It isn't every day that you get the privilege of seeing two fantastic singers from different eras perform together on the same stage, but I'm lucky enough to say that I've seen such a thing happen -- twice. As we all know, back in November, James Taylor joined Taylor Swift on stage as a special guest on the final night of her 'Speak Now' tour at Madison Square Garden. I was in attendance that night, and watched excitedly as the two of them sang "Fire and Rain" and "Fifteen" to the sold-out crowd. Fast forward about seven months, to late June. Suddenly, news breaks that the unlikely duo will perform together once again, this time at James Taylor's July 2nd show in Lenox, MA. Naturally, as someone who is a fan of James and his music, I would be inclined to look into buying tickets. However, as a guy who's desperately in love with Taylor Swift and would do just about anything to see her, there was no question that I would be at that concert.

The two weeks between the day I purchased my tickets and the concert itself seemed to take forever to pass, but yesterday, the day had finally arrived. Sitting through the work day knowing that the show was mere hours away was no easy task, either, but I managed to survive. Finally, around 3:00 pm, it was time to start my three hour voyage to the Berkshires. Battling rush hour traffic wasn't fun, especially in an area I hadn't driven through before in my life, but I managed to navigate myself to Tanglewood in one piece, arriving a few minutes after 6:00 pm.

Tanglewood, for those who haven't been there before, is a gorgeous outdoor concert facility. There is a small roofed area around the stage that contains limited seating, followed by an extensive, beautifully maintained lawn. Finding a seat that lawn isn't an easy thing to do, especially when there have been countless fans of both Taylors camped out there for hours. After securing a seat as close to the stage as possible and getting myself settled, it was just about time for the concert to begin. The legendary James Taylor took the stage, and began to play the first of many hits we would hear that night.

Before I delve into the show itself, let me just say this: everything that people say about James Taylor is true. He is one of the nicest people in all of show business, an extremely humble, genuine human being. Maybe that's why he and the lovely Ms. Swift relate to each other so well. He introduced each and every member of his band and crew to the crowd, and made sure they were all greeted with loud rounds of applause. He prefaced each song with an anecdote about his inspiration for writing it, helping the audience to connect with him on a personal level. It was a pleasure to learn more about the details of Mr. Taylor's life last night.

Now, finally, the moment you've all been waiting for. James Taylor progressed through six or seven songs, all spectacular, as eager fans who had shown up to see both he and his special guest waited in earnest. After that seventh song had been completed, James announced that he was going to finish his first set by singing one more song, followed by a twenty minute intermission. He also promised us that some "special things" were in store for that second set, which convinced me that this is when we would see Taylor. Soon after James began playing that final song, however, I realized that it was "Fire and Rain," the very song that he and Taylor had sung together back in November. If there were ever a moment for Taylor to emerge onto the stage, it was now! Sure enough, just before the second stanza of "Fire and Rain," Mr. Taylor uttered the words we were anxiously awaiting to hear: "Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Taylor Swift."

Taylor stepped on stage to a roaring ovation, especially from the younger fans (and myself), and began singing "Fire and Rain" with James. Their voices sounded downright heavenly together, as Taylor proved once again just how talented she is, and how flawlessly she can cover another artist's music. She looked radiant, as always, and her hair looked as if it is beginning to regain some of its waviness. She doesn't have those signature curls back yet, but it's a start! You don't need to take my word for it, though. There are plenty of videos of her performance which have already gone viral. You can all see how amazing she sounded (and how drop dead gorgeous she looked) for yourselves!

The intermission came and lingered, as the crowd was still abuzz from the amazing performance of "Fire and Rain." The second set eventually started, however, and although Taylor wasn't back out there at first, James let the crowd know that his "special guest" would reappear as the night drew on. Mr. Taylor moved through a few more songs, once again interjecting with a cheerful anecdote prior to each of them, until he made my night once again by saying: "Once again, Miss Taylor Swift."

Taylor again stepped on stage, this time not to sing, but to talk. She reminisced about their first duet at Madison Square Garden, and revealed to the crowd that the two of them had arranged for her to appear at that show way back on that wonderful November night! She seemed genuinely excited to be there with us, as she stared out at the beautiful venue that is Tanglewood, as if she were taking a mental photograph of it. Soon, the stories were over, and more singing was to begin. Taylor, this time with her guitar (she didn't bring it out with her during "Fire and Rain"), began to play the familiar opening to one of her many hit singles: "Ours."

Taylor, along with a great deal of the rest of the crowd (including myself), began singing the extremely catchy lyrics of "Ours." James was providing backup vocals, and just like before, their voices sounded perfect in unison. I got lost in the moment, because as I noted earlier, this is not something that happens everyday. The song concluded to raucous applause, to which Taylor responded with a heartfelt "Thank you very much!" It then appeared that it was time for Taylor to leave the stage, but she managed to surprise us all one more time, as she very cutely asked "Should we sing one more?" The answer, of course, was a resounding yes, and as the two Taylors prepared to sing one final song together, it was Ms. Swift's turn to preface the tune with a story of her own.

Taylor began talking about how when she was seventeen, her parents were very uneasy about a certain young man she was dating. Taylor said her response was to seclude herself from the outside world, grab a pen and paper, and start writing a song. That song went on to become one of her most famous hits to date. She then began to play it: the one and only "Love Story." Those who attended a show (or two, or more!) during the 'Speak Now' tour remember Taylor singing this enchanting number one hit while flying around on a balcony. During this show, Taylor remained on solid ground, but hearing she and James sing it together so flawlessly made me feel like I was the one flying. The entire crowd sang along in unison, and as the song was coming to an end, the two Taylors began to jump around like joyous school children! It was a phenomenal sight to see, one that I will never forget.

As the song concluded, Taylor thanked James for having her, told Massachusetts that she loved us (we certainly let her know that we love her back), and scurried off the stage after wishing everyone a happy Fourth of July. She was gone, about as quickly as she arrived, once again managing to enthrall me and the rest of the crowd that had gathered to see her that evening. James later thanked Taylor for coming all the way from Nashville, but revealed that she had already been whisked away. She is Wonder Woman, after all, and apparently had another commitment on her plate. So, needless to say, I wasn't able to catch Taylor on her way out, but that didn't make the night any less magical. Once again, that gorgeous blonde managed to take my breath away.

James played a few more songs before calling it a night. People who attended this concert certainly got their money's worth, as they got two amazing shows for the price of one. If any of you haven't had the pleasure of seeing James Taylor play yet, be sure to do so. He is a remarkable performer, and an American legend. I drove home that night (somehow making it all the way back to Framingham in under two hours) thrilled with what I had seen. It wasn't the first time I had seen Taylor perform, and it won't be the last, but just like always, she made last night feel like one of the best nights I'll ever experience. Thank you so much for reading about my experience. I hope I made you feel as if you were there yourself.

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