Taylor Hicks My Idol

Taylor Hicks - Seven Mile Breakdown

2009-05-05T03:42:00.001-04:00

"Seven Mile Breakdown", Taylor Hicks' new music video premieres tomorrow, Wednesday, May 6th on AOL music!

"Seven Mile Breakdown" is the second single being released from Taylor Hicks' CD 'The Distance'. To read more about Taylor's newest single, soon to impact Country radio, scroll down to the previous blog entry. You'll also find there, video of Taylor's American Idol appearance last week, when he introduced American to "Seven Mile Breakdown". Fabulous performance, well deserving of the standing O for Mr. Hicks!

We waited, what seems like forever, to have a 'real' Music video showcasing Taylor's talents, and now within months we have two!!

I have been throughly enjoying Taylor's "What's Right Is Right" video from his first single! We are now in for a second musical and visual treat, thank you Taylor and thank goodness for MODERN WHOMP RECORDS!

Taylor Hicks - "It's good to be home on the Idol Stage."

2009-05-01T05:04:00.004-04:00

It was "Rat Pack Week" on American Idol this past week. I was reminded of the Season 5 AI tour and the many times that Taylor along with his AI5 Rat Pack would give an often surprise after-show concert in the city that they were in.

image: American Idol Season 5 Rat Pack
Bucky Covington, Ace Young, Taylor Hicks, Elliott Yamin

image: American Idol Season 5 Rat Pack
Soul Patrol Bus (image by Allyn)

The mantra from the judges this week was "swagger". Armed with a guitar, harmonica and a new single, "Seven Mile Breakdown", Taylor Hicks brought HIS confident swagger to the stage on Wednesday evening.

video: "Seven Mile Breakdown" American Idol 4-29-09

The audience rewarded him with overwhelming applause and Taylor, himself, seemed genuinely taken aback when he saw all four judges standing after his performance. It must have been a really "sweet" moment for him.

Taylor has not rested on the laurels of the Season 5 Idol crown. He has worked non-stop the past three years building a career in the entertainment industry. The always humble Southern gentleman thanked American Idol and his fans when he was being interviewed by Ryan Seacrest on-stage. While Taylor worked for many years as a "working musician", he has always expressed his gratitude for the doors that opened for him after his win.

"Seven Mile Breakdown", is being released to Country radio stations on May 5th. According to Wikpedia, there are over 38 genres of Country music with many sub-genres. There is no doubt in my mind, that this song will find it's place in one of those genres. For me, it is very exciting to see Taylor enter the Country market. He has the genuine desire to sing a song that tells a story, he's got the whiskey-tenor voice to tell the story and he's got his trusted harmonica!

Congratulations, Taylor on a fabulous performance!

Taylor Hicks On American Idol

2009-04-23T02:32:00.012-04:00

From Taylor Hicks' MYSPACE and Taylor Hicks HQ

It's official!!!
Taylor Hicks will be performing his latest single, "Seven Mile Breakdown", on American Idol next Wednesday, April 29!
Tune into Fox at 9/8c to see Taylor Hicks back on the stage where it all began!

We've had some incredible performances of Taylor Hicks' "Seven Mile Breakdown" captured on video to whet the appetite of those of us not yet fortunate to have seen Taylor perform it live.

ENJOY!!!
Taylor Hicks @ Cafe Du Nord, San Francisco
April 14, 2009

video by: Robin Again (thank you!)

Taylor Hicks - Accoustic performance of "Seven Mile Breakdown" on San Francisco's View From The Bay

IT'S GONNA BE A LONG SIX DAYS WAITING TILL TAYLOR HICKS

ONCE AGAIN ELECTRIFIES THE STAGE OF AMERICAN IDOL!

Taylor Hicks ~ New Found Freedom

2009-03-07T03:05:00.006-05:00

Last week, we had the opportunity to have a sneak peek at Taylor Hicks' new CD, The Distance which will be released on March 10, 2009. Many of Taylor's songs have a message and, for me, the title track, "The Distance", has the biggest message for humanity.

In my opinion, there is another song from Taylor Hicks which has a very personal message of self-realization and it is "New Found Freedom". As I watch some of Taylor's most recent interviews, the lyrics to this song definitely fit the man and where he is right now.

The words below, in particular, are clearly evident in the media we have been seeing and hearing lately.

"When I walk
I walk with confidence
I hold my head up high
When I talk
I’ve got a positive sense
Of who I am inside."
For those of us who boarded the Taylor Hicks Train at the beginning, we have shared an incredible ride!

We started here:
video: Taylor Hicks - American Idol Audition

We watched every week and saw Taylor evolve as an artist. This was an exciting moment for all of Taylor's supporters:

video: Taylor Hicks - American Idol Season 5 Finale

Listening to one of Taylor's most recent interviews, with Taryn Winter Brill from ABC News Entertainment - "What's the Buzz", gave me a sense of Taylor's "New Found Freedom". Taylor, as an entertainer and a man, has broadened his scope since that "first" day he appeared on our television screens. He does not just "talk the talk" with respect to the lyrics of this song, Taylor Hicks "walks the walk".

We are now here:

screencap caption: Taylor Hicks Goes "The Distance"

screencap caption: American Idol's Taylor Hicks

screencap caption: "Grease" Star Taylor Hicks

screencap caption: Taylor Hicks Singer/Songwriter

To enjoy this fabulous interview from What's The Buzz, click here

Mary Colurso, Birmingham News, has written a wonderful "up close and personal" interview with Taylor Hicks which gives us more insight into Taylor and The Distance.

To read Mary's full interview with Taylor click here

I really enjoyed reading Mary's interview, "Track by Track with Taylor". It gives us more understanding with respect to Taylor's perspective on the songs which have been included on The Distance. It's no secret that I happen to agree with his assessment of "Maybe You Should".

click here for Mary Colurso's "Track By Track With Taylor"

Taylor Hicks now has his own record label, "Modern Whomp Records". He is looking forward to signing other artists to his label in the future. Taylor has worked continuously over the past three years. He has literally spread his "Teen Angel Wings" and with the release of "The Distance", this artist is "gonna fly" with the "Taylor Hicks' Sound"!

Today's cup:

"As long as we are persistent in our pursuit of our deepest destiny, we will continue to grow. We cannot choose the day or time when we will fully bloom. It happens in its own time."
~ Denis Waitley ~

Mark your calendar and tune in!

TV Guide's "IDOL TONIGHT", hosted by Kimberly Caldwell and Justin Guarini, will premiere it's 4th season Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT with special guest Taylor Hicks, season five winner of “American Idol”.

blog post and screencaps by KarinP

Taylor Hicks Did Go "The Distance"

2009-02-26T22:53:00.004-05:00

“I think a common theme on a lot of records that you hear today is that all the tracks sound like the first song that you hear on the CD, and the voice of the artist is really kind of secondary in the majority of records,” Hicks said. “I think on this particular record, my voice is a common thread, and my love for different styles of music is really apparent. I think that’s why Climie was such a wonderful producer to work with. He was able to facilitate the music on the record and mold it into the shape of my vision. Working with him was very beneficial to this project.”
~Songwriters Universe Magazine Interview by Jason Blasco~

Bloom and I were very fortunate to catch the KOL Listening Party for 'The Distance' while it was posted online. We are hoping that the preview will once again be available on March 2nd. If you have not yet heard a preview of Taylor Hicks' new CD, please check AOL Music on Monday. Taylor is scheduled to appear on Regis and Kelly on Monday, March 2nd as well. I can't think of a better way to start off the month of March!

Taylor Hicks has accomplished his goal on this CD. No two tracks sound the same which keeps you wondering what is coming next. There is something for everyone on 'The Distance'. Taylor boldly shows his unique versatility by crossing more than one genre of music!

It didn't take me long to come up with some descriptive words for the songs on 'The Distance'.

Taylor Hicks' music displays sensitivity, versatility, emotional vulnerability, compassion for mankind, understanding, empathy and perhaps most importantly, "optimism" with the title track, "The Distance".

His sense of humour is clearly evident on two of the tracks - "Keeping It Real" and "Wedding Day Blues". Taylor teams up with Elliott Yamin on "Woman's Gotta Have It". I hope that we will hear more collaborations from these two artists in the future because they really are a unique combination of talent.

If you have ever experienced "a love gone wrong", (haven't we all at some time in our lives?),"Maybe You Should" will bring you to your knees and tears to your eyes. "Nineteen" is a heartfelt tribute to the sacrifices of our men and women who bravely find themselves abroad.

Everyone will have their own favourites on this CD. There is no need for me to elaborate on each track. It more important for you to make your own assessment. Visit AOL often and enjoy the new music that Taylor has shared with us.

On behalf of Bloom and myself - "Thank you, Taylor!"

Listening to Taylor Hicks' CD makes us FEEL good!

We wish Taylor continued success in the entertainment industry!

Today's cup:

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."
~Herman Cain~

"TAYLOR HICKS EXTENDS NATIONAL GREASE TOUR" – A SIGN OF THE TIMES?

2009-02-24T02:28:00.004-05:00

A few days ago, I was surprised to read that Taylor Hicks had extended his contract with the National Grease Tour until 2010.

When I discussed this with a friend, she told me that she was not at all surprised. When “times” are difficult, she said, people feel the need to be distracted from the everyday challenges of life. Taylor intends to continue the “shadow tour” with his music which, in the end, turns out to be a “win/win” situation for him and his growing fan base.

My friend’s analogy to the desperate times of the Great Depression really did hit home with me when I watched the Oscars on television. It wasn’t an obvious choice for me to watch this show but since my favourite programs were not scheduled, I decided to take in the celebrations of the evening.

The multi-talented Hugh Jackman was an impressive host for the Oscars. I thoroughly enjoyed his musical and dance performances with Anne Hathaway and Beyoncé. In several interviews over the past few months, Taylor has made references to his goal of being a well-rounded entertainer. After watching Hugh Jackman, Taylor's rationale of "honing his craft" is understandable especially in today’s environment.

On a non-musical note, I thought it was wonderful that the acting nominees received individual recognition by one of their peers before that “envelope” was opened. All too often in previous shows, the names are read far too quickly without any personal mention of the accomplishments of the nominees. This was another “feel good” moment in my opinion.

As I watched the performances which included dancers and top hats, I was reminded of a time many years ago when there were afternoon movies on television that always had a great story, lots of music and dancing. You walked away from the television feeling good!

It seemed to me that the dominance of a musical theme throughout the show reinforced my friend’s conclusions that when the road is full of potholes, as it has been over the past several months, we all look to the entertainment industry to distract us from the hardships and the ongoing uncertainty that we are faced with on a daily basis.

During one of the elaborate musical performances, there was a tribute to Grease which obviously made me smile. I had always been a fan of the original movie and its music. Hugh Jackman shouted out “good music is coming back”! Yes, I thought, bring back some really good music. I want to feel good.

