The Taylor Hicks Page

Video of Taylor playing in the celebrity basketball game...

2008-03-02T19:33:00.000-08:00

Taylor on Megan Mullally show tomorrow

2006-12-13T21:17:00.000-08:00

Don't miss Taylor on the Megan Mullally tomorrow 12/14. This show is syndicated so check local listings. I think it's on sometime in the afternoon where I'm at. I can't say that I've watched more than about 2 minutes of it, but I'll be sure to check it out tomorrow.

Also if you don't know...Wal-Mart has an exclusive bonus track on Taylor's new album - "Hell of a Day."

Taylor article in Seattle Times

2006-12-05T21:16:00.000-08:00

Read full article here.

Excerpts:

Hicks may soon play a theater or big nightclub (but not a sports arena) near you. His first national solo tour kicks off in late February and Seattle's Paramount Theatre will be a likely stop.

His new album expresses his own musical personality, he stressed, not the bidding of the "American Idol" combine (to which he is still contracted). "I've been involved in every single aspect of the record ... song selections, dealing with arrangements, the mixing, the whole thing."

Updates! New album info and Taylor on TV tonight!

2006-11-29T09:16:00.000-08:00

You can find the track listing for Taylor's new album on Wikipedia. Looks like "Soul Thing" and "The Deal" from Under the Radar will be on there. He's also doing a cover of Paul Pena's "Gonna Move," which is one of my favorites.

You can listen to 3 of the tracks at Taylor Hicks.com. So far my favorite is "The Right Place," which was written by Bryan Adams.

Taylor is appearing on Christmas in Rockefeller Center on NBC tonight at 8 PM.

He is scheduled for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Friday 12/1.

Regis and Kelly 12/6.

Christmas in Washington 12/10. I haven't figured out the time or channel for this yet.

The View 12/11.

Taylor and Bryan Adams

2006-11-01T15:07:00.000-08:00

Taylor records a song penned by Bryan Adams for his new album.

Excerpt:

"There have been some great songs that have been given to me, a Bryan Adams [track] being one of them," Hicks told AOL Music. "He sent me a song that's just so killer, man. Ray Charles taught me it doesn't matter who wrote it -- as long as you can sing it, feel it and perform it, you'll know."

Taylor Hicks.com!

2006-10-29T15:08:00.000-08:00

I've been a little out of it lately, but I do want to let anyone know who doesn't, that TaylorHicks.com is now up and running.

On the website you can pre-order Taylor's new album (scheduled for release on 12/5/06) for $9.99.

Gray Charles is apparently the official blogger for the site. If you click "blog" at the top of the page it takes you to the Gray Charles website.

Now that there seems to be a little more going on, you can expect to see more news on this site.

See exclusive rehearsal footage of Taylor!

2006-10-19T11:50:00.000-07:00

http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20061019005382&newsLang=en

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CenterStaging Corp. (OTCBB:CNSC)-American Idol winner Taylor Hicks provides a rare, behind-the-scenes glimpse of his working methods exclusively on rehearsals.com, CenterStaging’s online digital portal powered by MLB.com. Starting on October 20th, fans can stream footage of Taylor as he rehearses both “What’s Going On” and his original track “Hell of a Day” in preparation for a benefit appearance.

Taylor gets funky in the studio

2006-10-11T12:22:00.000-07:00

From AOL Music Blog.

Excerpt:

Soul Patrol members will rejoice with news that 'American Idol' season 5 winner Taylor Hicks has just hit the studio to record his major label debut. The Alabama-bred 'Gray Charles,' as he's affectionately known, told AOL Music he's already spent a week in Southern California laying down tracks for the record, which he hopes to release by Christmas.

2006-10-07T08:51:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAYLOR!!!

A little something about Elliott Yamin

2006-10-05T10:59:00.000-07:00

From the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

According to the article Elliott is performing with LMBO at the Virginia State Fair this Sunday.

Taylor to perform at Spirit of Life Awards

2006-10-03T13:57:00.000-07:00

From MTV News.

Pre-order LMBO Workplay CD and DVD

2006-09-26T08:40:00.000-07:00

LMBO has website almost ready to launch! They do have an online store already, and they have their Workplay concert CD and DVD available for pre-order.

Online Store

New articles

2006-09-22T10:04:00.000-07:00

LMBO afterparty article from The Citizens Voice.

Official Soul Patrol hosting benefit for Kid One transport - featuring LMBO.

The "It's a Soul Thing" event takes place from 6 p.m. to midnight at the BlueGill Restaurant, 3775 Battleship Parkway. Funds raised at the event go to Kid One Transport, an Alabama-based nonprofit organization whose mission is transporting children and expectant mothers who otherwise have no means of getting to necessary medical service providers.

