An original internal SHOWCO touring document from James Taylor's landmark summer 1977 tour in support of his album JT — the tour that defined his commercial peak.
This typed itinerary, sourced from the personal archives of SHOWCO monitor engineer Bill 'Doc' Gans, outlines The Section's summer 1977 schedule supporting James Taylor across 22 shows over 35 days — from June 26 through July 29, 1977. The document includes handwritten annotations correcting venue names and cities, and captures the tour in real-time evolution as it unfolded across the country.
Doc Gans was behind the monitor board for every one of these shows, making this document a first-person artifact from one of the most successful singer-songwriter tours of the 1970s. His handwritten notes — including corrections like "Portland, Maine" over New Haven, and "Beaver Falls" for Erie, PA — are a direct window into life on the road with James Taylor at his commercial peak.
The itinerary spans an extraordinary run of iconic venues: Merriweather Post Pavilion (Washington, D.C., July 1–2), Garden State Arts Center (N.J., July 4–5), Saratoga (N.Y., July 10), Tanglewood (N.Y., July 19), Blossom Music Festival (Cleveland, July 20–21), Robin Hood Dell (Philadelphia, July 22), and Pine Knob (Mich., July 25–26). The tour closes with a note for July 29: "No Show — Support James Taylor at CBS Convention, London" — a remarkable coda to a remarkable run.
This is the confirmed, executed summer tour — the one Doc Gans was actually on. The proposed fall tour from this same year never happened.
Document Details:
- Artist: James Taylor
- Band: The Section
- Tour: Summer 1977 — 22 Shows, 35 Days
- Notable Venues: Merriweather Post, Garden State, Tanglewood, Blossom Music Festival, Robin Hood Dell, Pine Knob
- Tour Closer: CBS Convention, London, July 29, 1977
- Provenance: Bill 'Doc' Gans — SHOWCO Monitor Engineer, James Taylor Summer 1977
- Format: Original typed internal touring document with handwritten annotations
- Source: SHOWCO Archives — Bill 'Doc' Gans Collection
A definitive piece for serious James Taylor collectors and fans of 1970s rock touring history. Proceeds support music industry charities.
