The Show Mustn't Go On for James Taylor

Oh, the sheer audacity of the 2024 Democratic National Convention! In an utterly shocking turn of events, James Taylor, the legend who promised to serenade the masses, was a no-show on the opening night in Chicago. Who would have thought?

Taylor was supposed to join country music star Mickey Guyton and Americana singer Jason Isbell at the United Center. But alas, while Guyton and Isbell delivered their performances like the good little liberals they are, Taylor was notably absent.

The "Fire and Rain" singer was scheduled for the 9 p.m. slot, following heartwarming speeches from first lady Jill Biden and her daughter Ashley. But, in a twist that literally no one saw coming, Taylor was nowhere to be found.

Where Oh Where Was James Taylor at the DNC?

DNC officials, in a stroke of genius, blamed the absence on "schedule delays." Because, you know, when you have a room full of liberals clapping at every word, time management goes out the window.

"Because of the raucous applause interrupting speaker after speaker, we ultimately skipped elements of our program to ensure we could get to President Biden as quickly as possible so that he could speak directly to the American people," the statement read, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Taylor was spotted earlier in the day, strumming his guitar in rehearsal footage. Guess the organizers couldn't anticipate the wild response, huh?

James Taylor Apologizes (Sort Of)

In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Taylor addressed his absence with a dose of reality:

"We had a great rehearsal with @RickeyMinor and terrific singers, @KenyaHathaway and Mathew Johnson before the event," Taylor wrote. "But it became clear, as the evening unfolded, that there wouldn't be time for our 'You've Got a Friend' with cello and voices. Maybe the organizers couldn't anticipate the wild response from the floor of the United Center…"

Taylor's publicist Allison Elbl confirmed to USA TODAY that "there are no plans to reschedule" the singer's performance.

"Anyway, sorry to disappoint," Taylor concluded. "But a great and inspirational, quintessentially American moment. We were honored to be there…"

Day 2 of the DNC starts at 5:30 p.m. CT/6:30 p.m. ET. And let's hope they've learned their lesson about punctuality!

Contributing: Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY; Hannah Kirby, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel