Caroline Smedvig is an American former journalist and public relations professional who spent many years working around respected media and music organizations. She later became closely connected with classical music circles.
She is widely known as the wife of legendary American singer-songwriter James Taylor. Beyond her famous marriage, Caroline built her own professional journey through journalism, communications, arts management, writing, and music.
This Caroline Smedvig biography explores her childhood, education, journalism career, Boston Symphony Orchestra years, marriage, children, and family life. It also explains how her relationship with James Taylor developed.
Who Is Caroline Smedvig?
Caroline Smedvig is a former journalist and communications professional born on May 31, 1953, in Albany, New York. She developed an early interest in journalism and later entered professional media work.
Her career eventually moved from journalism into arts management. She became closely associated with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, where she spent many years handling public relations and marketing responsibilities for the organization.
Caroline is also known as James Taylor’s wife and the mother of their twin sons. Despite this celebrity connection, her own career includes journalism, communications, authorship, and participation in musical activities.
Early Life and Childhood
Caroline Smedvig was born and raised in Albany, New York. She grew up as the only daughter in her family. Her childhood was shared with her two brothers, Albert Hessberg III and Philip.
Her parents were Elisabeth Fitzsimons Goold and Albert Hessberg II. Her father was a prominent lawyer in Albany. This professional family environment formed an important part of Caroline’s early years.
Caroline experienced the loss of both parents during adulthood. Her mother died in 1991. Her father later died from cancer on January 24, 1995.
Education
Caroline received her early education in Albany. She attended Albany Academy for Girls and completed her studies there in 1971. Her education later continued at the college level.
She enrolled at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. During her student years, she was already gaining practical experience in journalism. She ultimately graduated from Smith College in 1975.
Her college years helped prepare her for her early media career. Rather than moving directly into entertainment, she first developed professional experience through reporting and work with established news organizations.
Beginning Her Journalism Career
Caroline started developing her journalism skills while she was still studying. She worked part-time as a reporter for Knickerbocker News in Albany. This gave her practical newsroom experience at an early stage.
Her media experience later included an internship with The New York Times. She also worked with The Associated Press. Springfield Daily News was another organization connected with her journalism career.
These roles gave Caroline experience across different areas of professional media. However, journalism would not remain her only career direction. She eventually moved toward communications and arts management.
Career at the Boston Symphony Orchestra
A major professional chapter began when Caroline joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1980. Her work placed her inside one of America’s best-known musical institutions. She focused on communications and organizational promotion.
Caroline served as director of public relations and marketing. Her responsibilities connected communication, media relations, and promotion with the orchestra’s artistic activities. This became the defining professional role of her career.
She remained associated with the organization for approximately 25 years and left in 2004. Her lengthy tenure demonstrated that her professional identity existed independently of her later marriage to James Taylor.
Her Connection With Music
Although Caroline built much of her career through journalism and public relations, music also became part of her personal journey. Working around the Boston Symphony Orchestra naturally placed her close to musicians and performances.
She also sang with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. This gave her a more direct connection with musical performance rather than limiting her involvement to communications and administrative responsibilities.
Her professional and musical worlds eventually played an important role in her personal life. It was through this environment that her path crossed with James Taylor during the 1990s.
Caroline Smedvig as an Author
Caroline also expanded her creative work into publishing. She collaborated with photographer Lincoln Russell on a book centered on celebrated conductor Seiji Ozawa and his musical world.
The book was titled Seiji: An Intimate Portrait of Seiji Ozawa. It was published in 1998. The project combined photography with an intimate look at the influential conductor.
This work reflected Caroline’s deep connection with the classical music community. Her experience inside the Boston Symphony Orchestra gave her a perspective shaped by years spent around musicians, conductors, and performances.
How Did Caroline Smedvig Meet James Taylor?
Caroline Smedvig and James Taylor first crossed paths in 1993. At that time, Caroline was working with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. James appeared in a performance involving John Williams and the Boston Pops Orchestra.
Their first meeting did not immediately turn into a romantic relationship. Their personal relationship began around two years later, in 1995. From there, the couple gradually built a lasting partnership.
They dated for approximately six years before getting married. Their relationship brought together two people already deeply connected with music, although their professional roles within that world were very different.