Music continued to be in the limelight during the Oscars when Queen Latifah performed “I’ll Be Seeing You” as pictures of those who have “moved on” were flashed across the screen. At the end of the show, we saw clips from upcoming 2009 movies accompanied, yet again, by music.

All of the emphasis on “music” that I saw on the Oscars tells me that Taylor Hicks has made a good decision to stay with the Grease Tour. Musicals are coming back which was clearly evident in the very popular movie “Mamma Mia"! When times are the darkest, we seem to yearn for nostalgia and we want to tap our feet to the beat of the uplifting songs.

Taylor Hicks' new video produced by Jake Davis for his newly released single, “What’s Right is Right” gives us this feeling of nostalgia with the lighting effects; the scenes of a dimly lit bar and an old-style restaurant. The song gives us hope that life will get better and that love from those around us can see us through the troubled days we face as citizens of this world.

Taylor’s new CD, “The Distance” which is being released on March 10th will, I am sure, give us more “feel good” music!

Today's cup:

A bend in the road is not the end of the road... unless you fail to make the turn.
~ Author Unknown ~

Taylor Hicks Tells It Like It Is

2009-02-16T22:13:00.004-05:00

American Idol Winner Taylor Hicks Talks About His New Album The Distance, And His Songwriting
By Jason Blasco

Taylor Hicks quickly discovered the instant fame that comes from being named the 2006American Idol winner. Hicks has refused to buckle under the blazing spotlight of the entertainment industry, and has thrived on eclipsing expectations since his national television debut when Simon Cowell vehemently stated, “The American Idol audience would not put him in the final group, and he should be singing as a background singer.”

Hicks proved Cowell wrong by becoming American Idol’s Cinderella story and champion. Hicks rode the wave of success with his 2006 debut album, Taylor Hicks, that was certified platinum less than a month after it’s December release. But despite the early success of his debut album, he was dropped by both Arista Records and J Records in early 2008 after disappointing overall sales.

Like he has throughout his entire career, Hicks took being the lowest-selling artist in American Idol history in stride, and continued to move forward with his next project. Hick’s new album, The Distance, which will be released in March and contains the single “What’s Right is Right,” encompasses Hicks’ love for blues, pop, R&B and country. The album also features more of Hicks’ own compositions than on his previous album. Hicks is releasing The Distance on his own Modern Whomp Records label, which is distributed via a partnership with independent artist services company, Artist To Market. Hicks has also secured a deal with Vanguard/Welk Records to release some of his pre-American Idol material.

“Well, for me, I wanted to first of all understand the record, and what the model for owning and operating my own label was going to be,” Hicks said. “I felt like owning my own label would be the best way to go, because the distribution and the music has changed significantly. I felt like it was in my best interest to own a label because it’s a hybrid, up-to-the-minute record deal, if you will, and I felt like distribution was the way to go as opposed to the actual classic music business models.”

For Hicks, releasing The Distance under his own label changed the dynamics, and it allowed him the flexibility of more creative expression as a songwriter than he had with Arista Records. “Well, with the first record, I was unable to have the time and creative freedom to collaborate with who I wanted to write with,” Hicks said. “I think that is one dynamic that really sticks on this record. I wanted to showcase the songwriting side of me that I did on my first two records, prior to Idol. I think having the time, being able to pick the writers that I wanted to write with, and thinking about what I created is more apparent on this record.”

Article continued @ Song Writers Universe click here

YAHOO!!!!

YAHOO Music Video Premiere -click HERE!
2/17/09
"What's Right Is Right" - Taylor Hicks

Video still by music video and film director Jake Davis

Today's cup:

"I'm a firm believer in telling the truth, even when the truth hurts. Think of it this way - in the end, telling the truth is easier than keeping up with a bunch of lies. It's also good karma."
~ Taylor Hicks ~

Taylor Hicks Plays The Dating Game

2009-02-13T22:20:00.007-05:00

Dating With The Stars
From: Live With Regis and Kelly

The votes have been tabulated and three lovely young ladies have won the chance to vie for a date with Taylor Hicks on Live With Regis and Kelly - Dating With The Stars.

"Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
Make me a match,
Find me a find,
Catch me a catch"

Tune in Monday, February 16th to meet the winning bachelorrettes chosen for Taylor pictured below!
Who will be the lucky young lady???
Find out on Thursday, February 19th when Taylor Hicks plays The Dating Game!

Good luck girls and have fun!

Julie Courtney, 31
San Francisco, CA
Real Estate Consultant

Stephanie Hlad, 27
Brandon, FL
Office Manager

Emily Stivers, 27
Washington, DC
Online Campaign Coordinator

Watch all week starting Monday, February 16th as Regis and Kelly play matchmakers to two adorable, charming bachelors - Food Network Chef Danny Boome and American Idol winner and musician Taylor Hicks.

Video credits: Live With Regis and Kelly

Meet the Bachelors - Taylor Hicks and Danny Boome

Taylor Hicks will be appearing again on Live With Regis and Kelly Monday, March 2, 2009 to perform his newly released single, "What's Right is Right" currently available for purchase on iTunes and Amazon.com.

Today's cup:

"Well, somebody has to arrange the matches,
Young people can't decide these things themselves."
~ Hodel - Fiddler On The Roof ~

Disney's American Idol Experience Gala

2009-02-12T23:59:00.005-05:00

Taylor Hicks, David Cook, Jordin Sparks, Fantasia Barrino, Kelly Clarkson, Mickey Mouse, Carrie Underwood and Ruben Studdard

Disney's American Idol Blue Carpet

Taylor Hicks smiles for the cameras on the blue carpet.

Minnie Mouse and Taylor Hicks on the blue carpet.

Taylor Hicks riding in the Disney American Idol Experience motorcade

Taylor Hicks exits Motorcade at the Disney Hollywood Studios American Idol Experience Press Event on February 12, 2009.
video capture: auburnsummer (Thank You)

'Idols' Unite at the Disney 'American Idol Experience'
Former "Idol" contender and special ET correspondent Kimberley Locke was front-and-center at the parade to get the dish on this incredible day.
video credit: ETONLINE

Taylor talks with Orlando Metromix

Taylor talks with with 96.3 WDVD

Taylor Hicks at Disney's American Idol Experience Gala holding
a special microphone-shaped statuette created by Simon Fuller and presented to each of the Idol winners.

All seven winners of “American Idol” gathered for the first time ever at Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the grand opening of The American Idol Experience attraction. Pictured, (L-R): Ruben Studdard, Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia Barrino, David Cook, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks and Jordin Sparks — hold silver microphone awards presented to them at the event by Simon Fuller, creator and executive producer of “American Idol.”

American Idol Celebrities
Cast: Simon Fuller, Paula Abdul and Ryan Seacrest.

Former Idol Winners: Jordin Sparks, David Cook, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks and Kelly Clarkston.

Notable contestants: David Archuleta, Bo Bice, Jason Castro, Bucky Covington, Diana DeGarmo, Melinda Doolittle, Josh Gracin, Justin Guarini, Michael Johns, LaKisha Jones, Kimberley Locke, Sanjaya Malakar, Mandisa, Syesha Mercado, Chris Sligh, Carly Smithson, Phil Stacey, Brooke White, and Ace Young.

Inside Disney's American Idol Experience

Today's cup:

"To all that come to this happy place: welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America... with hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world."
~ Walt Disney ~

Be My Valentine

2009-02-03T00:24:00.008-05:00

After winning over the hearts of all of America, Taylor Hicks is ready to win over the heart of one special lady.

From: LIVE With Regis And Kelly ~ Dating With The Stars

Born and raised in Alabama, he is a true Southern gentleman who has spent a lot of time in NY lately starring in Broadway's "Grease"... and is now touring the country in the show.
Besides music, Taylor loves golf, scuba diving, skiing and watching college basketball. He would love to meet a free spirited career-minded gal who can be serious during the week but can cut loose on the weekends.
If your heart is ready for a little Soul Patrol … Taylor is your guy.

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, but even if you don't have a special someone to celebrate with, it's not too late to find love. In fact, Regis and Kelly are going to play matchmaker! We have two adorable, charming and more importantly single men that we are giving our viewers a chance to go on a date with, which may include a trip to New York City to be on our show.
Click here to read more!

Valentine's Day Fun Facts
About 1 billion Valentine's Day cards are exchanged in the US each year. That's the largest seasonal card-sending occasion of the year, next to Christmas.

Women purchase 85% of all valentines.

Valentine's Day and Mother's Day are the biggest holidays for giving flowers.

Worldwide, over 50 million roses are given for Valentine's Day each year.

California produces 60 percent of American roses, but the vast number sold on Valentine's Day in the United States are imported, mostly from South America.

Men buy most of the millions of boxes of candy and bouquets of flowers given on Valentine's Day.

In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.

The Italian city of Verona, where Shakespeare's lovers Romeo and Juliet lived, receives about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet every Valentine's Day.

Richard Cadbury invented the first Valentines Day candy box in the late 1800s.

To be awoken by a kiss on Valentine's Day is considered lucky.

Valentine's Day Superstitions
On Valentine's Day, the first guy's name you read in the paper or hear on the TV or radio will be the name of the man you will marry.

If you see a squirrel on Valentine's Day, you will marry a cheapskate who will hoard all your money.

If you see a goldfinch on Valentine's Day, you will marry a millionaire.

If you see a robin on Valentine's Day, you will marry a crime fighter - maybe they mean Batman!

If you see a flock of doves on Valentine's Day, you will have a happy, peaceful marriage.

If you find a glove on the road on Valentine's Day, your future beloved will have the other missing glove.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Valentine's Day filled with all the love your heart can hold!
~Bloom~

Today's cup:

"Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies."
~Aristotle~

Pillow Talk - What's Right Is Right - Is So Right

2009-01-27T03:55:00.003-05:00

"What's Right Is Right"

From his upcoming album,'The Distance', Taylor Hicks' first single to be released, "What's Right Is Right", is available (MP3 download) as of today, January 27, 2009, at AMAZON.COM and iTunes.

I've long been a listener of Alan Almond's Pillowtalk radio program. I'm a romantic at heart and Pillowtalk is all about romance. Taylor Hicks' "What's Right Is Right" is a perfect tune for lovers - it is full of passion and romance and emotion. It's a baby making song, and I honestly am unable to listen without tears in my eyes.

When I first shared this song with my daughter, I told her, listen to the words and emotion in this song, this is the kind of love I have always wished for you and I do believe that you have found it. She was as profoundly affected as I am and agreed - it's a great song! She was moved by how beautifully Taylor delivered the song, she knows good music when she hears it!
Like Mother - Like Daughter :-)

'The Distance' due to arrive on March 10th is available for pre-order at AMAZON.COM

"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"
"Indiscriminate Act of Kindness."

