Caroline Smedvig spent decades working quietly behind the scenes of one of America’s great orchestras before the world came to know her as the wife of singer-songwriter James Taylor. Their marriage, now well into its third decade, has stayed remarkably private for a couple with such a public profile. Yet Caroline’s own story, from a childhood in upstate New York to a long career in classical music public relations, deserves attention on its own terms. This article looks at who she is, how she built her career, how she met Taylor, and what her life looks like today.
Caroline Smedvig: Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Caroline Hessberg Smedvig |
| Nickname | Kim |
| Date of birth | 31 May 1953 |
| Age | 73 (as of 2026) |
| Birthplace | Albany, New York, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| High school | Albany Academy for Girls |
| University | Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts |
| Occupation | Former journalist; former Director of Public Relations and Marketing, Boston Symphony Orchestra; author |
| Notable work | Co-author, Seiji: An Intimate Portrait of Seiji Ozawa (1998) |
| Spouse | James Taylor (married 18 February 2001) |
| Previous spouse | Rolf Smedvig, trumpeter and Empire Brass founder |
| Children | Twin sons Rufus Taylor and Henry Taylor (born April 2001) |
| Stepchildren | Sally Taylor and Ben Taylor |
| Residence | Lenox, Massachusetts, USA |
| Known for | Wife of James Taylor; former Boston Symphony Orchestra executive |
Early Life and Education
Caroline Hessberg was born on 31 May 1953 in Albany, New York. Her father, Albert Hessberg II, worked as an attorney, while her mother, Elisabeth Fitzsimons Goold, raised the family alongside two brothers, Albert III and Philip. Growing up in Albany placed her close to the region’s arts and legal circles, an environment that shaped her early interest in writing and communication.
She attended the Albany Academy for Girls before moving on to Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, a school long known for producing accomplished women in journalism, the arts, and public life. She graduated from Smith in 1975 with a solid grounding in writing and research skills that would carry directly into her professional life.
Little is publicly known about her teenage years beyond these academic details, since Caroline has always kept her personal history out of the spotlight. What is clear is that her education set her on a path toward journalism rather than performance, a distinction that later made her an unusually effective bridge between musicians and the public.
From Journalism to the Boston Symphony Orchestra
After graduating from Smith College, Caroline began her career as a journalist. She worked for the Knickerbocker News in Albany before moving on to larger outlets, including stints with The New York Times and The Associated Press. This early reporting experience taught her how to communicate complex subjects clearly, a skill that would define the next chapter of her career.
In the late 1970s, Caroline joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra, one of the most respected orchestras in the world. She eventually rose to Director of Public Relations and Marketing, a role she held for roughly 25 years. In that position, she managed the orchestra’s public image, coordinated media coverage, and worked closely with conductors and star soloists.
During her tenure, she worked alongside longtime BSO music director Seiji Ozawa. That professional relationship led to her co-authoring the 1998 book Seiji: An Intimate Portrait of Seiji Ozawa, produced with photographer Lincoln Russell and published by Houghton Mifflin. The book remains a documented, verifiable piece of her professional legacy.
Caroline stepped away from her full-time role at the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 2004. By then, she had spent close to a quarter of a century shaping how one of America’s leading cultural institutions presented itself to the world, a legacy that predates and exists independently of her marriage to James Taylor.
Her First Marriage: Rolf Smedvig
Before she became known as James Taylor’s wife, Caroline was married to Rolf Thorstein Smedvig, a celebrated classical trumpeter. Rolf served as principal trumpet of the Boston Symphony Orchestra while still in his teens and later co-founded the acclaimed brass quintet Empire Brass, which he led for decades.
Caroline and Rolf’s marriage connected two people deeply embedded in Boston’s classical music world, which is likely how she came to work so closely with orchestras and musicians early in her career. The marriage ended in divorce, though the exact timeline was never widely publicised.
Caroline kept the Smedvig surname after the divorce, which is why she is still known professionally and publicly as Caroline Smedvig rather than by her birth name, Hessberg. Rolf Smedvig passed away suddenly in 2015 at the age of 62, and his obituary in The Boston Globe confirmed that his first marriage had been to Caroline, describing her as his former wife who later married James Taylor.
Meeting James Taylor
Caroline’s path crossed with James Taylor’s through the very institution she had devoted her career to. In 1995, Taylor performed with the Boston Pops Orchestra at Symphony Hall, appearing alongside composer and conductor John Williams. As the orchestra’s head of public relations, Caroline would have been closely involved in coordinating that appearance.
Their professional connection developed into a personal one over the following years. Both were established in their respective fields by the time they grew close, Taylor as one of America’s most enduring singer-songwriters and Caroline as a respected figure in orchestral management.
Unlike Taylor’s first marriage to singer Carly Simon, which played out largely in public view, his relationship with Caroline developed with far less media attention. This pattern of privacy has remained consistent throughout their entire relationship, right up to the present day.
By the late 1990s, the couple had built a strong enough bond to move toward marriage, blending Caroline’s world of classical music administration with Taylor’s life as a touring folk and rock musician.
Marriage to James Taylor
James Taylor and Caroline Smedvig married on 18 February 2001 at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Boston. Taylor was 53 at the time, and Caroline was 47. The wedding was a relatively low-key affair given Taylor’s fame, consistent with the couple’s shared preference for privacy.
The marriage marked Taylor’s third, following his union with Carly Simon and a subsequent marriage to actress Kathryn Walker. For Caroline, it was her second marriage after her earlier years with Rolf Smedvig. Friends of the couple have described their pairing as a stabilising force in Taylor’s life after a turbulent period.
Taylor has spoken warmly about the marriage in interviews over the years, at one point stating that he felt deeply grateful for where he had ended up, citing his marriage, his family, and his career as sources of contentment. That sentiment has been echoed consistently in the limited public comments either has made about their relationship.
