Has anyone heard anything about Taylor Hicks? I fell in love with him during the fifth season of American Idol (yes, I know that he has gray hair and dances funny, but you can't help who you fall for, okay?), but I haven't heard squat about him since he won.
Personally, I don't think he was right for AI (or Artificial Intelligence for that matter!) :P I know he was struggling, but I think American Idol ruined him. He should have pressed on, and I think eventually he would have made it, and we would be hearing about him! But what do I know...I'm not a struggling musician by any means, and no one knows what they would do until they are actually in the situation they are judging!
So where is he now? We hear about the winners of American Idol all the time - even some of the runners-up. (Clay Aiken and Chris Daughtry for example.) The winning process is supposed to be the same for everyone. First you release your first single (that someone else wrote for you), then you do a set of Ford commercials, then your album comes out and you go on tour, do music videos, appear on MTV and the entertainment/late night talk shows. It is a formula that has worked for many, but something went wrong with Taylor Hicks. I think he is making music, but the public seems to have forgotten him completely - sort of like a shooting star, he has disappeared.
Who knows what happened? Maybe he fought the system. Maybe he didn't like the way they took over the song writing. Maybe the American Idol Mafia made off with him in the night...okay, I know that last one was a bit far-fetched!
Where are you Taylor? I would like to see you again, but if you are coming without the old, real you, then I'm no longer interested. I liked the charisma, the gray hair and yes, even the goofy dancing!
13 comments:
He has a new CD out (Its really good), has been doing Broadway, and all sorts of other stuff. Just because he's not in the spotlight 24/7 doesn't mean he's not a working musician. He's just a private guy.
http://www.myspace.com/taylorhicks
http://excoboard.com/exco/index.php?boardid=19754
Those links should get you up to speed. He's a busy boy.
Hope this works check it out Taylor in concert
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxToDVCPIAE
Are you for real? The only reason Taylor isn't more evident is he can't get radio play. Otherwise he is around more than anyone. Maybe you need to check out Getty Images or WireImages because obviously you haven't looked. !! I am sure he has been or will be in a city near you if you really cared to see him. Or how about You Tube?
Hi Nancy!
I'm glad you asked that question. Always happy to bring people up to speed with the very talented Mr. Hicks. The internet sites posted will give you lots of info about Taylor's career. If you like, you can also sign up for his FREE monthly fan ezine by requesting to be added to the subscriber list at thesoulconnection@yahoo.com
So glad you're a fan!!!
;p
I think y'all are missing the point. Obviously anyone who has a blog can google "Taylor Hicks" and find out what he's doing. The real point she is trying to make is "Why isn't Taylor Hicks in mainstream music and media anymore?".
Probably because the music industry is struggling and needs to promote and package the most young, generic, radio-friendly artists out there. The record company was never interested in promoting Taylor Hicks to top 40 radio, or even releasing a video like any other idol winner or even runner up has had the benefit of. They did the minimum they had to do to fulfill his contract as the winner and sent him on his way. He's not a neat marketable package or the empty vessel that they are looking for. He's a 30 something year old man who doesn't fit in to the pop music world as it is today (not that that's a bad thing considering what you hear on radio). I don't care how talented and popular you may be on idol, to have a mainstream music career, you have to have radio play and some prime time exposure. It's not just Taylor, lots of talented artists are being choked out because Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers have to be on every frikkin music show.
To make matters worse, American Idol seems to have excommunicated him, probably because he is not connected to their record company or management. Wiped his image clean away.
I don't agree that he would have been better off making his own way and not going on idol. Being a winner still gets him a long way and he's far better off than he was before. I never would have known about him if not for the show and now he's one of my favorite artists. He's making a lot of dough with Grease and that helps him do his real music. So it is really a two way street. So I keep up with him now on the internets...it isn't difficult.
Nancy - I don't know where in Ontario you are located but Taylor will be in Ottawa at the National Arts Centre July 21-16, 2009 with the 'Grease' tour - in what has become a starring role for him with his unique interpretation of Teen Angel - complete with harmonica and sequined suit! Here's an fan video taken this past summer with the Broadway production in NYC:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1TeORNpmq8
There's more on YouTube. But, if you're in the Ottawa area - Taylor in 'Grease' is worth the price of admission.
As someone has said here - he just released a CD called "The Distance" and is doing club days of his own music as he tours the country with 'Grease." A busy guy!
Well, here's where Taylor was last night.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNEhi4ukREk
And here's his new video for his new single.
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/4518865/v205814483?v=4518865
Taylor's been very busy since Idol. With a small amount of effort, you can find a lot of info on what he's been doing.
Taylor is a busy man. What with touring with Grease after a run on Broadway in Grease. He gets rave reviews.
He released a cd of his
"Early Works". A great cd. You can find it at some Targets.
He just released a new cd
"The Distance" A fantastic cd. There is a video up at Yahoo of his first single from the cd. "What's Right is Right" He is so handsome.
Check Taylor out at YouTube too. Many, many videos of Taylor touring and his shadow tours. Seek and you shall find.
You'll find lots of info on my blog www.soulthing.blogspot.com
The entries go back a few years.... grab yourself a hot tea and enjoy!
The guys been busy busy busy!! ;)
Taylor was here, Tuesday, April 14 (Cafe Du Nord San Francisco, CA) after his nightly appearance in Grease.
http://vimeo.com/4193030
Check out YouTube under "The Distance" his new cd or at Yahoo videos. Better get comfortable because you will be there awhile. He must be hard to find since he has been traveling and touring non-stop since AI. He is what is known as a "musicians, musician", you see, a rare thing these days. Taylor is, in short, one hell of a talented man!
Thank you Commenter #6! Of course I've googled Taylor Hicks...I was just wondering why he hasn't been promoted as much as the other AI winners. Thank you all for the info though - I'm glad to see that there are a lot more Taylor Hicks fans out there! He's just got something that no one else in the media has! I think its the fact that he's not afraid to be himself - he really does have "soul".
http://www.rollingstone.com/artists...ction=rate#rate
Check this out.
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