Johnny Depp a Taylor Hicks fan

2006-09-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

From the National Ledger.

Song of the Week: "Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney

2006-09-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

My favorite love song of all time.

"Maybe I'm Amazed" first appeared on McCartney's self-titled 1970 solo album.

The version you're more likely to hear on the radio is the live Wings Over America version from 1976.

I don't think anybody does this song as good as McCartney, but a lot of people think Rod Stewart gave him a run for his money.

New reviews

2006-09-18T09:06:00.000-07:00

From the Syracuse Post-Standard. "Idols' put on a winning show."

Taylor Hicks certainly flashed the charisma and individuality that made him this year's top choice of America's call-in voters. He entered the arena from the back, and was handed a yellow bouquet as he sang Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock" on his way to the big stage.

From ReadingEagle.com - "Idol worship rocks the arena."

Hicks is the whole package. He has stage presence, a strong voice and he loves to entertain. He sang the only original song of the night “Do I Make You Proud” which reached No 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Idols talk about life on the road

2006-09-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

From Herlad-Dispatch.com.

Quote from Taylor:

"I have just been trying to set an example," Hicks said. "Everybody has to be cordial because everybody really is in this together. It really has to be a family unit. It's like the mentality that we are all going to Wallyworld. It's a very aggressive tour, but it can be fun."

New Taylor article

2006-09-14T09:37:00.000-07:00

Article from ReadingEagle.com.

Excerpt:

Nevertheless the native of Birmingham, Ala., is indeed the latest American Idol, with a first single, “Do I Make You Proud,” which shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with first-week sales of nearly 130,000 copies. And Hicks thinks the fact that he has a bit more life experience than some of his predecessors makes him even more ready to take on the role.

“I think it has a lot to do with it,” said Hicks, who will turn 30 on Oct. 7. “I think you need experiences to connect with the audience, because the audience is going to have been through their experiences, and anything you can draw comparisons to or relate to and be on the same page, the better off you're going to be.”

Review of Austin show

2006-09-13T09:38:00.000-07:00

Review of the Austin show from The Daily Texan online.

This is not the most postive review, but I found it to be fairly honest and not mean spirited like many other negative reviews.

For those who haven't gone to a show and are wondering why almost every review points out that Chris gets the biggest applause and cheers, here's an explanation.

Chris is a good live performer.

Chris comes on after a really long and boring intermission, the main purpose of which is to show commercials rather than give the band a break.

The applause for Taylor is subdued because of his non-stage entrance. Taylor comes in from one of the aisles singing "Jailhouse Rock." The music starts and the audience hears Taylor's voice but 90% of the audience can't see him and it's really hard to figure out which aisle he is coming down. So instead of applauding and cheering everyone is trying to figure out where he is. Then he makes his way to the stage surrounded by about 20 security guards, so it's not until he finally takes the main stage that he gets the most reaction.

Personally I didn't really like the side aisle entrance. The song was almost over before I figured out where he was, and I felt like I almost missed a whole song. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I think a regular stage entrance is more exciting, and then moving out into the audience later on. That's just me though. Anyone agree or disagree?

Nice LMBO article

2006-09-12T08:54:00.000-07:00

LMBO article from The Citizens Voice.

Song of the Week: "Feelin' Alright"

2006-09-10T17:29:00.000-07:00

"Feelin' Alright" was written by Dave Mason, but my favorite version is by Joe Cocker.

I love the piano and Cocker's vocal performance. I think it's just a fun song to listen to.

Tons of people have recorded this song:

Isaac Hayes

Badfinger (live)

Grand Funk Railroad

Jackson 5

Three Dog Night

Traffic - Dave Mason was a member of Traffic and this is the original version.

The Supremes

Rare Earth

And who can forget Joe Cocker perfroming the song with John Belushi on Saturday Night Live

Here's a live version of Bo Bice performing the song:

And The Black Crowes performing it on Letterman in 1994

Tacoma Dome concert recap

2006-09-10T15:10:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay, but this recap has been harder to write than I imagined. I preface my review by saying the AI show is the first non-rock concert I have been to. Well, I'll take that back somewhat - I have seen Ray Charles and James Brown, who are not rock, but have similar performing qualities - if you know what I mean.

My teenage years were spent seeing bands like Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, The Scorpians and a few other similar type bands that I'm a little too embarrassed to mention. In my adult years I have seen Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, The Who and Bob Dylan, so rock shows are what I have always been used to.

Why am I saying all this? Because the AI show is not really a rock concert. It's kind of like attending a live version of the show without the judges and with the "contestants" getting to spend a minute or two longer on their songs.

I guess that was my biggest surprise. Each performer was forced to breeze through their songs at a pace that didn't give much time for audience connection.