PLEASE visit TAYLORHICKS.COM to view additional stills of his upcoming video release of "What's Right Is Right", and for a current listing of his scheduled performances!

Taylor Hicks LIVE - My 3 favorite words
:-)
Bloom

Looking in the Rear-View Mirror

2009-01-12T12:48:00.002-05:00

They say that "hindsight is 20/20" ...
I agree with that particular statement. So often, when we glance in our personal "rear-view mirror", we see so much more than we did when we initially experienced all of those life lessons along the "Road of Life". When we look back, we often see how a situation could have been handled in a much different way than it was at the time. Due to our inexperience or immaturity, we handled it the best way that we could at the time. In some cases, people simply do what they have to do in order to survive in this very complex world of ours.

I happen to believe that everything we have seen and heard in our lives, whether it be positive or negative, leaves a lasting imprint on our psyche. It is very fascinating to me that no two people have travelled the same "road". Each of us perceives words, actions and reactions differently when they directly affect us.

It is with great hope that through our travels, we will emerge with personalities, hearts and souls that are influenced by the good things in our lives. Every action/reaction makes us what and who we are today. As we mature, we hopefully will gain a greater understanding of the whys of our "calendar of life events" and we will continue strive to be the very best that we can be. I like to think that the majority of us try to overcome our shortcomings. I guess this could be a good description of "Karma" if you subscribe to that theory which I personally do.

I have always been amazed with the people in this world who, as young children, just "know" what they are going to do with their lives. They seem to arrive here with a very clear destination in their minds and they possess the determination to get where they are supposed to go.

Sometimes, they are blessed with a support network that helps them to achieve their goals and sometimes, they just "do it" through their trials and tribulations. Often, doors will unexpectedly open and they find themselves connected to the right people and friends at the right time who help to guide them to the end zone.

I am often in awe when I think about those individuals who are outstanding political and very influential world figures in various arenas. The "shining stars" in this world often have faced many struggles to fulfill their hopes and dreams.

Since I seem be very analytical in my way of thinking, I always want to understand the "how, what, when, where, and why" of many situations and people in general. What makes them tick? While I will never know the answers to many of those questions because I do not "know" these people, it is always fun to wonder about these things.

This never-ending curiosity of mine, along with the enjoyment of the music from Taylor Hicks, has encouraged me to try to learn more about where Taylor has been. We all know that he became a household word when he appeared on American Idol. His unique combination of charisma and talent was intriguing.

When Taylor Hicks released his 'Early Works' CD in late 2008, his self-penned lyrics demonstrated the raw emotion of youth and his interpretation of the impact of real life experiences.

There have been various thoughts as to the meaning of his songs. His lyrics, to me, are somewhat cryptic at times but then again, I think that feelings expressed in words will only ever be completely understood by the writer of the words especially if they are based on a personal experience. Everyone is entitled to their privacy and songwriters should be given the same consideration with respect to privacy.

I believe that if a song leaves you wondering "why" then it is cleverly written because you have taken the time to actually listen to the lyrics and the impact of the "raw emotion" has really touched you in some way.

One of my favourite songs, and there are many that are, on 'Early Works' is "West Texas Sky". You may agree or disagree with my interpretation but I hope that you will enjoy the video montage which tells a story based on my understanding of this song. Without the amazing graphics by Allyn, I am not sure that this story would have been told.

video: Taylor Hicks - "West Texas Sky"
Through the songs on 'Early Works', we have been given the privilege to look in Taylor's "rear-view mirror". When we read Taylor's autobiography, "Heart Full of Soul", we learned a great deal about his early years. If you know or have a general idea of where someone has been, then, you will understand more clearly where they are going.

Taylor has consistently displayed determination in reaching his goals. His horizons have broadened since American Idol and he has the sequins to prove it!

From all of the media reports as well as the various fan reports, Taylor's performances of portraying Teen Angel in 'Grease' have not gone unnoticed. He has received much well deserved praise and applause. Taylor has grown as an artist, songwriter and a performer since he first graced our television screens and, in my opinion, the sky is the limit for Taylor!

Taylor Hicks' much anticipated new single, "What's Right Is Right", which is scheduled to be released on January 20th will, once again, give us more insight into the "Man behind the Harmonica". I am confident that when his new CD, 'The Distance', is released in March, we will gain much more insight to this very talented artist!

Blog post by KarinP

Today's cup:

"Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be.”
~George Sheehan~

Chicago Welcomes Taylor Hicks

2009-01-06T18:54:00.009-05:00

It's opening night in Chicago!
Taylor Hicks is currently on tour with the musical 'Grease' playing the part of Teen Angel. 'Grease' opens tonight at the Chicago Theater and plays through January 18, 2009.

Taylor is also performing at Martyrs in Chicago Saturday, Jan 17 @ 10pm (Tickets available through TicketMaster)

video: Taylor Hicks joined WGN TV in Chicago today on their Morning News program to perform "The Fall", a self-penned tune from his 'Early Works' album.

For full interview, exclusive WGN videos and additional photos - please visit WGN TV Chicago

Taylor Hicks ~ What's Right Is Right

2009-01-05T18:22:00.016-05:00

Full steam ahead - the Taylor Hicks train is fueled and ready to go!

ROCKETSCIENE.COM announced today - the name of Taylor Hicks' first single, "What's Right Is Right", from his soon to be released new album ,'The Distance'.

The impact date for AC radio, along with a full digital campaign to be launched - is January 27th!

FROM: MYROCKETSCIENCE.COM

(click to enlarge image above)

I didn't see anything about whether "What's Right Is Right" is still scheduled to be available on itunes tomorrow - but the wealth of information RocketScience imparted was fabulous to read!

Click here for a preview of "What's Right Is Right"

Updated January 21st, 2009
Click here to listen to Taylor Hicks' new single,
"What's Right Is Right"

Hear the train?

In The Spotlight ~ Taylor Hicks' ~ The Distance

2009-01-03T18:54:00.006-05:00

LJWorld.COM
“For me, this is a marathon, not a sprint.
The longevity aspect to me is the most important.
Doing Broadway theater and looking at movie roles and writing music and putting out CDs — you have to be well-rounded if you want longevity in a career.”
~ Taylor Hicks ~

The Providence Journal
After 10 years playing in clubs in and around his native Alabama, winning American Idol in 2006 was a blessing.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity that it gave me to continue to keep exploring my artistic expression,” he says, and it gave him the chance to learn the ins and out of recording.

At the same time, Hicks was “a working musician — that’s who I am, and that’s who I’ll always be” — before the TV show came along, and the pop-chart game is a different deal.

“It definitely has its positives and negatives.
It’s very short-lived, it seems, along that side.
For me, the key is that you always have to stay in front of people and work,” says Hicks, who adds that he did 282 shows in 2006, the year his self-titled post-Idol album came out.
“That’s something that I’ll always hang my hat on.”

Touring is also where the money is, because it’s something that can’t be taken away from you, and because you can always sell your records at a show.
“If you’re a working musician, you’re always going to have a chance to sell your records.”

Hicks has some serious backing players — guitarist Doyle Bramhall II, bassist Nathan East and drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. — on his forthcoming record, and says that “I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised about me as a songwriter."

“I think this record is going to allow me to touch on a lot of different styles, not just from a songwriting aspect but from a musical aspect as well.” The record will come out on his own label, and Hicks has signed a distribution deal with A2M.
He says that going his own way was the way to go.

“I must admit, having your own label is being out on the edge in your art.
You don’t get the cushion, but I like that. … “I think this release is going to define who I am as a singer-songwriter. And I want to put myself on the edge that way, because I feel like that’s where I can create my best work … without people telling me what songwriters I need to work with, or what I should do.”

The scheduled release of Taylor Hicks' first single from his new album "The Distance" is January 6th!
Taylor Hicks @itunes
Mark your calendars!

"The Distance" is scheduled to be released March 10th, 2009!!

Today's cup:

"Perseverance is a great element of success. If you knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody."
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ~

Recipe for a Happy New Year

2009-01-01T23:59:00.011-05:00

To leave the old with a burst of song,
To recall the right and forgive the wrong;
To forget the thing that binds you fast
To the vain regrets of the year that's past;
To have the strength to let go your hold
Of the not worthwhile of the days grown old,
To dare to go forth with a purpose true,
To the unknown task of the year that's new;
To help your brother along the road
To lend your shoulder to ease his load;
To add your gift to the world's good cheer,
Is to have and to give a Happy New Year.

To start the New Year off on the right foot, I'm attempting to get back to blogging and to updating this site with all of the wonderful things going on in the artistic career of MY Idol Taylor Hicks.

Perhaps the best way to do that would be to let you hear from Taylor Hicks himself what he has been up to and what we can look forward to in the coming months.

Video: by willgilbert1969
Taylor Hicks drops by the 92 PRO-FM studios in Providence, RI

Video: by WBNS
Taylor Hicks on the Mix Morning Show ~ WBNS
Part 1 ~ Interview

Video: by WBNS
Taylor Hicks on the Mix Morning Show ~ WBNS
Part 2 ~ Interview

Taylor Hicks is the main ingredigent for MY Happy New Year recipe. My 2009 calendar is already filling and I expect it to be a VERY GOOD YEAR!

I hope that you have taken the time to browse around here at 'The Pond' and enjoy all of the sites and sounds of 2008!

For anything that I might have missed, I urge you to visit any of the listings below!

In no particular order, I prepared some time ago, a mind boggling array of online sites devoted to supporting the musical and artistic career of Taylor Hicks. I'm sure I've even missed some as new ones pop up constantly. My apologies to those I may have missed and to any sites whose addy might now be incorrect.

Official Sites
TAYLORHICKS.COM
Taylor Hicks MySpace
Taylor Hicks Headquarters HQ
The Taylor Hicks Store

Forums
The Official Soul Patrol
The Boogie Board
Taylor Hicks Connections
Season of the Soul
New England Soul Patrol
SRQ Soul Patrol
Taylor Hicks Fan Forum
Taylors Legs
The Real Deal
The Whomp Swamp
Taylor Hicks Fansite
TaylorMade Online
American Idol Worship

Blogs
Taylor's Angels
It's A Soul Thing
Taylor Hicks My Idol
Idol Blues
RagsQueen and The Traveling Circus
TaylorMadeOnline Blog
Season of the Soul
RightHicksSave
Taylor's Poetic Heart
The Real Deal
mj's bigblog

MySpace
TaylorMadeOnline
Taylor Hicks Fansite
Taylor's Angels
New England Soul Patrol
Taylor Is The Boogie
Taylor Hicks Times
The Official Soul Patrol
Little Buddy Radio

Yahoo Groups
Praying For Taylor Hicks
Taylor Hicks Family
Taylor Hicks AI5
TaylorsWay
NE Soul Patrol
The Sounds Of Taylor Hicks
Soul Patrol

Taylor Hicks My Idol Scrapbook Tribute
Taylorography
Tay-online
Kid One Patrol of Soul

Happy New Year everyone,
hope to see you 'here' and on the road!
~Bloom~

Cute As A Bug

2008-10-31T14:36:00.002-04:00

BOO!
Miss Olive, otherwise known as Princess Olive Cupcake, all decked out and ready to wish you a Boo-tiful Halloween!

