Taj Mahal's blunt take on what holds people back

Taj Mahal is a blues legend. He's won a handful of GRAMMYs, including a Lifetime Achievement Award, and influenced generations of artists from Keith Richards to Hozier. "He's got it all together," Keith said, "and always did have." He was born Henry St. Claire Fredericks, Jr. in Harlem. A multi-instrumentalist and music scholar, Taj was exploring world music before it was even a genre. Taj, who once seriously considered becoming a farmer, has lost count of how many albums he's made. He's been making music since the '50s - and at 84, he's still on tour. 00:00 – Welcome to Alchemy 00:36 – Introducing Taj Mahal 01:39 – The Unreleased Bill Withers Song & GRAMMY Wins 05:29 – Family Roots: A Third-Generation Garveyite 11:05 – Hearing Music Without Genre Lines 13:46 – Rising Sons & the Ash Grove Days 17:04 – The 1960s LA Scene & Opening for Otis Redding 19:05 – UMass, Farming, and a 1979 Africa Tour 22:00 – Music as a Spiritual Calling 25:07 – A Word From Our Sponsor, the FLAG Art Foundation 26:19 – Losing His Father Young 29:03 – Learning to Write & the Story Behind "Taj Mahal" 31:32 – Columbia, Clive Davis & the Blues Legends 35:16 – Scoring "Sounder" & Life on the Road 39:12 – Playing Alone: Connecting to "the Great Creator" 42:39 – Songwriting, Enya, and His Philosophy on Music ——— New episodes of Alchemy every other Wednesday. 🟠 Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.alchemy.show/ 🟡 Stay connected with Anthony Mason: YouTube:    / @alchemywithanthonymason   Instagram:   / alchemywithanthony   &   / anthonymasoncbs   TikTok:   / alchemywithanthony   🟢 If you’re interested in sponsoring Alchemy: [email protected] 🔵 For press inquiries: [email protected] 🟣 For bookings: [email protected] About our Founding Sponsor, The FLAG Art Foundation: Alchemy with Anthony Mason is presented by our founding sponsor, the FLAG Art Foundation. It is a nonprofit contemporary art exhibition space in New York's Chelsea Arts District. Since 2008, FLAG has staged more than 100 exhibitions celebrating nearly 1,000 artists, with innovative partnerships including the Parrish Art Museum, the Serpentine Galleries in London, and the Harlem Children's Zone. FLAG is free and open to the public. In this episode, I’m highlighting two exhibits: 🖼️ Spotlight: Ryan Mrozowski The latest iteration of FLAG’s Spotlight series features a new, four-part painting by Ryan Mrozowski, at their Chelsea space. The Spotlight exhibition series is rotating and features new or never-before-seen work paired with a commissioned piece of writing. Known for his paintings which double, invert, and mirror floral patterns, foliage, birds, etc., Mrozowski’s painting at FLAG will be accompanied by a text by curator Courtenay Finn. On view through July 31, 2026 📍The FLAG Art Foundation More info → https://www.flagartfoundation.org/spo... 🎨 Meg Webster: Thicket Known for her use of natural materials and minimalism, Meg Webster has taken over Paula Cooper Gallery with Thicket, a spiral structure made of plant cuttings, branches, and leaves. Complete with nature sounds and smells that overtake the senses, Thicket is an all-encompassing escape from New York’s West 21st Street. Webster also has a piece in FLAG’s UNTIL THE MOON COMES OVER THE MOUNTAIN, which closes July 31st. On view through July 24, 2026 📍Paula Cooper Gallery Check it out → https://www.paulacoopergallery.com/ex... Learn more about the FLAG Art Foundation → https://www.flagartfoundation.org 📍 545 W 25th Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10001 | Wed–Sat, 11AM–5PM 📸 Follow FLAG on Instagram →   / flagartfoundation   About Anthony Mason: Anthony Mason, the host of Alchemy, is also a Special Correspondent with CBS News. One of the most versatile and experienced television journalists, Anthony co-hosted CBS This Morning: Saturday for seven years (2012-2019), and then the weekday CBS This Morning broadcast for two more. But he may be best known for his interviews with artists like Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, Dolly Parton, Annie Leibovitz and André 3000. He has won a dozen Emmy Awards. And in 2023, the Songwriters Hall of Fame presented him their Patron of the Arts Award.