For the first half of the show I have to admit I was kind of wondering what I was doing there. The audience was comprised mostly of pre-teens and their parents or people my own parents age, who were either Taylor fans or just fans of American Idol in general. I felt a little out of place.

So how do I judge the show? I will start by saying that I respect each of the contestants. It must be hard to go out and tour stadiums at such an early point in their careers, and then be forced to do only other people's songs. It can't be easy.

Who do I think is the most ready for putting on a stadium style show?

Taylor - we knew from the show he knows what do on stage and it was great to see him in person, though it was way too brief. Taylor came out from the side doing "Jailhouse Rock" and then launched into Bob Seger's "Hollywood Nights," once he got on stage. For "Hollywood Nights" Taylor plays guitar which was nice to see. His voice sounded really good, and he was full of energy.

He then did "Livin' For The City" and " Do I Make You Proud" before saying "good night." It seriously felt like he had only been performing for about 5 minutes (I guess it was actually about 20, but it felt short). Luckily he came back for an encore of "Takin' it to the Streets," where he did an awesome harmonica solo and the end.

After that Taylor left the stage and the bottom 8 came out to do a group performance of "We Are The Champions." It was ok, but a weird one for Taylor to not sing on. Taylor and Kat then came out to finish up with the group on "Living In America." It was a fun performance, but maybe just a tad bit like something you would see in Las Vegas.

To my surprise my second favorite performer of the night was Chris. He opened his set with Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love," which sounded really good. Lyrically it crosses the line of family friendly, but I guess no one has been complaining. He also does "Wanted Dead or Alive" (I never thought I would see someone do that song again) and "Renegade." Both were good. Chris closes his set with a duet of "Savin' Me" with Elliott. It was ok, but not really the style of music I like.

Another surprise for me was Lisa Tucker. She plays piano and sings Elton John's "Your Song" and "Someone Saved My Life Tonight." Both were excellent. She turned them into her own style and they sounded good. Next to Taylor and Chris, she seemed the most like a real musician.

I also liked Bucky. He was exactly like he was on the show. He kind of has a Lynard Skynardish southern 70's rock quality that I like.

I was kind of mixed on Elliott. He sounded great on "Trouble," but I have to say that I don't care that much for "Moody's Mood For Love." He does a great job singing it, but I just don't like the song that much, and it doesn't translate that well to a stadium show. He also did a soul ballad I didn't recognize and didn't really like.

Everyone else:

Mandisa - sounded good, but I wasn't into the songs.

Ace - Couldn't get into either. I've never really liked "Father Figure," and his rocking out on a Maroon 5 song didn't work for me. I think he still needs to work on finding his own style.

Paris - another disappointment. She's a great singer, and she should spend more time on that and less on dancing.

Kellie - I think she was having some vocal problems. Sometimes it was hard to hear her. She was ok, but not a standout.

Kat - She has added one more song to her set - "Think." Her three songs are all from the show, but she didn't really get a chance to rehearse anything else. She sounded fine, I'm not really that into her.

So that's it. I didn't name all the songs, because the tour is near the end and I don't think the setlist has changed since the beginning of the tour (except Taylor dropping a few songs).

Idols pleasing larger and larger crowds

2006-09-08T09:16:00.000-07:00

From WFAA.com.

Excerpt:

Then, finally, the man of the hour. Taylor Hicks entered from a side door singing "Jailhouse Rock," which conjured easy comparisons to Elvis. Like the King, he's not at all self-conscious onstage; he'll happily sweat, grimace and dance like he has ants in his pants if the music moves him. With every song, from "Do I Make You Proud" to "Takin' It to the Streets," he poured his heart into his performance. We like that in an Idol.

EW Interview

2006-09-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

From EW.Com.

Excerpt:

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So you're on the Idol tour right now, but what's going on with your new album?

TAYLOR HICKS: I'm collecting and writing music. I'm starting to put ideas together for the record to have a similar thread, and I'm using one producer as opposed to 50. It's going to be soulful, very old-school-R&B-flavored, but it's also going to have a new-wave edge to it. I'm trying to fuse both of those sounds.

Reader response to Seattle Times articles

2006-09-06T08:58:00.000-07:00

Readers liked the articles on Taylor and the AI concert from the Seattle Times!

Read some of the response here.

Editor's note on article:

Editor's note: Say something nice about Taylor Hicks and what do you get? In response to Misha Berson's article "Sweet on Taylor Hicks" (on Friday) and Judy Chia Hui Hsu's Monday review of this weekend's "American Idol" show in Tacoma, we received in excess of 100 e-mails from fans of the gray-haired soul singer.
Those writing hailed from across the U.S. (and beyond); the majority were women.