You've heard the expresssion, cute as a bug in a rug?
How about cute as a bug on a rug?

LOL, just couldn't resist sharing this adorable pic!

Since Taylor Hicks is currently in France for preproduction of his upcoming CD, I thought we could take a look at how Halloween is celebrated in France.
Bonnes vacances Taylor!!

But first, in case you missed it, here is Taylor's audio blog from France!
Enjoy!!

Update:
Friday, October 31, 2008
New Taylor Blog!
Hello Soul Patrol,

I just returned from France having complete pre production on the new record. I cannot wait for y'all to hear it...it is truly my best work.
Have a great Halloween and be on the lookout for some more studio updates.
~Taylor~

From ASK.COM
Halloween in France is usually celebrated by costumed people of all ages going to parties at friends' homes, restaurants, bars, or clubs. The costumes themselves tend to be traditionally "scary" - mummies, ghosts, goblins, witches, and vampires - rather than the cute costumes like princesses, superheroes, and the cartoon character of the day which are popular in the US. Some recreation centers encourage kids to make their own costumes.

Trick-or-treating is getting to be more common. It started out store-to-store, rather than house-to-house, but the latter is picking up. However, Halloween occurs during the mid-season school break, which slows it down a bit.

Stores, malls, restaurants, offices, and homes decorate their windows; pastry and candy shops make up special desserts and candies; and many different kinds of companies use Halloween in their ads. Supermarkets sell pumpkins for jack-o'-lanterns and candy companies are now marketing candy in the traditional Halloween format: one big bag filled with lots of little packages, which may encourage trick-or-treating.

The growing demand for jack-o'-lanterns during Halloween has been a boon for pumpkin growers. There is even a pumpkin patch at a farm outside of Paris where people can pick their own.

Halloween in France is rather controversial, due to the perception of corporate and cultural influence, as well as the fact that it is not a typical French holiday and some people still don't understand what is being celebrated. Because Halloween is seen as an American celebration, some French people refuse to enjoy it, having decided to include it in their anti-American boycott. It's too early to tell whether Halloween will develop into a long-term tradition; once the novelty wears off, it may turn out to be just a fad. And yet, interestingly, the French have been celebrating the ideas at the very heart of Halloween (respect for the dead) for centuries. 31 October to 2 November have traditionally been spent, especially by older generations, visiting cemeteries, honoring saints, and attending religious services.

Limoges — The city in France that has most embraced Halloween is Limoges, where every year since 1996, the town has put on a Halloween parade on October 31. About 30,000 people show up for a parade of ghosts, goblins and ghouls carrying candlelit pumpkins. There are also lots of people who dress up in costume and tour the local bars, cafes and restaurants, many of which hold special Halloween parties. If you are looking for a real Halloween celebration in France, heading to Limoges is definitely the way to go.

Today's cup:

The witches fly Across the sky,
The owls go, "Who? Who? Who?"
The black cats yowl
And green ghosts howl,
"Scary Halloween to you!"

The Frost Is On The Pumpkin

2008-10-22T11:13:00.004-04:00

Well the frost was on the pumpkins this morning, burr!

The fall colors have been spectacular and the weather up to now has been simply beautiful. Autumn is my favorite time of year, even though it is the harbinger of Winter.

Thankfully the sun is now shining brightly, and the frost has disappeared, so to celebrate I have a few more sweet treats to fill your Halloween goodie bag!

Of course there is a special Taylor treat! A treat that Karin created for us back when we were all awaiting Taylor Hicks' 2006 self-titled CD to drop. (Coincidentally we are all now eagerly awaiting his new Cd that will be released in February of 2009!)

Karin's treat should have been shared in September, but Karin and I didn't get much blogging done that month, so I'm taking the opportunity to share it today, unbeknownst to Karin :-)

But first here is a little something for your goodie bag, a cute poem about Halloween trick or treaters for you to share:

Frost is on the pumpkin
Chill is in the air
Leaves are gently falling
Swirling here and there.

Many different faces
Costumes in the night
Gremlins, ghouls and goblins
Causing quite a fright.

Vampires in the darkness
Hobos in the street
Ghosts are ringing doorbells
Time for trick-or-treat.

Candles in the window
Faces all aglow
Painted little munchkins
Put on quite a show.

Full of tricks and sorcery
Warlocks in the night
Lamps are shining brightly
Makes for quite a site.

Lots of spells and magic
Witches do appear
Riding on their broomsticks
Halloween is here.

Now we'll go to the moon and back, back to September that is, for your Taylor Treat! Come a little bit closer now, you're in for a real treat!

video: "Harvest Moon" a Taylor Hicks Montage by KarinP

Taylor Hicks

A little Harvest Moon trivia:

"When the moon is full, mankind is one!"

In China and throughout many Asian countries people celebrate the Harvest Moon on the 15th day of the eighth month of their lunar calendar. The date in the Western calendar changes yearly. This year, it fell on September 14, 2008.

The Harvest Moon or Mid-Autumn Festival (Zhong Qiu Jie) is a day of family reunions much like a Western Thanksgiving. Chinese people believe that on that day, the moon is the roundest and brightest signaling a time of completeness and abundance. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, children are delighted to stay up past midnight, parading multi-colored lanterns into the wee hours as families take to the streets to moon-gaze.

It is also a romantic night for lovers, who sit holding hands on hilltops, riverbanks and park benches, captivated by the brightest moon of the year!

September's full moon, known in folklore as the Harvest Moon, rises over the DC skyline.
photo credit: philliefan99

Today's cup:

"Everyone is a moon and has a dark side, which he never shows to anybody."
~ Mark Twain ~

This Candy IS Dandy!

2008-10-19T16:53:00.008-04:00

Taylor Hicks Is The Candy Man!
Sweet Sugar

I thought I'd do a special blog for Halloween centered around my favorite part - treats!
I'm giving out virtual candy treats this year!

The first treat is the delicious canvas of Taylor Hicks, portrayed as the candy man, that I created for the beginning of the blog - click on it for the full effect!

The second treat is this fabulous video that was created almost a year ago and I just found the other day. Don't know how I missed it, but it is titled simply Taylor Hicks. I had no idea when I clicked on it what a wonderful treat I had in store.

video: by ELVISEXPERT2006
(Thank you Kaicee!)

I just simply sat at my computer with a big smile on my face, and I'd like to give a big thank you to the young lady who created this video, because she made my day!

Is there is a big smile on your face too, are you singing "I want candy"?

Now that we are all on a sugar high, we won't need any Karma coffee to get our motor's running, Taylor took care of that! So today I'll finish with a few fun-filled facts about some of the most popular Halloween goodies!

Yum, it's that great of time of year where bags, sacks, buckets and bowls of yummy candy are seemingly everywhere. I am a chocoholic and my favorite treat is M&M Peanuts. My statistics prove they are totally nutritious and there's no tell-tale messy evidence, well except for all of the empty bags :-)

Halloween Candy Fun Facts
By Jeanne Benedict

Are you a Snickers bar fan or do you crave M&M’s? One quarter of all the candy sold annually is for Halloween night. Here are some fun facts to make the holiday even sweeter!

Candy Corn
Candy corn was invented in the 1880s by George Renninger of the Wunderlee Candy and is produced today by the Jelly Belly Candy Company.
October 30th is National Candy Corn Day.
An estimated 35 million pounds of candy corn, that’s 9 billion pieces, will be produced this year.

M&M’s
M&M’s were introduced to American GIs during WWII in 1941.
M&M’s were originally sold in a tube and then packaged in their famed little brown bag in 1948.
In 1950, the first “M” was imprinted in black on the candy giving the morsels their signature style.

Snickers and Favorite Candy Bars
Snickers bars have topped the charts for years as the #1 Halloween candy bar.
Parents favorite treats to sneak from their kids’ trick-or-treat bags are snack-size chocolate bars (70% sneak these)!
Other favorite candy bars to look for in trick-or-treat bags are Nestlé Crunch, Milky Way, Three Musketeers, and Almond Joy.

HERSHEY’S KISSES
HERSHEY'S KISSES hit the scene in 1907 and have been on candy shelves ever since with a brief interruption from 1942 to 1949 due to the rationing of silver foil during WWII.
A popular belief is that the “KISS” got its name from the sound or motion that the machine makes while producing them.
76% percent of households will include bite-size chocolate candies in their Halloween activities and 26% percent will go for full-size candy (chocolate and non-chocolate).

We have to give a shout out to Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Tootsie Rolls & Pops, Smarties, and Charms Blow Pops, which will also fill the bags of the 93% of children who will go trick-or-treating this year.

A special thanks to the National Confectioners Association for some of the facts in the article! Check them out at CandyUSA

Have a safe and fun-filled Halloween!
Bloom

Hooked on a Feeling

2008-10-15T02:24:00.001-04:00

You know that 'feeling' I'm talking about!
The euphoria you experience when listening to Taylor Hicks' music.

Then there's the high intensity excitement that enfolds you when seeing Taylor Hicks in concert.
Anticipation, wonderment, tears and smiles.
You feel so good you are down right giddy.

video: Taylor Hicks @ Millersville University, Millersville, PA

Well I searched for most of this past summer for something to give me a taste of that special 'feeling'. I knew a trip to see Taylor in 'Grease' on Broadway wasn't in the cards, so I wasn't going to get a Taylor fix any time soon.

To the rescue came my friend Froggie with news that Ray LaMontagne and Marc Broussard were both performing concerts in our area. My soul was about to receive some much needed soothing and I eagerly agreed to her purchasing tickets for both performances.

It seems our souls were not the only ones in need of soothing. Both concerts were highly attended, in fact they were packed with varying ages, but the predominant age was college students. And believe me they were as into and appreciative of the music as we both were.

Can you imagine our excitement upon hearing Ray sing "Trouble" and Marc singing "You Send Me" and "Let's Get It On". It was as if the spirit of Taylor Hicks was right there with us!

Both Marc and Ray gave fabulous performances, but for me there is only one person whose performances fullfill that special 'feeling'. Taylor is the man ...
hook, line and sinker.

video: Taylor Hicks @ House of Blues, Cleveland

We caught Ray's concert at the Royal Oak Theater, but this video from his Chicago concert is a better capture of his new song.

video: "Winter Birds" by Ray LaMontagne @ The Chicago Theater

And here is a small sampling from Marc's almost 2 1/2 hour concert.

video: Marc Broussard @ The Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, MI

Thanks Froggie for looking out for me! Without you as my travel buddy I would have missed so many wonderful concerts.