More than two decades on, the marriage stands as one of the longer-lasting unions in the music industry, particularly notable given how rarely either partner discusses it publicly.
Motherhood: Twin Sons Rufus and Henry
Just months after their wedding, Caroline and James Taylor welcomed twin sons, Rufus and Henry Taylor, in April 2001. The twins were conceived through in vitro fertilisation and carried by a gestational surrogate, a detail the family has spoken about openly in past interviews as part of their journey to parenthood later in life.
Raising twins in their late forties and early fifties was, by the couple’s own accounts, both demanding and rewarding. Caroline largely stepped back from her demanding orchestra role around this period, eventually leaving the Boston Symphony Orchestra for good in 2004, a decision that aligned with the boys entering early childhood.
Henry Taylor, one of the twins, has gone on to join his father on tour as a backing vocalist, appearing in that role during performances in the early 2020s. Rufus has kept a lower public profile, reflecting the family’s broader tendency to protect their children’s privacy despite their famous surname.
Caroline rarely discusses her sons in interviews, and the family has generally avoided using the twins for publicity, a choice consistent with how both parents have handled their own relationship since it began.
Stepmother to Sally and Ben Taylor
Caroline’s family also includes two stepchildren from James Taylor’s first marriage to Carly Simon. Sally Taylor and Ben Taylor, both musicians in their own right, were already adults by the time their father married Caroline in 2001.
Public reporting suggests a cordial, if not especially publicised, relationship between Caroline and her adult stepchildren. Sally and Ben have built their own careers in music, and both have occasionally performed alongside their father, keeping the extended Taylor family connected through their shared craft.
Blended families of this kind often attract tabloid speculation, but Caroline has avoided feeding that narrative. She has not made public statements about her relationship with Sally or Ben, staying consistent with her long-standing preference to keep family matters out of the press.
Life Today: Privacy in Lenox, Massachusetts
Caroline and James Taylor make their home in Lenox, Massachusetts, a small town in the Berkshires that also happens to be near Tanglewood, the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s famous summer venue. The location carries a quiet symbolism, linking Caroline’s professional past with her present family life.
She has largely stayed out of the public eye since leaving the BSO in 2004, choosing not to pursue further high-profile roles or media appearances. This is consistent with the low profile she maintained even during her working years, when she operated behind the scenes rather than in front of cameras.
Occasional glimpses of the couple’s life together come through James Taylor’s own interviews, in which he speaks fondly of his family and home life without offering extensive detail. Caroline herself has given very few interviews over the years, and none focused specifically on her marriage or personal opinions.
At 73, Caroline appears to be enjoying a settled family life away from the entertainment industry spotlight, a fitting continuation of a career and personal life built on discretion rather than publicity.
Why Caroline Smedvig’s Story Matters
Caroline Smedvig’s life offers a useful reminder that the people connected to famous figures often have substantial accomplishments of their own. Her 25 years shaping the public image of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, along with her published work on Seiji Ozawa, represent a career built well before and independent of her marriage.
Her story also illustrates how two people from different worlds, classical music administration and popular songwriting, can build a lasting partnership grounded in shared values rather than shared fame. That contrast is part of what makes her story genuinely interesting to readers beyond typical celebrity spouse coverage.
Finally, Caroline’s consistent choice to protect her family’s privacy, even while married to one of the most recognisable singer-songwriters in American music, sets her apart in an industry where oversharing is often the norm.
Conclusion
Caroline Smedvig built a respected career in journalism and orchestral management long before her marriage to James Taylor made her a subject of public curiosity. From her years guiding the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s public image to raising twin sons later in life, her story stands on its own as one of quiet professional achievement paired with a deliberate, lasting commitment to privacy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Caroline Smedvig
Who is Caroline Smedvig?
Caroline Smedvig is an American former journalist and arts administrator best known as the wife of singer-songwriter James Taylor. She spent roughly 25 years as Director of Public Relations and Marketing for the Boston Symphony Orchestra before stepping back from public life.
Who is Caroline Smedvig’s husband?
Her husband is James Taylor, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter known for hits including “Fire and Rain” and “You’ve Got a Friend.” The couple married on 18 February 2001.
How did Caroline Smedvig meet James Taylor?
She met Taylor in 1995 through her work at the Boston Symphony Orchestra, when he performed with the Boston Pops alongside conductor John Williams at Symphony Hall.
When did Caroline Smedvig marry James Taylor?
She married James Taylor on 18 February 2001 at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Boston. It was Taylor’s third marriage and Caroline’s second.
Does Caroline Smedvig have children?
Yes. Caroline and James Taylor have twin sons, Rufus and Henry Taylor, born in April 2001 via surrogacy. She is also stepmother to Taylor’s children Sally and Ben Taylor from his marriage to Carly Simon.
What was Caroline Smedvig’s career before marrying James Taylor?
She began as a journalist, working for the Knickerbocker News, The New York Times, and The Associated Press, before spending about 25 years as the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Director of Public Relations and Marketing.
Was Caroline Smedvig married before James Taylor?
Yes. She was previously married to Rolf Smedvig, a classical trumpeter and founder of the brass quintet Empire Brass. The marriage ended in divorce, and she kept the Smedvig surname afterward.
How old is Caroline Smedvig?
Caroline Smedvig was born on 31 May 1953, making her 73 years old as of 2026.
Is Caroline Smedvig a stepmother?
Yes. Through her marriage to James Taylor, Caroline is stepmother to Sally Taylor and Ben Taylor, both musicians and the children of James Taylor and Carly Simon.
Where does Caroline Smedvig live now?
Caroline lives with James Taylor in Lenox, Massachusetts, a town in the Berkshires near Tanglewood, the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s summer performance venue.
