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The Show Must Go On!
The start of US recording star James Taylor’s UK tour has been
saved by the Port of Felixstowe.
Equipment for his tour, including an important drum machine, was
loaded in a container aboard the Mackinac Bridge in New Jersey in
mid-March. However, the departure of the ship was delayed, with the
result that she did not berth in Felixstowe until the day before the
date of the opening concert in Birmingham.
Having made an appeal for help on BBC’s Breakfast News, James Taylor
contacted the Port of Felixstowe to see if there was anyway they could
help. From the stowage plan, the Port’s Planning Department was able
to locate the container deep in the ship’s hold. The discharge
programme for the ship was adjusted to ensure the container was
discharged as quickly as possible to allow it to continue its journey
to the concert hall without further delay.
The container arrived at the venue on the afternoon of the concert,
but in sufficient time for the performance to go ahead as planned.
Paul Davey, Head of Corporate Affairs for Hutchison Ports (UK)
Limited, owners of the Port of Felixstowe, explained:
“On the afternoon of the concert, we received a second call from James
Taylor confirming that he had received all his equipment in good
working order. He offered his heartfelt thanks to the team at
Felixstowe who had helped in ensuring that his container was located,
discharged and dispatched in the shortest possible time. We are
delighted that we were able to help avoid the disappointment of the
event having to be cancelled at short notice.”
Over the course of his long career, James Taylor has earned 40 gold,
platinum and multi-platinum awards and five Grammy Awards for a
catalogue running from 1970's Sweet Baby James to his Grammy
Award-winning efforts Hourglass (1997) and October Road (2002).
Taylor's first Greatest Hits album achieved sales in excess of 10
million units in the United States alone. The year 2000 saw his
induction into both the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and the prestigious
Songwriter's Hall of Fame.
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