Next adventure booked is East Lansing in December to see Taylor in 'Grease'.
What a fab birthday present for me!

What's Going On and On!

2008-10-10T02:05:00.006-04:00

photo caption: From OK Magazine
Taylor Hicks article
(click to enlarge)

In a nut shell here's what's going on:
I took a little hiatus from blogging, after cutting the umbilical cord attaching me to my computer first :-) Ouch!
My apologies for not being up to date with what's going on in Taylor Hicks' career, especially with so many fabulous things happening.

It's been a busy month for me, but it's been an even busier month for news from Taylor. The following article from Alec Harvey and the two videos below are a quick recap of what's been going on and what's coming!

Hicks Is The Word
By Alec Harvey
Birmingham News
AL.com

With a new record deal and an upcoming tour of 'Grease', the Alabama Idol's career is in high gear

Taylor Hicks says he's living out of suitcases for the time being.
Taylor Hicks is rarely at a loss for words.
But he's had to contain himself this year, hearing and reading that his 800,000-unit-selling self-titled CD was a one-shot deal. That he wouldn't sign another record deal. That the 2006 "American Idol" was through.

"It's about driven me crazy to hold my tongue," Hicks says. "I've wanted to talk about this for three months, but I've been patient and trying to be smart about choosing my battles."

The battle, it seems, is over.

Hicks, who turned 32 on Tuesday, announced on his birthday that he had signed a deal to release his new CD in February 2009. It'll be on his own Modern Whomp Records label through Artist to Market (A2M), which gives the Birmingham native control over his recording destiny.

"I was offered a plethora of record deals, some traditional record deals and some non-traditional record deals," Hicks says. "It's been very hard not to just hop on the first one that was offered, but during that time when there was a lot more speculation that I might never sign one again, it couldn't have been further from the truth."

He calls the A2M deal "very cutting edge."

"In today's marketplace, having the control as the artist is key," Hicks says. "I'm in control of where I spend my marketing dollars, who I want to record with, and in control of the companies I hire out. It allows me a really focused release. Basically, I am my own record label."

What that means for the upcoming CD is that the bulk of it will be written or co-written by Hicks, who cut his musical teeth in bars in and around Birmingham.

"I've always been a singer-songwriter, and that's going to be able to surface a lot more than it did on the last record," he says. "On the last one, things had to move at such a quick pace that the actual art of songwriting couldn't really be seen on the last record."

Hicks is in pre-production of the CD now, working with producer Simon Climie (Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Faith Hill) in the studio.

"I don't have a title for it, yet," Hicks says. "I'm kind of waiting for it to hit me."

Announcement of the new record deal comes just after Hicks' stint in the Broadway production of "Grease" comes to an end, and just before he hits the road as that show's Teen Angel for the national tour beginning Dec. 1.

Taylor Hicks earned positive notices when he played Teen Angel in "Grease" on Broadway. "It was such a success and such a great way for me to learn a new craft," Hicks says of his Broadway debut. "I feel like if I'm going to have longevity in the entertainment industry, I've got to cover all aspects. I have to reinvent myself."
The national tour of "Grease" will offer a unique hybrid for Hicks, he says.

"We're going to cross-promote this record with the 'Grease' tour," he says. "I'll be allowed to perform my single in the show on tour."

Most importantly, it offers fans a chance to experience Hicks live, which he says is crucial to his success.

"There's such a live aspect to me," he says. "You put me on the radio, and you can't see me, you can't feel me, you can't touch me, so it's easy to count me out in that regard. On the road, that's where you really make your mark and have your longevity."

So don't count Hicks out just yet. He's only getting started, he says, and he doesn't pay attention to the naysayers.

photo caption:
"I hear those things, but I'm not into the talk, I'm into the walk," Taylor Hicks says.

video: Taylor Hicks interview, MY FOX, Birmingam
October 9,2008

To recap Taylor's last year, Karin has done another "Trip Around the Sun" video in celebration of Taylor Hicks' most recent trip around the sun which he completed on October 7th.

Happy 32nd birthday Taylor!

Uploaded by KarinP

video: Taylor Hicks' Trip Around The Sun 2007-2008

And finally a slew of karma coffee with a slight twist, lots of caffeine and sarcasm here, just too cute not to share:

The Zen of Sarcasm

1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty much leave me the hell alone.

2 . It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.

3. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.

4. Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.

5. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.

6. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.

7. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes

8. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.

9. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.

10. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably a wise investment.

11. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.

12. Some days you're the bug; some days you're the windshield.

13. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

14. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.

15. A closed mouth gathers no foot.

16. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.

17. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.

18. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

19. Never miss a good chance to shut up.

20. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

The Many Talents of Bryan Adams

2008-09-09T12:08:00.000-04:00

This past week, Bryan Adams was a guest mentor on Canadian Idol and it is a privilege for me to share some information about this well known Canadian superstar with those of you who are reading this blog.

Bryan Guy Adams was born in Kingston, Ontario on November 5, 1959.
He is a multi-talented Canadian legend.
He is not only a singer-songwriter but he is also a well known photographer.
His performance attributes include vocals, guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, piano and harmonica.
Bryan has sold in excess of 65 million records during his career.

Prior to the release of his self-titled debut album, 'Bryan Adams', which was released in February 1980, he had a chance meeting with Jim Vallance in a Vancouver music store. Since that time, Bryan and Jim have had a songwriting partnership that has generated many hit songs and movie soundtracks.

The voice of Bryan Adams is always recognizable when you hear his music on radio, television or on a movie soundtrack. Only one of his #1 hits, "Heaven", was not written for a motion picture.

Bryan Adams has been awarded many Juno Awards; Grammy Awards and he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award (which wasn't his only nomination for a Golden Globe) in 2007 for songwriting on the film "Bobby". "Bobby" also earned him a Grammy Award in 2008. His incredible movie work has earned him three nominations for Academy Awards.

One would think that being a singer/songwriter would keep him very busy, but Bryan Adams is a recognized photographer. His work has been published in many well known magazines.

Bryan released a photo book in Canada in December 1999 and then a subsequent book called 'Haven' in 2000. In June 2005, Bryan published his first book of photos in United States with Calvin Klein which is called 'American Women'. The proceeds of this book go to breast cancer research for programs at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Clinic in New York City. All of his books are dedicated to his friend, Donna, who, sadly, did not survive her battle with Breast Cancer.

Bryan Adams is a well known social activist. His dedication to many causes demonstrates his character and desire to "give back". He is the official photographer for "Hear the World" in which he hopes to raise awareness about the issue of hearing loss. He has photographed many of his peers for this cause. Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall are the latest celebrities to be photographed by Bryan. Among those photographed by Bryan, are Michael Bublé, Rod Stewart, Annie Lennox, Joss Stone and many others.

Bryan photographed each one with a hand behind their ear to convey a message that they were attempting to hear.

“I’m interested in the goals that Hear the World is trying to achieve,” Adams said. “As a musician, I’m naturally sympathetic to a cause dedicated to help people appreciate and preserve an individual’s sense of sound.”

Bryan Adams has established the Bryan Adams Foundation. Following his concert in July 2008 in New Orleans, Bryan decided to support the redevelopment of this city due to the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina. The Foundation made a grant to "Make It Right" - a project dedicated to re-building homes in the Lower Ninth Ward.

Bryan Adams is a treasured Canadian entertainer and humanitarian who not only shares his talent with the world but also his generosity. He has deservedly earned the respect and support of millions of fans around the world.

I think it would be fair to say that the majority of Taylor Hicks' music fans know the story behind the song, "The Right Place". For many of us, this was a song that touched us whether we saw it performed in concert or on television.
For those who do not know the history behind this song, in the words of Jim Vallance, himself, who co-wrote the song with Bryan Adams, below is a shortened version of the story behind this fabulous song. Jim Vallance followed Taylor's journey on American Idol which explains why both he and Bryan thought this was a song meant for Taylor.

Source: http://www.jimvallance.com/01-music-folder/songs-folder-may-27/pg-song-hicks-right-place.html

"In March 1989 Bryan Adams and I wrote a song for Joe Cocker, called "The Right Place". Joe asked us for "something that sounds like Ray Charles" ... and that's exactly what we wrote. But Joe decided "The Right Place" was the "wrong song", and he didn't record it.

So we sent the song to Ray Charles himself, but Ray didn't record it either (I was never able to confirm if Joe and Ray actually heard the song, or if it was rejected by their "handlers" before it reached their ears).

After that, we gave up, and "The Right Place" collected dust on my shelf for nearly 20 years.

Meanwhile, back at the "American Idol" auditions ... despite Simon's scathing comments, Taylor received a resounding "Yes" from Paula and Randy. As Taylor headed for the door, grinning from ear to ear, Randy yelled after him, "Bring all the Cocker, all the Ray Charles. C'mon man!"

Joe Cocker. Ray Charles. That stuck with me.

A year later, in September 2006, when I heard that Taylor was recording an album, I remembered what Randy had said, and it made me think of "The Right Place". I knew the song wasn't a "hit" in the traditional sense, but I thought it might be a perfect vehicle for Taylor to channel his "inner Joe and Ray".

"On July 17, 2007 Taylor performed "The Right Place" on the popular morning television show, "The View". It was "back to basics", with Taylor on vocals and harmonica and Loren Gold on piano, similar to the way the song had originally been written and demo'd.

It was apparent that Taylor had developed an affinity for the song in the ten months since he'd recorded it. On "The View", his vocal performance digs even deeper than it did on the recorded studio version, and Loren provides solid support on the piano.

For anyone who ever doubted the legitimacy of his American Idol success, this performance proves, beyond a doubt, that Taylor Hicks is the "real deal"."

Yes, I agree with Jim Vallance - Taylor Hicks is the real deal but I must admit that Bryan Adams is the "real deal" too! We are so fortunate to have such caring and dedicated musicians in this world!

Once again, it must be said that without the songwriters, including the dynamic duo of Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, there would be no music for anyone to hear. Saying "thank you" to all of those who make the music seems so inadequate because without their talent, our world would be a very dark and quiet place.

Canada's Walk of Fame, Toronto, Ontario is a walk of fame that acknowledges the achievements and accomplishments of successful Canadians. It consists of a series of stars imbedded in 13 designated blocks worth of sidewalks in Toronto, located in front of Roy Thomson Hall, The Princess of Wales Theatre, and The Royal Alexandra Theatre on King Street as well as Simcoe Street.

The first group of members was inducted in 1998, and it has since expanded to include a young filmmakers competition and there are plans for a permanent museum. Inductees on the walk of fame, include athletes; coaches; actors, directors, writers and producers of movies, television and stage; singers, songwriters and musicians; playwrights; authors; comedians; cartoonists and supermodels.

