Taylor Hicks My Idol: Naked In The Jungle

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Naked In The Jungle

SPEAK OUT! SPEAK OUT! SPEAK OUT!

This song has been on my mind a lot recently. At first I started to create another canvas for the Dream Series, after playing with it for 2 days I decided ... that boat won't float!

So we won't be travelling by boat this time around!
(Couldn't bring myself to use the image that most relates to this song!)

It's a jungle out there and not a bit like the whimsical image above!

The lions and tigers and sharks have even invaded Taylor's Soul Patrol. What started out as friendly, supportive fan bases has evolved into places where people not only feel it is okay to criticize every move Taylor does or doesn't make, they also think it is perfectly fine to bash other posters. All in the name of a right to a difference of opinion!

RUBBISH!

Well I'm speaking out and I say it's wrong and not because I am a Kool Aid drinker ... personally I can't stand the stuff! Pop Tarts either for that matter!

What I do love is the music of Taylor Hicks and the way that music weaves it's way into my heart and makes my soul sing!

For me that is what it's all about!

Bloom

"NAKED IN THE JUNGLE"

Taylor's Biloxi Concert - video by Chewysmom2

SPEAK OUT! SPEAK OUT! SPEAK OUT!

It's your turn!

4 comments:

KarinP said...: Before I made my comment, I thought I would look up the lyrics to this Van Morrison song. Not very complicated but some of the words speak volumes.

Big fish eat the little fish, and the rabbit's on the run
Big fish eat the little fish, and the rabbit's on the run
Some folks gettin' too much, other just ain't gettin' none

Naked in the jungle, naked to the world
Naked in the jungle, naked to the world
Well, you gotta keep 'em humble, else you'll come unfurled

I have had some of the same feelings lately about some of the things I have read. I feel that I need to be guarded to a certain degree in my responses because you never know who is reading or how they are going to perceive my thoughts. If I post something that may not be in general concurrence with others' opinions, I really take my time to read it and re-read it. I would be very disappointed in myself if I intentionally hurt someone's feelings even though I am invisible sitting in front of a computer screen and no one really knows me.

"Naked in the Jungle". I have felt that way because when all is said and done, when we stand there all alone, "naked" in the jungle, we are faced with the real "us" and the true colours show every time as well as our vulnerabilities and painful scars from the past. When we are "naked in the jungle", we have the option of really looking closely at ourselves or we can choose not to look at our shortcomings and ignore them.

I like to think that the big fish just may not choose their words carefully. Of course, how can one possibly know what reaction any particular reader will have? My reaction to something might be totally different from someone else's intent when they expressed their opinion.

I know it is a "quiet" time and perhaps this is a good thing for everyone. It gives us an opportunity to reflect on all of the places Taylor and the Soul Patrol have been over these past months. We should be celebrating the success Taylor has enjoyed.

Personally, I do have my "thoughts" on the woulda, coulda's but hindsight is 20/20 and actually, my hindsight is only from my perspective - a bystander.

I am not privy to the inner workings of Taylor's world. Maybe, there are times when he can't even figure it out. I am not in the right place to be able to say what he should have done.

I trust that he knows what is going on in "his" world and that his judgement and decision-making it what is best for him.

I am just a supporter of the artist and the music and that is something that I do not regret. For me, I will just do the best I can and live by the "Golden Rule". It works for me! I just hope this "little" fish doesn't get eaten.; October 13, 2007 at 1:03 AM
Bloom said...: Karin from one little fish to another, I applaud your well thought and written post!

I found this a very difFicult subject to address on many levels.

Like you I would never intentionally set out to hurt another posters feelings.
I tend to live by that 'golden rule' and if I don't have anything postive or nice to say I leave a topic alone and move on.

My original objective for starting this topic changed directions as my fingers began to type. I hadn't planned to discuss what is happening on the boards.

My thoughts were centered on Taylor and how these lyrics must speak to him.

Though his circumstances have certainly changed since the years before AI ... I expect that he is feeling even more 'Naked In The Jungle' with the speculations running rampant over his personal life.

And I'm not going there, personal to me means just that ... personal as in PRIVATE!
I just want to keep shouting 'it's about the music people'!!!!

I'm not attempting to speak for Taylor, but I do believe many of the songs he chooses to sing are choosen to get a message across.

Just think back on how many times we have heard "thank you for letting me be myself"?

