It will always have a place in my collection as long as I'm around.

Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon was one of those albums that shaped my teenage psyche when it was first released. It expressed through songs like Riding on a Railroad, Highway Song and Let Me Ride, the restlessness of looking for the soul's home. A haunting and delicate weaving of words and music in Long Ago and Far Away still sends chills down my spine, and reminds me how consoling Taylor's songs were and are. No other James Taylor album touches my soul as much as this one, where he articulates a yearning for something not yet known. An absolute must for any music lover's library.