Bryan Adams was inducted this year and the ceremony which was held at the Four Seasons Centre for Performing Arts was televised on Sunday, September 7, 2008.

Bryan Adams opened the festivities with this song, "Can't Stop This Thing We Started".

Linda Evangelista, a long time friend of Bryan's, inducted Bryan Adams into Canada's Walk of Fame.

To learn more about Bryan Adams, visit his website at:
http://www.bryanadams.com/

"I always knew I'd be in music in some sort of capacity. I didn't know if I'd be successful at it, but I knew I'd be doing something in it. Maybe get a job in a record store. Maybe even play in a band.
I never got into this to be a star."
~ Bryan Adams ~

Today's cup:

"Life is a symphony, and the action of every person in this life is the playing of his particular part in the music."
~ Hazrat Inayat Khan ~

New York Post Says It's Taylor Made For Taylor Hicks

2008-09-04T01:37:00.006-04:00

TAYLOR MADE
MIDTOWN RENTAL IS FIT FOR AN 'AMERICAN IDOL'
By MICKI SIEGEL
NEW YORK POST
Normally I do not share anything here that I feel invades Taylor Hicks' personal space, but as he has voluntarily shared his current 'space' with both the NEW YORK POST and OK Magazine (in this week's issue), I thought I'd pass along this great article!

Plus I'm thrilled to learn that Taylor is a lover of green things too!
I was pretty sure he had a green thumb just from several things he has said in the past, but this article confirms it!

HICKS, OUT OF THE STICKS:
Taylor Hicks has lived, written music and often cooked in this one-bedroom apartment while starring in the Broadway production of "Grease."
"This apartment has been perfect for me and what I wanted to achieve," Taylor Hicks says of his Midtown rental. "I wanted to write some music, have friends over, be comfortable and be close to Broadway."

But his stay is now coming to an end. The season five winner of "American Idol" is winding down his first role in a Broadway musical as a soulful, Elvis Presley-ish Teen Angel in "Grease." His last performance will be Sept. 7. (Not to worry, "Idol" fans: On Sept. 9, another season five contestant, Ace Young, will join "Grease" as Kenickie.) For the past two months of his run, Hicks, 31, has been living in the posh Atelier condominium on 42nd Street. This sort of "Hollywood on the Hudson" building, a half-block from the river, has residents including Lindsay Lohan and Nick Lachey. The building features a roof deck, swimming pool, fitness center and basketball court.

Hicks' two-bedroom, one-bath corner unit, which rents for $4,600 a month, includes floor-to-ceiling windows that offer river views as well as city views to the north and south.

"It's a wonderful apartment," says Hicks, who likes the convenient location. "I run in the Hudson River Park, I swim in the pool and I practice my golf swings at Chelsea Piers. It's close to the theater, and I really enjoy being near the water. It's just the best of both worlds."The apartment came furnished, but, Hicks "spruced it up a bit."

Together with decorator Marne Cahn, he bought new pieces that are both handsome and practical.

"This is my first time of having new things," the gray-haired, Alabama-born singer says. "Everything I've always had in my apartment have been my grandmother's hand-me-downs. This is the first time I've actually been able to go out on my own and buy a piece of furniture that hasn't been handed down over generations in my family."

One of his new pieces is a soft avocado suede couch daybed in the second bedroom. It can open out into a queen-size bed for friends who stay over.

"This room is kind of my sitting room," he says of the second bedroom. "I write music in here, I talk on the phone. And the view - it's just about a 180-degree view of whatever you want to see in New York. At night, with the city lights, it's absolutely stunning." The living room is outfitted with a deep brown, almost black leather sofa, which "is really comfortable," Hicks says. "Some mornings I wake up and realize I slept the entire night on the couch. That's how comfortable it is."

It's also the room where he has a wall of guitars.

"I keep the two guitars I like to write with hanging on hooks on the wall," he says. "They're handy, so, if the muse hits me, I can corral her before she gets away." In addition to playing guitar and singing, Hicks has many other talents that he didn't get a chance to display on "American Idol." Like his green thumb - almost every window is filled with thriving plants.

"Because there's so much light in this apartment, there's an equal opportunity for lots of plants to grow," he says.

That extends to the coffee table, which has a glass top with plants and peat moss inside it.

"I just thought it would be real cool to have some greenery within the table," he says.

Hicks is also quite the cook. The open kitchen has seen him whipping up dishes for guests. His specialties are lasagna and chicken piccata.

"A few days ago a fan sent me five slabs of barbecued ribs," Hicks says. "They were already pre-cooked, so I just put them in the oven to warm them and brought them to the theater so we could all eat them. Needless to say, we danced a little slow that night."

Now that he's leaving the show, Hicks is about to record his next album. There's no title or release date yet (he's hoping for early next year), but he's quite excited about it.

"I had time to really create and write the songs," he says. "It's going to be very creative."

And ending this run in "Grease" doesn't mean he's saying goodbye to Broadway. He's hoping for another musical in the not-too-distant future.

"I've had a wonderful time," Hicks says. "I'll be back here again. I'll be putting all my new furniture right back in a place somewhere around here.

I'm really thankful that I was able to come here and experience New York and help spice up the place a little bit. It's definitely country come to town."

Taylor Hicks'
FAVORITE THINGS
* A painting of his band playing at the House of Blues in New Orleans

* A T-shirt he got when, at 18, he worked in a roadhouse called the Flora-Bama Lounge

* His TaylorMade golf clubs

* His collection of old music magazines: "I learn from the singers I read about. They helped me create my own style."

* His case of 12 harmonicas, all in different keys

* His book "Heart Full of Soul"

* The plants all over his apartment

Today's cup:
“A heathy garden is a reflection of a healthy soul.”

To rate this article at the NEW YORK POST Website
AND to give it a buzz up please visit this link

Do You Like Good Music?

2008-08-31T18:38:00.005-04:00

When Arthur Conley shouts "Do you like good music?" on "Sweet Soul Music", the resounding response is "Yeah! Yeah!"

"Soul music is gospel music for everyone - black or white, sinner or saint and it lifted me up like nothing before or since.
Soul music didn't just touch my soul; I think it awakened it for the very first time."
~ Taylor Hicks ~

video: "Sweet Soul Music" performed by Taylor Hicks
American Idol Concert on 7-7-06 Manchester, New Hampshire

The majority of major label releases, or music that you hear on the radio today, is not actually music. It is a product engineered by people in suits who sit around and discuss the best way to get money out of our pockets and into theirs. They don’t give half a hoot about the musical integrity of the “art” they commission.

When they find a trend that sticks, they milk it until there isn’t a cent left in it.
Why does every wannabe teen celebrity princess come out with an album?
Don’t you feel patronized by this?
Major labels think we are stupid and will buy what they sell because of the advertising campaign and overlook the actual music.
You are being sold a culture that you have absolutely no input in creating.
By supporting mainstream music, you are a tool in the system of the rich.
by Jemayel Khawaja

"Good people know good music when they hear it"
~ Taylor Hicks ~

"Good people" was the way in which the crowd was addressed at the Renaissance Festival I recently attended. To borrow from that era and from Taylor's quote,
"Good people I give you ... good music"

Ipod playlist:
Taylor Hicks ~ "Georgia"
Freddie Scott ~ "Hey Girl"
Ray Charles and Michael McDonald ~ "Hey Girl"
Billy Joel ~ "Hey Girl"
Billy Paul ~ "Me and Mrs. Jones"
Taylor Hicks ~ "You Are So Beautiful"

"Hey Girl" has long been a favorite of mine in case you can't tell from the number of times it appears above in my IPOD player. I'm hoping that the next great artist that records this tune will be Taylor Hicks. He has the voice, he has the passion and he definitely has the soul! You have only to listen to his renditions of "Georgia" or "You Are So Beautiful" to imagine how Taylor would make this song his own. I often wonder if Taylor knows that this was one of Ray Charles favorite songs too?

While you are kicking back and enjoying the music - here is an excerpt from an article that I think you'll find quite interesting:

Music Rediscovers Its Vintage Soul
Soul music's origins can be traced to the mid-'50s, when artists such as Ray Charles began fusing gospel and R&B. It enjoyed mainstream popularity through most of the '70s, before the rise of disco and then hip-hop. The genre faded in the '80s as R&B reflected rap's influence, being slickly produced with less live instrumentation. At the same time, major labels catered to the vast youth market, which favored a more contemporary sound.

But in recent years, several factors have helped put vintage soul back on the cultural radar: Europe's ongoing love affair with American music, the re-emergence of older stars such as Solomon Burke, Irma Thomas and Al Green, and fans looking for something they couldn't find in the mainstream.

"I thought that once the music disappeared in the '80s, it wouldn't ever come back again," Charles Walker says. "Today, it's an underground thing. It's one of those things that club DJs and college kids are really into, and they're what's making it happening."

"Whenever you have these (economic) downturns, people turn to music that is uplifting," says Panos Panay, founder of Sonicbids, an online company that connects bands with concert promoters.
"This music resonates with people. Fans are won over by the music's authenticity. People long for the human touch that's lacking in a lot of other popular music. Soul has a familiarity to it, but it's something that hasn't been exploited a lot in recent years."

It's a struggle for soul performers to get airplay when more commercial acts fill that niche, says Sean Ross, vice president of music and programming for Edison Media Research. "If you look at the urban AC chart, there are songs with a retro feel — Noel Gourdin's The River or Alicia Keys' Teenage Love Affair," Ross says. "They have some contemporary element to go with the classic feel.
Sharon Jones and Ryan Shaw take it a step further, and they're harder for radio to relate to."

But Panay points out that the definition of what's mainstream is changing. Airplay and MTV are no longer the only measures of success.
He says nearly 10% of the 160,000 bands registered with Sonicbids are soul and R&B bands. That's 20 times more than he saw a year ago. The Internet, with its multitude of bloggers and music services, and specialty retailers such as Starbucks also are driving consumption. "The curators of music today are very different from who they were just 10 years ago," Panay says. "People are discovering music in all different ways."

And not all the ways are new. At Daptone Records — home to Jones and other soul acts — recordings are made using analog equipment, and they've got a strong market for vinyl LPs and 45s. "When people get a Daptone record, they know it's going to be raw and soulful," says label co-founder and Dap-Kings bassist Gabriel Roth.

It's difficult to predict whether soul will continue growing in popularity, Charles McEnerney, producer and host of the podcast Well-Rounded Radio, says - but there's potential for greater breakthroughs.
"It wouldn't take much for any of those bands to have a fluke hit on commercial radio and interest a major label," he says. "But the desire to be on a major label now is about 'Will it get me into Wal-Mart or Target?' And the trade-off is having someone telling you how to do your music."