Sometimes I wonder if it is a thank you or a plea!; October 13, 2007 at 12:19 PM
Anonymous said...: Well, well,,,,,,here I am witnessing another masterpiece....This world is not revolving in a positive state of mind always,,however,,anyone looking or needing uplifting in any given day,,,,,,,,my suggestion,,,,,

Take one second to smell the roses,,
take another second to enjoy a butterfly,,,,,,
take another second to feel the adoration of Bloom for Taylor Hicks,,,
take another second visiting the North Star,,,,,

Take another second to say something kind to someone,,anyone,,,,

then finally if you are really just unable to find peace within yourself,,,,

Turn on anyone of Taylor Hicks songs,,,,close your eyes,,and I promise you ,,,,

His sound ,,his style,,,,his words,,,,will take your mind,,your body,,,your emotions to a place like no other,,,
(I suggest YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL and or RIGHT PLACE,,,,,,

If none of these things work,,check your pulse to see if you are alive......

and then when you can call yourself,,,

A SOUL PATROL FAN,,hang on,,your life will change for all of the right reasons,,,,,,,,

Thank you Bloom for being born and sharing your wonderful talent with us.....
Phyllis; October 13, 2007 at 8:52 PM
Bloom said...: Phyllis I had only to read a few words past anonymous and I knew this post was coming from you.
Your words always dive right into the heart of the matter, and you tell it like it is!
You have been missed ... are you still among the Amish spreading the word of Taylor Hicks' music?
I need to get out a map and see how close his concert last night in Millersville was to your last known location :-)
I look to my left as I type and I see Karin's name ... then I follow the page down and I see your name ... three hearts connected to each other thanks to the music of Taylor.
Thank you for always being my #1 cheerleader and Taylor's too!!
Keep spreading the word girlfriend and welcome to the pond!; October 14, 2007 at 5:42 PM

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Taylor Hicks Premieres New Single
From: FanBolt.com
Platinum-selling singer/songwriter Taylor Hicks will thrill longtime fans, and inspire new audiences, with the release of his anticipated new studio album, The Distance, on March 10.

The album will be released on Hicks' Modern Whomp Records label and distributed through a partnership with independent artist services company Artist To Market (A2M).

Debuting January 27 digitally is the first single "What's Right Is Right," a mid-tempo song about love and commitment, driven by funky keyboards and sax work.

Produced by Simon Climie (Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Faith Hill), and tapping the talents of guitarist Doyle Bramhall II, bassist Nathan East and drummer Abe Laboriel Jr., The Distance includes fourteen tracks, some co-written by Hicks:

"Wedding Day Blues," "Seven Mile Breakdown," "What's Right is Right," "Hide Nor Hair," "Woman Gotta Have It," "New Found Freedom," "The Distance," "Nineteen," "I Live on a Battlefield," "Yes We Can," "Maybe You Should," "Once Upon a Lover of Mine," "Keepin It Real" and "Indiscriminate Act of Kindness."

Since becoming Season 5 winner of "American Idol," Taylor Hicks has seen his self-titled debut album certified platinum, performed with Willie Nelson, Widespread Panic, The Allman Brothers and Jackson Browne, toured through Asia, penned the Random House memoir Heart Full of Soul, and made his Broadway debut as Teen Angel in Grease.

At the beginning of 2009 Taylor has embarked on a national US tour with Grease with stops in Chicago, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle.
(just to name a few)

Taylor Hicks
"Early Works"

Taylor Hicks <br> "Early Works"

First and foremost, these two albums represent who I am and who I am trying to represent as a songwriter.
"In Your Time" was a first attempt at recording songs that I had written at the time. Some songs that were really hitting home with me at the time.
"Under the Radar" was a second attempt at a first attempt to try to record an album that resembled the production quality of Al Stewart's "Year of the Cat." The songwriting was getting better and my direction as an artist was getting clearer. Warmth in the production was the main goal; "nostalgic" and "endearing" are the terms that I like to use for these two records.
Thanks for going on the ride!
Taylor Hicks

MTV News

'American Idol' Alum Taylor Hicks Channels Elvis, Liberace For 'Grease' Gig

In 2006, when salt-and-pepper-pelted soul singer Taylor Hicks won the fifth season of "American Idol," he probably never imagined he'd be popping out of an ice-cream cone, singing "Beauty School Dropout."

Now Hicks is doing just that, playing the Teen Angel - a role made famous by Frankie Avalon in the 1978 film version of "Grease" - in the musical's latest Broadway revival. For his first foray into acting, it's not a bad gig, and Hicks is hoping it will open more doors for him down the line.

"It's a really cool part," he said. "The Teen Angel comes down and tells Frenchy she should put down her teasing comb and go back to high school. I've kind of channeled Elvis, a little Graham Parsons and Liberace, all at the same time, for this role. It was just a perfect fit and a way for me to experience the Broadway stage in a small dose, instead of a full role. I come out in the second act. I pop in from an ice-cream cone, in a blue rhinestone suit, and rock it out for a few minutes."
Hicks said his Teen Angel is like none that has graced the stage before him, because he "Taylor-ized it."