Marriage to James Taylor
Caroline Smedvig married James Taylor in February 2001. Their wedding took place at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Boston. The marriage began a new family chapter for both of them.
James Taylor had already experienced two marriages before marrying Caroline. He had previously been married to singer-songwriter Carly Simon. His other former wife was actress Kathryn Walker.
Caroline had also previously been married. Her former husband was classical trumpeter Rolf Thorstein Smedvig. Her later marriage to James Taylor became the relationship for which she is most widely recognized.
Who Is James Taylor?
James Taylor is an American singer-songwriter known for his distinctive voice and long music career. His work made him one of the recognizable singer-songwriters associated with American popular music.
Caroline entered his life after she had already established a substantial professional career. Their relationship therefore connected two people with their own histories and long-standing involvement within different areas of music.
Their marriage has lasted for more than two decades. Caroline has remained an important part of Taylor’s family life while maintaining a much lower public profile than her internationally famous husband.
Caroline Smedvig’s Twin Sons
Caroline and James Taylor became parents to twin boys named Rufus and Henry. Their sons were born through surrogacy in April 2001, shortly after Caroline and James married.
Becoming parents created another important chapter in their relationship. Caroline and James raised the twins while continuing their lives around family, music, and the professional commitments connected with Taylor’s career.
Rufus and Henry are Caroline’s two children. Their arrival expanded the Taylor family and gave Caroline a major role outside her earlier journalism, communications, and arts-management career.
Family Life in Massachusetts
Caroline and James built their family life in Massachusetts. They have been associated with Lenox, a town strongly connected with the cultural and musical environment of the Berkshires.
This setting also fits naturally with Caroline’s long relationship with classical music. Her years with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Tanglewood created lasting professional connections with the Massachusetts arts community.
Her life today is considerably different from her earlier newsroom and public relations years. Family has become a central part of her story alongside her long-standing connection with James Taylor.
Caroline Smedvig’s Height and Appearance
Caroline Smedvig is described as standing approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall. This converts to around 168 centimeters. Her weight has been listed at approximately 146 pounds, or about 66 kilograms.
She has blonde hair and brown eyes. Her appearance has occasionally received attention because she has accompanied James Taylor to public events and gatherings during their marriage.
However, Caroline has never built her identity around celebrity appearances. Her professional background, family story, and connection with the music industry provide much more context for understanding her life.
Life Beyond Being James Taylor’s Wife
It can be easy to describe Caroline simply through her marriage to James Taylor. However, her professional career began many years before their relationship. Journalism provided her first important career foundation.
She later spent decades working in arts communications at the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She also participated in the Tanglewood Festival Chorus and contributed to a published book about conductor Seiji Ozawa.
These experiences show several different sides of her life. Caroline has worked as a journalist, communications professional, arts administrator, author, and chorus singer while also building a long-lasting family with James Taylor.
Final Thoughts
Caroline Smedvig’s life combines journalism, communications, classical music, publishing, and family. Born in Albany in 1953, she developed her own career long before becoming widely recognized through her marriage.
Her long tenure with the Boston Symphony Orchestra remains an important part of her professional story. Her journalism experience and work connected with Seiji Ozawa further demonstrate her involvement within media and arts.
Today, she is best recognized as James Taylor’s wife and the mother of their twin sons. However, her decades of professional work give her biography a story extending well beyond celebrity marriage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Caroline Smedvig?
Caroline Smedvig is a former journalist and public relations professional. She worked for the Boston Symphony Orchestra for many years. She is also widely known as singer-songwriter James Taylor’s wife.
How old is Caroline Smedvig?
Caroline Smedvig was born on May 31, 1953. She turned 73 years old in May 2026. Her zodiac sign is Gemini.
When did Caroline Smedvig marry James Taylor?
Caroline and James Taylor married in February 2001. Their wedding took place at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Boston. They had been romantically involved since around 1995.
Does Caroline Smedvig have children?
Yes, Caroline has twin sons with James Taylor. Their names are Rufus and Henry. The twins were born through surrogacy in April 2001.
What did Caroline Smedvig do for a living?
Caroline began her professional journey in journalism. She later became director of public relations and marketing at the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She remained with the organization until 2004.
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