The bands find their best strategy is connecting directly with fans.
Playing at rock venues, "we get a lot of kids in their 20s," says Eli Reed. Sharon Jones says she has been surprised at times by the wide range of acceptance. "I was totally shocked when they had us at (Telluride) Bluegrass Festival," Jones says. "These people were a bunch of hippies into blues and rock. But once people hear us, they are into it."
excerpt from USA TODAY
By Steve Jones

Lots of info to ponder - follow the underlined links to read more and to discover or rediscover some great artists!

Today's cup:
"I don't think you could tag a certain year as the date that soul music appeared, because it didn't happen that way. It evolved over a period of time. Even today, you could ask five different people what it was and how it got started and get five different answers....

Originally, soul music had a strong element of the church, of spiritual music. It had a gospel music feeling, and then it incorporated the sound of blues music. That's soul's makeup: the fusion of gospel and blues, all mixed up together. It's the crossover of those forms of music that makes soul unique....

At first I got some criticism for playing soul music. Women sent me letters, accused me of being sacrilegious because they could pick out that gospel music was being incorporated into something that went beyond the sound they heard in church every week. They didn't realize at first how spiritual soul music could be....

And there were people who objected to soul being played on the radio because of the depth of feeling in the music. Some people thought it was too suggestive, and some thought it was just plain vulgar. But the feeling that comes through in the music --that's the essence of soul -- the word itself tells you that.
~ Ray Charles ~

Taylor and The Beatles

2008-08-23T12:09:00.005-04:00

This past week, Canadian Idol honoured the music of The Beatles for the first time on their show. No, this is not a blog about Canadian Idol and yes, I am still watching it because I want to know how it ends. It is rather strange sometimes how one thought leads to another thought and when you finally stop, you wonder how did I get here from there?

In a previous blog about Taylor Hicks' self-penned song, "Somehow", I mentioned that songwriters should be recognized as well as appreciated for their unique talent in putting words, thoughts and music together. Hopefully the end result is a song that is meaningful to others and a Top Ten Hit. The Beatles are definitely no exception when it comes to "creating memories" with their everlasting legacy to the world of music.

Whether you are a baby boomer or you are a child of a baby boomer, you have listened to the incredible music of The Beatles. Surely, everyone has heard about their North American debut on the Ed Sullivan Show back in the '60s.

video: Canadian Idol's Tribute to The Beatles

From Wikpedia:

"The Beatles are one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music, selling over a billion records internationally. In the United Kingdom, The Beatles released more than 40 different singles, albums, and EPs that reached number one, earning more number one albums than any other group in UK chart history. This commercial success was repeated in many other countries; their record company, EMI, estimated that by 1985 they had sold over one billion records worldwide.

According to the Recording Industry Association of America, The Beatles have sold more albums in the United States than any other band. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked The Beatles number one on its list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. According to that same magazine, The Beatles' innovative music and cultural impact helped define the 1960s, and their influence on pop culture is still evident today."

"For accessibility and quality,
it remains impossible to beat The Beatles."
~ Taylor Hicks - 'Heart Full of Soul' ~

Moving from one thought to the next, I remembered that Taylor has also performed music by The Beatles. The first stop down "Memory Lane" is the fabulous performance by Taylor of "Something" which captured many hearts and more importantly, many well deserved votes. We were also introduced to the colour "purple" with this song - a colour that for some reason seems to be often associated with Taylor.

Video: Taylor Hicks "Something"

Thanks, AliceinTaylorland!
On the subsequent AI Tour in 2006, when Taylor brought out the red guitar, the crowds went wild. The audience knew that they were going to hear Taylor's rendition of "Don't Let Me Down". I do enjoy the music of The Beatles but when I watched this performance, it was as if I was hearing the song for the very first time. Taylor gave us a "WOW" moment with this one!

video: Taylor Hicks "Don't Let Me Down"
Thanks, mmmeverclear!
A year later on his solo tour, Taylor Hicks continued to sing his way into the hearts of audiences with his version of "Here Comes The Sun".

video: Taylor Hicks "Here Comes The Sun"

Thanks, elaine1154!

As my feet gently touch the cobblestone of 2008 along this pathway of thoughts, I am reminded of the excitement that was generated in April of this year when it was announced that Taylor would be appearing in "A Tribute to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" at the Wolf Trap Centre, Washington, D.C. One can only surmise that since Taylor has always enjoyed and admired the genius of The Beatles' music that he would definitely have wanted this page in his book of memories.

This weekend in Washington was a date that many had circled on their calendars. Unfortunately, schedules change and Taylor was not able to participate in this "Tribute" due to his commitment to Grease on Broadway. While many were disappointed, I suspect that many others were elated that Bo Bice stepped into Taylor's role at Wolf Trap.

In the spirit of the significance of this weekend's previously anticipated performance, finally we come to my last thought. A salute to Sgt. Pepper with a sprinkle of Taylor Hicks!

video: American Idol's Tribute to St. Pepper -
Season 6 Grand Finale

Thanks, VeGaS1004!

Today's Cup:

Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons.
You will find it is to the soul what a water bath is to the body.
~Oliver Wendell Holmes~

Taylor Hicks A Tall Cool Drink

2008-08-18T15:58:00.001-04:00

Dog days of Summer getting you down?
Feeling tired and cranky?
In need of a pick-me-up?
How about a Big sip of a Tall cool drink?

I have just the thing, a little cool Jazz and a lot of hot harp from Taylor Hicks!

video: "Tall Cool Drink" by Lisa Koch
and
"Soul Thing" by Taylor Hicks

Now, don't you feel better?

Today's cup:

I'm thinking you'd prefer it iced :-)
One iced Karma coffee coming right up!

Taylor's self-penned "Soul Thing" available on
Taylor Hicks "Early Works"!
A compilation of 12 tracks from his two independent albums prior to
winning American Idol in 2006!

Simply The Best

2008-08-15T20:54:00.010-04:00

I am long overdue in officially welcoming KarinP on board as a blog author here at The Pond.

Karin, I really wanted to to do something for your Birthday that was beautiful or at least clever, but as I wasn't clever enough to even realize I missed your birthday, this is the best way I could think of to celebrate your Birthday!

Plus it gave me a perfect opportunity to say thank you for your friendship, thank you for your endless support, and to thank you for all of the wonderful videos you have given us of Taylor.

YOU are "Simply The Best" and I don't know if you remember this or not, but this is a video you made for your friends at The Official Soul Patrol way back in November of 2006.

The "Groove Moment" is on this one!

video: Taylor Hicks Is "Simply The Best"

And so MY Friend are YOU!

Audio: Taylor Hicks self-penned "My Friend" is available on his newly released "Early Works".

What's Next?

2008-08-13T23:20:00.004-04:00

Could any of us have ever imagined that one man and his music could have held the key to bringing so many new and exciting changes to our lives?
Taylor Hicks was an inspiration for many of us to take that flying leap and step out of our respective boxes. To learn new skills as we made our way around the Internet, travel to places we'd never been before, pursue dreams that we had thought impossible, and especially for us to put ourselves out there and make new friends. Friendships that I expect shall last our lifetimes.

His music spoke to us and as we got to know his heart, we gave him a special place in ours. We willingly boarded the Taylor Hicks' train yet sometimes we got impatient when the train wasn't travelling at full throttle, or went to places we didn't expect to find on it's schedule, changed direction or was delayed.

Sometimes we forget that this is Taylor Hicks' life and career and they are his choices and decisions to make, not ours. Sometimes we need to just step back and realize it is our own selfish needs that causes the impatience and fretting that occurs when the train is delayed, changes direction or the schedule isn't posted timely.

I've learned to just plain be thankful for the gifts Taylor has already given us, I know there are many more coming and they are worth waiting for. In the meantime I'll do my best to share those gifts with as many people as possible, any way I can.

The title of this blog 'What's Next' is not about me wondering what Taylor Hicks will be doing next, but has to do with an article that appeared this past weekend in the New York Post about what's on Taylor Hicks' bookshelves.
If you missed the article, you'll find the link posted below, but now that I've gotten off my soap box, I'd like to share with you something that has recently made it into my library.

I stumbled across a series of books for and about women on my visit to the bookstore earlier this week. The title of one of the books 'Late Bloomers', caught my eye and I began thumbing through it. It looked interesting, what I would call a beach read, a good book to simply kick back and enjoy. It is and I did!

The series of books is called 'What's Next' and is a line of entertaining novels about women looking for what's next in their lives. These novels are about rediscovery and reconnection. They are warm, compelling and entertaining stories that are relevant for every woman who has ever wondered, "What's next?"
After all, there's the life you planned. And there's what comes next.

Now if books really aren't your thing, and the only book you can recall having read cover to cover is Taylor Hicks' Inspirational Memoir 'Heart Full of Soul', maybe a few key words that pop up in 'Late Bloomers' will entice you to give it a read. You'll find Ray Charles, Huntsville and Hoover, Alabama woven into this heart-warming story about two friends.
You can find 'Late Bloomers' by Peggy Webb on line @ TheNextNovel.com

Here is the link to the New York Post article
'In My Library - Taylor Hicks'

I think I've figured out why this particular photo of Taylor was used for the article. I believe it is because one of Taylor's book choices was 'Texasville' by Larry McMurtry. I haven't read 'Texasville', but I did read his 'Lonesome Dove'. For anyone who is not a BIG reader, I don't suggest you add McMurtry to your list of must reads, but I hope you'll check out the 'What's Next' series, because "Every Life Has More Than One Chapter".

My life has been all about believing in what lies
just around the corner. After winning American Idol and recording my first commercial album, it still feels like
the best is yet to come."
Taylor Hicks ~ 'Heart Full Of Soul'

Desperately Seeking Soul

2008-08-08T00:42:00.004-04:00

Taylor Hicks ~ "Run Baby Run"
Dream Series Canvas

You know how it is when you get a song stuck in your head and it just keeps replaying over and over ... well that is what happened to me after I added Taylor's "Run Baby Run" to the new video IPOD player here at the Pond.

She was born in November 1963
The day that Aldous Huxley died
And her mama believed
That every man could be free
So her mama got high, high, high
And her daddy marched on Birmingham
Singing mighty protest songs
And he pictured all the places
Where he knew that she'd belong
But he failed and taught her young
The only thing she'd need to carry on
He taught her how to

Run baby run baby run baby run
Baby run
I'm sure the fact that I kept playing the video again and again had 'something' to do with the vision of Taylor Hicks singing "Run Baby Run" in Joliet firmly embedded in my mind. And what a wonderful vision it is!

It inspired me to create the new Taylor Hicks Dream Canvas above, and to send me on a hunt to determine what the lyrics of the song meant.

From The Sheryl Crow Post:
Augustine: Sheryl, I was wondering what is the meaning of "Run Baby Run" on the Tuesday Night album? I love that song I can't get it out of my mind.

