Through his extensive work with artists including Carole King and James Taylor, ace session guitarist Danny Kortchmar helped create the signature sound of the singer/songwriter era. A native of New York City, he first emerged during the mid-'60s in local bands including the Kingbees and the Flying Machine, the latter featuring a then-unknown Taylor. In 1967 Kortchmar joined the Fugs, appearing on their Tenderness Junction LP before following bassist Charles Larkey to California, where they teamed with King in the short-lived trio the City. Though the group disbanded after the commercial failure of their 1969 debut Now That Everything's Been Said, both continued backing King on her subsequent solo career; in 1970, Kortchmar also reunited with Taylor for the latter's breakthrough album, Sweet Baby James, and with his subsequent work on King's landmark Tapestry, he established himself among the top West Coast session guitarists of the period.