To prepare for the role, he claims he "started doing séances to channel Elvis, and he told me that I needed to wear a midnight-blue, rhinestone-studded suit, and that's what happened. Now we're packing the place out. It's sold-out every night, and I get to play a little harmonica, which is cool. I couldn't do that on 'Idol.' That wasn't the year where you could play instruments."

According to Hicks, the "Grease" part wasn't his first offer. Earlier this year, he'd been asked to join the Broadway cast of "Hairspray," a gig he couldn't fit into his schedule. But being part of "Grease" has given him the itch to act again.

"Right now, I'm releasing a new record in the fall - hopefully - so [doing] this allows me to stay in the city, be in front of thousands and thousands of people for the next three months, and it allows me to reinvent myself, as a musician, an entertainer and possibly a Broadway actor," he said. "This is a nice way to get my feet wet in the acting field. Before, I was so entrenched in music - playing clubs and roadhouses when I was a kid - so Broadway was kind of an abstract thought for me. It's not now. It's real, and I enjoyed being directed from a theatrical aspect as opposed to a musical aspect. It's going to be an interesting road for me."

Hicks said that his fans, known as the "Soul Patrol," have been at each performance - so much so that during one of the shows, he looked down and spotted his face tattooed on a woman's body ("It wasn't anywhere revealing," he said).

Hicks' year has been full of ups and downs. It started off on a bad note, as Arista Records revealed they'd dropped Hicks from their roster after just one release. His 2006 self-titled effort has sold 702,000 copies to date, making it the worst-performing of all the "American Idol" champs' albums. But then, Hicks landed the "Grease" gig, and, with a new album to record, he's close to signing with a new label.

"I don't have a name for the album yet, but I do know that it's some of the best music that I've ever written, and from an artistic standpoint, this album, being in my control, has allowed me to really breathe as a songwriter," he said. "As an artist, you kind of understand the times and what your surroundings are and write from them. So there's some political undertones on the album. It's a serious time for us."

Hicks said he's not worried about the future, because he knows he has what it takes to sustain a career in music. "It would be scary if I didn't really believe that I was supposed to do this," he said. "For me, as a kid, I knew I was supposed to entertain and perform for folks. When you have that self-belief and inner-determination, you understand there are peaks and valleys in this business, and you just keep working at it. You show up to work, whether it's 25 people at a Steak & Ale, or Wembley Stadium and there's 500,000 people. If you keep working, and you're good to people, you'll be blessed."

Despite the poor sales, Hicks said he's still proud of his debut album. "As many songs as were thrown at me in the 10 minutes I had to choose them, I kept a good guard up, because I knew my artistic guard would allow people to say that I really took the integrity to keep my art," he said. "I've been working 15 years to make it in this business. I didn't want to not make it anymore. I'm proud of that record. I just wish we would have had more time to record it, but I'm proud of it. That's key."
MTV News (click MTV for video)
By Chris Harris, with reporting by Jim Cantiello

THE INSIDER
May 15, 2008

Taylor sets his sights on a new project!
Soul man TAYLOR HICKS is tackling a new role.
The former "American Idol" is joining the Broadway cast of Grease on June 6, reports the Associated Press.

Hicks is set to play Teen Angel in the infamously popular musical, saying, he plans to add "soulful flavor" to his performance of "Beauty School Dropout."

The country crooner spoke to the AP saying, "It's a big number, and, you know, I've made some pretty grand entrances before ....
And this one is probably the grandest entrance I've made in my career."

PEOPLE.COM - TAYLOR HICKS ADMITS ...

Taylor Hicks is used to being the object of adoring fans – but when the Jonas Brothers made a TV appearance in New York, the American Idol swapped roles.

Hicks, who is currently starring in Grease on Broadway, couldn't resist partaking in Jonas Brothers mania with thousands of other fans outside of the Live With Regis & Kelly studios in New York City Thursday morning, he told PEOPLE.

"Once I arrived and saw all the Jonas Brothers fans, I got in on the screaming.
We were all having a great time out there," said Hicks, who grabbed a sign from a fan and proudly held it up when the band arrived for the show.

"We were all just being fans and that's a cool thing."
Asked if he's really a true fan, he told PEOPLE "I am!"
"What they do is awesome because it gets kids into music," said Hicks who was at the ABC studio to tape a performance of "Beauty School Dropout" for the show's Broadway Week celebration, to air on Friday.

"They are a classy act," he added, noting that Nick is his favorite Jonas Brother because "he's the leader of the band."
Sadly, Hicks didn't get to bond with the guys.
"I just saw them in passing. They’ve got some pretty heavy security."

