Music storytellers Karla Bonoff and Livingston Taylor
Singer-songwriters Karla Bonoff and Livingston Taylor both knew early on in life that music would be their destiny.
Livingston Taylor (Liv, as he is known), grew up in a musical family in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. His older brother, James (yes, that James Taylor), taught him to play the guitar when he was 13 years old.
But it wasn’t until he opened in Boston for Joni Mitchell at 18 (with a standing ovation, no less), that he knew music-making was to encompass the entirety of his life.
His laid-back manner and introspective lyrics have been drawing in countless fans throughout the years.
“Lyrics are everything,” Liv says. “You must be telling stories compelling to the human condition.”
Over the years, he has shared the stage with Fleetwood Mac and Jimmy Buffett, recorded over 20 albums and even had his own “Livingston Taylor Day” in 2017, proclaimed by the Mayor of Boston in celebration of his 50-year music career.
Growing up in West Lost Angeles, Karla was singing and writing songs at 15, honing her skills at the legendary Troubadour club, along with James Taylor, Jackson Browne and Elton John.
“It’s always been about the melodies and the music first,” she recalls. “It’s the music that inspires me to write lyrics.”
Her soulful ballads have influenced countless musicians and made her a pioneer of the Southern California singer-songwriter scene.
Writing from “a subconscious, deeper place,” she has also penned hits for Linda Ronstadt, Wynonna Judd and Bonnie Raitt. (The hit single “All My Life,” the Grammy-winning duet recorded by Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville, is still a favorite at weddings.)
In March, Karla and Liv will share the stage at Irvine Barclay Theatre. They’ll reminisce about the past and share the heartfelt stories they have set to music.