The MusiCares benefit for James Taylor was at the LA Convention Center. Imagine a room filled with about 2200 people all paying tribute to you. I think James said it best when he said the whole event was 'very moving, very terrifying and very wonderful'. Not really sure who his favorite acts were but I have a list of mine:

Keith Urban - did an acoustic performance of 'Country Road' and was great even though he had quite the cold! Even if he's not singing the best, he's still absolutely mesmerizing. The song has never been one of my faves but now I'm going to haul out my James Taylor CD and listen to it. Definitely have a new appreciation for it. (okay and yes, it was weird to see him with Nicole Kidman. I mean its NICOLE KIDMAN, you know??)

Sheryl Crow with David Crosby & Jackson Brown - she had the night's best line when she said she went to a James Taylor concert when she was a kid, smelled pot for the first time and knew she wanted to be a musician. The whole place cracked up at that, and their version of Mexico was pretty good. Still think Sheryl sounds better when she sings by herself tho.

Chris - of course I couldn't leave out the hubby. His song choice was a surprise to me. He'd been practicing several but when he took the stage with his guitar and sang a mournful version of 'Belfast to Boston'. It was an odd choice for him, I would have expected it to come from Griffin but then maybe thats exactly the reason Chris chose it. Whatever the reason he aced it and got a standing version for his efforts.

Griffin McNeal - he's the last to perform before James came out and thanked everyone then did a few songs himself. If Griff was pissed Chris stole his song, he didn't show it at all. He did a rip-roaring version of Steamroller that had every woman in the place drooling..... ummm... except me. Crazy I know, (and Chris would do cartwheels to hear this) but I don't have any urge to fall all over him.