In addition to starring on Broadway, Hicks is busy recording his second album, which he hopes to release in the fall.
"I love New York.
I'm working on Broadway and it’s a great way for me to get my feet wet in acting and a great way to season yourself as a performer," he said.

"I've been able to breathe more as a songwriter, having the time and being able to find the right songs."

A Soulful Night On The Farm

Boot, Blues, and BBQ with Taylor Hicks
a Benefit for Hannah Home Shelby
(A Ministry of The King’s Ranch and Hannah Homes)
Saturday, May 10th
Presented by Governor and Mrs. Riley

Hannah Homes provide long term shelters for women, and women with children, who are fleeing domestic violence.

This Christ-centered home provides free housing, food, clothing, transportation, counseling, parenting classes, dometic violence classes and a host of other services to aid residents on their journeys toward healing and wholeness.

"We've probably all called Hannah Home to come get some stuff from us at one point in time," says Taylor Hicks - musical guest for the fundraising event.

"It's a great cause ... and I'm wearing the old boots, and got some blues, and I just had some barbecue."

Taylor Hicks escorted Alabama's first lady Patsy Riley, as the Governor was on crutches and unable to attend.

Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind

Taylor Hicks Donates Autographed Harmonica for 23rd Annual Event
TALLADEGA, AL

April 25th @ the International Motorsports Hall of Fame SPEED Channel Dome at the Talladega Superspeedway.

Alabama’s own soulful singer/songwriter and 2006 American Idol winner, Taylor Hicks, is supporting the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind by donating an autographed harmonica for the upcoming live auction at this year’s Race Fever.

Autographed during the 2008 Alabama Music Hall of Fame Induction Banquet and Award Show where Hicks received the 2008 America’s Music Award, this “Taylor-made” item is sure to “Make You Proud” when you “Take it to the Streets”.

Opportunity

You never know when it will knock.
My big opportunity came during an audition in Birmingham, Alabama.
I walked through that door and when I came out, I had the opportunity of a lifetime.

We probably walk through a million doorways in our lives – some more important than others.
Some of those doors lead to opportunities that are beyond our imagination.

I believe your home should represent your outlook on life. The front door to your house leaves a strong impression on guests.
My front door is a symbol and it says when you enter my home, you are entering a place that is very special.

I’ve teamed up with Harmony Doors to create a series of distinctive doors designs inspired by the same influences that have shaped my music.

The Taylor Hicks Orleans Collection

Hicks Gets Slick
by Neil Ray Ramos
Manila Standard Today - Philippines
1/18/08
Just like when he slowly but surely won over many to his cause during the fifth season of the popular TV singing contest, American Idol, Taylor Hicks broke stereotypes and exceeded expectations when he flew in recently for a short visit and to perform in several gigs.

Once described as “the least likely Idol,” owing to the fact that he looked very much as tubby (and with the same salt and pepper hair) as Jay Leno, Hicks was surprisingly fit and trim, and is now more comparable to George Clooney (the other famous guy with the same salt and pepper hair) rather than the obese comedian/TV host—and quite amicable to boot.

Clad in black coat and jeans and brandishing his trademark harmonica, Hicks, was as candid as he was accommodating during the press conference held answering every question with typical flair.

Asked what he knew about the Philippines prior to coming over, the singer said that “I knew from friends that the Filipinos are very musical in that you guys love dancing and singing.”
He also said that friends told him that the Philippines is “the place to be if you want (to pursue) a career in singing.”

Well, if Hicks knew a thing or two about the country, most of those who came to the meet-and-greet session seemed to know a lot about him, mentioning intricacies associated with the singer like the Ray Charles Statuette he always travels with (yes, it was with him) and screaming “Soul Patrol” (a term of endearment for Hicks fans and supporters).

'Idol' Sings The Blues In Manila
By Fran Katigbak
Philippine Daily Inquirer
01/01/2008

It’s not easy singin’ the blues to an audience whose daily dose of music comes from skinny teenyboppers, booty-shaking divas and bling-clad “boys from the ’hood.”
Not if you are gray-haired and inclined to play the harmonica or if your dancing looks drug-induced.
But just as he defied pop stereotypes when he won “American Idol” Season 5, soul singer Taylor Hicks also proved it pays to stay true to his style and brand of music.
Filipino fans, even those as young as 6, watched the 31-year-old artist in a series of shows recently sponsored by the Ayala Malls in Manila.
At the show in TriNoma, Hicks was in his element singing tracks from his self-titled album as well as songs he composed early in his career.
Of course, not to be missed were the Alabama native’s harmonica-playing and the manic, footloose moves that became his trademark on “AI.”
Article continued here ...