Musical Inspiration

Chances are, someone else in the world will be singing a Carole King or James Taylor song while the two are onstage at the MGM Grand Garden on Saturday.

One of them may well be Garth Brooks, also on the Strip that night. In one of his first solo-guitar showcases at Wynn Las Vegas last December, Brooks covered "Sweet Baby James" after telling a fun story about meeting his idol.

No wonder the "Troubadour Reunion" tour -- named after a live-album return to the Los Angeles club where King and Taylor teamed in 1970 and 1971 -- is one of the few doing capacity business this summer.

The two have degrees of connection for Las Vegas-based singers of all stripes; it takes a while to remember that Carole King and Gerry Goffin wrote "Go Away Little Girl," a hit shared by past and current showroom stars Steve Lawrence and Donny Osmond.

Osmond was camping on vacation last week, but we reached out to ask Lawrence and others about their favorite songs and/or which they perform themselves:

Terry Fator, Mirage headliner: "You've Got a Friend" has been my favorite James Taylor song since I was a child. In fact, I made it a kind of mission statement for my life when I was young. I always wanted to be someone that could be counted on.

When I was on "America's Got Talent" (Fator won the second season, opening the door for his Las Vegas career), I wanted to do a duet with Kermit the Frog and sing "You've Got a Friend." The producers told me that Carole King (who wrote it) had been asked many times by "AGT" and "American Idol" if they could perform her songs and she had refused every time.

They called her and asked if I could do the song with Kermit, and she said, "Terry Fator? I love him! Yes, he can do the song."

Apparently she had been watching the show and had become a fan.

Steve Lawrence, legendary crooner and half of Steve & Eydie: I knew Carole when she was a very young girl. She had been writing with her then-husband Gerry Goffin. I guess they related to Eydie and I on a couple of different levels, that we were married and working together.

(Producer and music publisher Don Kirshner heard "Go Away Little Girl" and matched it with Lawrence.) The kids played it for me, and I really related to the song. It turned out to be a big No. 1 record for me. The kids really contributed to my early recording career.

When I knew (King), she was very introverted, very quiet. I assume when she got a little older and a little more successful, she started to blossom and came out of her shell.

Brody Dolyniuk, impressionist, frontman for classic rock tribute band Yellow Brick Road: Of course (King) wrote "So Far Away" for James. So many other people made her songs famous, such as Rod Stewart doing "So Far Away." Yet listening again, there's a raw intimacy about her own voice. It's not perfect, and maybe that's what I like about it.

Phil Burton, one-fourth of Imperial Palace vocal quartet Human Nature: "So Far Away" is just the perfect example of how a very simple song can carry such powerful emotion. It's really beautiful and is particularly poignant for an Aussie living a few thousand miles away from a lot of his family and friends. Makes me sad, homesick but kind of happy all at the same time.

We once shared the bill with Carole King for a concert in Australia and met her briefly.

On the happier side, Taylor's "Your Smiling Face" is so smooth and instantly makes you feel relaxed. Goes great with a good bottle of wine!

Jason Aragon, bassist for retro-country band The Clydesdale: My favorite James Taylor song is "Fire and Rain" because he played it while guest starring on "The Simpsons." Astronaut Buzz Aldrin was also on it and referred to James Taylor's music as a "unique brand of bittersweet folk-rock."

Taylor rebutted with, "Listen, Aldrin, I'm not as laid back as people think. Now here's the deal: I'm going to play, and you're going to float there and like it." Later, Taylor uses his "resort-town ways" to solve an ant problem the astronauts are having.

Kelly Clinton, singing host of Kelly Clinton's Open Mic Cabaret at the Bootlegger Bistro: I just learned "I Feel the Earth Move" after all these years. It was something I always wanted to sing and never did. I love watching everyone in the audience go, "I love this song."

When I was not yet a teenager (in Palisades Park, N.J.), I used to talk the other kids into putting on shows and we would lip-sync to it. That was one of our big numbers.

Domenick Allen, who performs in Vocal Soup with Susan Anton, Clint Holmes and Martin Nievera: Carole King and I were both in the 1995 Broadway musical "Blood Brothers." The longtime doorman of the Music Box Theatre unexpectedly passed, and he left behind a lot of kids, so we put together a big benefit for his family.

I did "Sing, Sing, Sing" on the clarinet and drums. I was supposed to introduce Carole, and she came over and said, "You're a tough act to follow, man." That was the greatest compliment I could ever hear. She was so gracious. Then, needless to say, she proceeded to go out and totally have the crowd in the palm of her hand.

Wes Winters, Liberace-styled cabaret entertainer: I'm a "You've Got A Friend" guy. I perform it and get it requested a lot. I love the lyrics. They have so many cool songs, but that one marries lyric and melody. You know how you hear a song and it kind of gives you goosebumps? That one does it for me.

Contact reporter Mike Weatherford at mweatherford@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0288.