October Road is singer-songwriter James Taylor's fifteenth studio album. It was released on August 13, 2002 in two versions: a single-disc version and a "limited edition" two-disc version, which contains three extra songs, as well as a video presentation. October Road would become James Taylor's last album of original material until the 2015 Before This World.
The album debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 with 154,000 copies sold in its opening week, which is Taylor's best sales week performance for an album in the SoundScan era. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA on November 21, 2002,, and has sold 1,076,000 copies in the US as of May 2015.
All songs written by James Taylor except where noted.
- "September Grass" (John I. Sheldon) – 4:51
- "October Road" – 3:57
- "On the 4th of July" – 3:25
- "Whenever You're Ready" – 4:14
- "Belfast to Boston" – 4:16
- "Mean Old Man" – 3:44
- "My Traveling Star" – 3:55
- "Raised Up Family" – 4:40
- "Carry Me on My Way" – 4:30
- "Caroline I See You" – 4:58
- "Baby Buffalo" – 4:50
- "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (H. Martin, R. Blane) – 3:50
Included on the second disc of the "limited edition" two-disc version:
- "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" – 4:43
- "Benjamin" (J. Taylor, composed in 1976 or 1977 as a tribute/lullaby to his new-coming or -born son. First released by David Sanborn on Promise Me the Moon in December 1977) – 3:30
- "Sailing to Philadelphia" (M. Knopfler) – 5:28
James Taylor – vocals, guitar
Harry Allen – tenor saxophone (track 12)
Karen Bakunin – viola (tracks 6, 7, 10)
Michael Brecker – saxophone (track 2, track 1 CD, 2)
Clifford Carter – organ (track 2), keyboards (track 3), piano (track 10), synth rhodes (track 10), synth organ (track 11), string pad (track 12)
Valerie Carter – backing vocals (tracks 1, 3, 4, 8), chorus (track 5)
Chiara Civello – backing vocals, piano (track 3)
Luis Conte – percussion (tracks 2–4, 7–9, 11)
Ry Cooder – guitar (track 2)
Cenovia Cummins – violin (track 12)
Brian Dembow – viola (tracks 6, 7, 10)
Bruce Dukov – violin (tracks 6, 7, 10)
Stuart Duncan – violin (tracks 2, 7)
Michael Eisenstein – chorus (track 5)
Stephen Erdody – cello (tracks 6, 7, 10)
Walt Fowler – trumpet (tracks 4, 8)
Steve Gadd – drums
Julie Ann Gigante – violin (tracks 6, 7, 10)
Larry Goldings – piano (tracks 6, 12)
Nina Gordon – chorus (track 5)
Alan Grunfeld – violin (tracks 6, 7, 10)
Kay Hanley – chorus (track 5)
Tamara Hatwan – violin (tracks 6, 7, 10)
Paula Hochhalter – cello (tracks 6, 7, 10)
Carrie Holzman-Little – viola (tracks 6, 7, 10)
Jimmy Johnson – bass
Karen Jones – violin (tracks 6, 7, 10)
Robbie Kilgore – piano (track 10)
Mark Knopfler – vocals, guitar (track 3, CD 2)
Michael Landau – guitar (tracks 2–4, 8, 9)
David Lasley – backing vocals (tracks 1, 3, 4, 8), chorus (track 5)
Josh Lattanzi – chorus (track 5)
Natalie Leggett – violin (tracks 6, 7, 10)
M Hans Liebert – synth conga (tracks 1, 4), piano (track 5), synth percussion (track 8)
Yo-Yo Ma – cello (track 2, CD 2)
Bobby Mann – guitar (track 1, 3, 4, 8)
Lou Marini – saxophone (tracks 4, 8)
Kate Markowitz – backing vocals (tracks 1, 3, 4, 8), chorus (track 5)
Liane Mautner – violin (tracks 6, 7, 10)
Arnold McCuller – backing vocals (tracks 1, 3, 4, 8), chorus (track 5)
Tommy Morgan – harmonica (track 10)
Rob Mounsey – keyboards (tracks 1, 7), synthesizer (tracks 3, 6), synth bagpipes (track 5), penny whistle (track 5), percussion (track 5), string pad (track 10)
Mark O'Connor – violin (track 2, CD 2)
Robin Olson – violin (tracks 6, 7, 10)
John Pizzarelli – guitar (tracks 6, 12)
Greg Phillinganes – keyboards (tracks 4, 5, 8)
Steve Scully – chorus (track 5)
Richard Sebring – French horn (track 5)
John Sheldon – guitar harmonics (track 1)
Richard Sortomme – violin (track 12)
Caroline Taylor – backing vocals (track 1)
Sally Taylor – backing vocals (tracks 7, 11)
Donna Tecco – violin (track 12)
Belinda Whitney – violin (track 12)
Margaret Wooten – violin (tracks 6, 7, 10)
Kenneth Yerke – violin (tracks 6, 7, 10)
