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Episode 13 of American Idol season 23 welcomed singer James Taylor as the guest mentor. He advised and guided the contestants as they took on Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-themed songs for America's votes. James, a popular figure in the 1970s, is married to Caroline 'Kim' Smedvig, the former Director of Public Relations and Marketing for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
James and Kim tied the knot in 2001 and welcomed their twin sons, Rufus and Henry, via surrogacy. While Henry is a musician and performs with his father, Rufus keeps away from the limelight. Kim, who is a writer, a newspaper reporter, and a musician, has also been seen on stage as a backup vocalist.
The American Idol guest mentor wrote his 2002 hit Caroline I See You for his wife, and then the 2015 song You and I Again to commemorate their love. On the 4th of July is another song James wrote to show his love for Kim.
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Kim is American Idol guest mentor James Taylor's fourth wife
James and Kim have been together for 30 years and have been married for almost 25. On February 19, 2016, James took to Facebook to share a message to celebrate his 15th anniversary, in which he wrote:
"Meeting each other and partnering up with my Caroline marks for me the beginning of my adult life. It's all I ever wanted; the reason for hoisting my flag and putting myself before this world. Our love is where I live and where we raise our boys. I don't really exist apart from us. And I can't believe my luck."
However, Kim was the fourth wife of the Fire and Rain singer. James first dated singer Joni Mitchell in 1970. Their one-year relationship impacted the musical industry as they performed together, and Taylor even played guitar on Joni's 1971 album Blue. This Flight Tonight and All I Want were songs from the album that were inspired by James.
Their relationship ended shortly after due to James' struggle with substance addiction. Joni's songs See You Sometime and Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire were written in the wake of their breakup.
Shortly after the split, James started dating singer-songwriter Carly Simon. They got married in 1972 and became one of the most popular couples in the music industry. The pair wrote numerous songs dedicated to each other. Taylor's There We Are and Carly's The Right Thing to Do were inspired by the other person.
The American Idol guest mentor had two children, Sally and Ben, with Carly. Both of them are musicians now. While everything started on a positive note, Taylor's addiction and work life hampered their marriage. In 1983, the couple parted ways. Taylor's 1981 album Dad Loves His Work highlighted the growing tension in their marriage as Carly blamed him for not spending enough time with his children.
In a YouTube video shared by ABCLibrarySales, published on September 28, 2017, the American Idol mentor is heard calling his marriage with Carly "doomed," and adding:
"I was unfit to be a husband and father."
James's third wife was actress Kathryn Walker. She was known for her work in the 1977 film Slap Shot and 1981's Neighbors. Kathryn also won an Emmy Award for her performance in the 1976 miniseries The Adams Chronicles. James ultimately overcame his battle with addiction with Kathryn's help and support, and often expressed his gratitude to her for turning his life around.
However, the pair parted ways in 1995, which inspired many of Taylor's songs in his 1997 album Hourglass. Soon after, the American Idol guest began dating Kim, his present wife, and married her in 2001.
American Idol season 23 episodes are available to stream on Hulu.