SHERYL CROW: The meaning of it was really about a person who was sort of caught in between generations. She was raised by hippies in a time of real conservative social structure. I wrote that song with a couple of friends of mine the night the election results came in, when we were watching the government change from conservative George Bush to young, unconventional, good-looking Bill Clinton. That was a large influence on the song.

Past the arms of the familiar
And their talk of better days
To the comfort of the strangers
Slipping out before they say
So long
Baby loves to run

She counts out all her money
In the taxi on the way to meet her plane
Stares hopeful out the window
At the workers fighting
Through the pouring rain
Shes searching through the stations
For an unfamiliar song
And shes pictures all the places
Where she knows she still belongs
And she smiles the secret smile
Because she knows exactly how
To carry on

So run baby run baby run baby run
Baby run

From the old familiar faces and
Their old familiar ways
To the comfort of the strangers
Slipping out before they say
So long
Baby loves to run

To my knowledge Taylor only sang "Run Baby Run" at two of his concerts, but it's as if he was born to sing this song. Sheryl may have penned the lyrics, but it is the voice of Taylor Hicks that brings the passion to the words.

photo caption: Taylor Hicks "Run Baby Run" from his Joliet concert

Boy what I wouldn't give to turn back the calendar to 2007 and get to relive all over again that 'special' feeling that comes over you when experiencing Taylor Hicks live. That feeling that all is right with your world!

Well, this past weekend I succeeded in turning back the calendar, but my time travel agent was off by 40 years and I ended up traveling back to 1967, a time of war protest songs, flower power, love and peace. I ended up in the 'era' of the lyrics for "Run Baby Run". Close but no cigar!

I ended up smack dab in the middle of Hippiefest instead. LOL, what a trip!
I'm a Motown gal and this was a whole different vibe for me, straight out of the Haight-Ashbury scene. Think die-dye clothing, flowers in the hair, peace signs and a smoke scented haze drifting in the air.

So my quest wasn't fulfilled, I'm still desperately seeking, and
since a trip to New York to see Taylor on Broadway isn't in the cards or my bank account ... what's a girl to do?

Save, Save, Save ... to be ready for my Soul Revival ... and think twice before doing any more time travel!

"Somehow" by Taylor Hicks Is On My Mind

2008-08-05T03:46:00.003-04:00

~ Thank you, Allyn ~

It is another Sunday afternoon and I have been asked to rescue my daughter from her computer problems. Armed with my Dummies Book, my favourite personally mixed CD, a large Tim Horton's coffee and, of course, a box of Timbits for the kids, I head out the door. My journey to the Telephone City is always a pleasurable drive.

As usual, the question arises as I approach the highway, "which way will I drive there today?". My mood is mellow and I decide to take the secondary highway where I can enjoy the scenery with no sub-divisions in sight. Trees, farmers' fields with rolled bales of hay, cows and horses enjoying the pastures on this lazy August afternoon are the things that I need to see so that I can "think".

The "slow" lane is my road of choice this afternoon. I am not alone on this ride though. Taylor Hicks, Michael Bublé, Jon Bon Jovi, The Eagles and Johnny Reid came along for the ride too. In my mind, I know that their music will inspire my thought process.

I see a Monarch butterfly flutter across the road in front of me and I take this as a sign that this is going to be another one of those rides. You know - it is a ride that will have me pondering my thoughts as I have done a few times here at The Pond. (So Different and Yet and The Saga Continues from earlier this year.)

My thoughts travel to Taylor Hicks and his "soon to be released" Early Works CD. I become focused on one of my favourite songs, "Somehow" which was originally recorded in 1997 on Taylor's independently recorded CD, 'In Your Time'.

My ears suddenly pick up the words softly being sung by Jon Bon Jovi:

You wanna make a memory?
You wanna steal a piece of time?
You can sing the melody to me
And I could write a couple of lines
You wanna make a memory?

My mind is flooded with thoughts. I think about the words written in my blog last week about Canadian Idol and how difficult it must be for the contestants on these types of reality shows to put themselves out there to be judged by millions of viewers.

Suddenly, I realize that not only is it difficult to courageously accept the criticism by those who judge performances on reality shows, but imagine writing your innermost thoughts down on a piece of paper or even a serviette, and recording a song that has been written with such personal thoughts which will eventually be judged by the world.

The songwriters, in essence, are "making a memory" which will become a part of the music world and hopefully, will find its place in the halls of music history. For me, it is a very astounding thought and I wonder if they think about that as they "pen" the words which will be eventually recorded?

The songwriter shares with the world, the pain and joy of good times and bad times. The gifted who are blessed with the ability to put their own words to music and then perform/record the song are ultimately judged by the success of the recording.

The songwriter willingly lifts the veil and invites us to feel his or her personal vulnerabilities. How many of us are willing to expose ourselves to those who are close to us or to people we will never know? Pride, understandably, often takes priority and we, as human beings, often do not want anyone to see our weaknesses or our emotional reactions to significant events in our personal lives.

Barry Manilow ~ "I Write The Songs"

The songs of the songwriters will touch the hearts of so many people in this world and hopefully, often help those, who are suffering an "ache in their hearts", to realize that they do not walk alone down the highway we call "Life".

My mind now goes back to Taylor Hicks and how he has written songs which reveal his innermost thoughts, willingly sharing the disappointments experienced when these songs were written. I turn the pages in his book, 'Heart Full of Soul' to see if there was any information about how he happened to write the song, "Somehow". The only reference I could find was that it was recorded back in 1997 after he left the band Passing Through.

With high hopes and costs of $4,500, Taylor chose to record 'In Your Time' and, unfortunately, he realized that "breaking into the music industry wouldn't be simple".

As I listen to "Somehow", I am intrigued by the depth of emotion expressed in this song. I am amazed that he, at such a young age, vividly describes the struggles faced by an aspiring musician. Was he singing about his own trials and tribulations? Personally, I think so.

Thanks to rugratnat14 for creating this video montage.

There's too many things
left to be unsaid
some live in a dark hole
sometimes in my head

but I'm all right
I'll get by
somehow

you want to feel their emotion
sometimes even hold their hand
but they're giving nothing in return
to suit their own demands

but I'm tired
and I'll get by
somehow

look at the people around you
stabbing at your heart
but you still smile in kindness
for not knowing who they are

and their stories have ended
and they've lit up the town
and it's time to go home
as they go and lay their bodies back down

you want to feel their emotion
sometimes even hold their hand
but they're giving nothing in return
to suit their own demands

but I'm tired
and I'll get by.

Taylor Hicks has travelled many miles over the years since writing this song. He has gotten by and only in the past few years, has he finally been able to make his mark in the music industry and on the Broadway stage. It has taken perseverance, determination and his love of music to get him to "where" he is going.

There will always be trials and tribulations for any entertainer in the world of music but these artists continue to reach out and touch those who are willing to listen to their music. While a glamourous life may be what most people perceive, we should remember that it has taken years of hard work and sacrifice for most of them to become successful in their craft. They hope that their music will stand the test of time.

In a recent interview with Derek Keeling (new Danny in Grease), which was written by Tom Nondorf, of Playbill News, Derek's response to this question further illustrates my point about it often taking years for artists and actors to gain recognition.

"Q: Taylor Hicks is currently Grease's Teen Angel.
Have you had a chance to talk with him?

Keeling: Yes, he's a really cool, down-to-earth guy.
He kind of got here in the same way, though on a bigger scale, that I did.
He knows what it is like.
One of the things that has happened with a lot of us (from reality shows) is people see you on a TV show and think that's the first thing you did, when a lot of us had been working in the business for awhile.
I got my first professional job ten years ago.
Taylor said the same thing.
He said he'd been on the road for about 15 years at the point of "American Idol", going around as a musician.
He said, "I worked 15 years to establish myself, and now I've been working the last couple years to re-establish myself."
I really understood what he was saying because I've had people come up to me and say, "Hey, welcome to the business. Welcome to New York."
And I say, "I've been here for awhile, but thanks!"

What would your life be like if there was no music in it?
As the old saying goes, "different strokes for different folks".
It is impossible for everyone to enjoy the same type of music or artists and this leads me to another thought.

While all of us may never agree on who is the best performer or which is the best genre of music, I wonder why we can't respect the choices of others? Why can't we respect that each artist has faced many closed doors and struggles while they try to climb the ladder of success? Is it simply human nature to be very close-minded, think we are always right and quickly criticize others for their choices?

Personally, I think that "Somehow" is one of the best songs that Taylor has ever written and I am so happy that it has been included on his 'Early Works' CD which is being released on August 12th along with other wonderful and insightful music that Taylor has written and recorded.

"If you believe in yourself, anything that comes your way - good, bad, or really ugly - can't knock you too far off track. Believing in yourself is the thing - sometimes the only thing - that will carry you through any situation."
Taylor Hicks ~ 'Heart Full of Soul'

I am anxious to hear your thoughts about "Somehow".
Until the next time that I have more "musings in the car",
enjoy the music and let it touch your soul.

Today's cup:

"Life is like music; it must be composed by ear, feeling,
and instinct, not by rule."
~ Samuel Butler ~

The Ripple Effect of Taylor Hicks

2008-07-31T20:59:00.002-04:00

Humankind has not woven the web of life.
We are but one thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.
All things are bound together.
All things connect.
~ Chief Seattle, 1854 ~

"Like the ripples in a pond, the work of one man, spreads out and touches the lives of others" is part of the quote that represents the Taylor Hicks My Idol blog spot.

It is simply amazing, to even me sometimes, how so many things connect back to Taylor Hicks. It is a ripple effect that evolves into ever widening and connecting circles, much like the effect you would see upon tossing a stone into the water, or in our case here, 'The Pond'.

I have often been asked where the inspiration comes from for the videos I have created, for example Taylor Hicks' "Places I've Been". Sometimes it is a single photo that sparks my thoughts, sometimes the inspiration is triggered by words. Words that keep coming up for several days at a time ... perhaps in a different context ... but inside each context there lies a similarity. My mind simply keeps following the connections.

This is what happened to me with the word 'soundtrack'.
I started with "Let's Spend the Night Together" which Karin linked to "Just Once" in her 'Shades of American Idol Season 5' blog .. and then I went a step further and linked my comment of Taylor Hicks' "Just Once" to being an excellent choice for a soundtrack.

Taking the connections she made between the songs a couple steps further, my mind connected the two love songs and came up with "Just Once Let's Spend The Night Together".
(Lol it could have been the soundtrack for 'My Best Friend's Wedding')
Which eventually brought me to Elton John's soundtrack from the movie 'Friends', "Seasons".

I've just finished another love story video, and while it is not the music of Taylor Hicks, it does tie into today's blog. My new video is a soundtrack from the 1971 obscure movie 'Friends' titled "Seasons" by Elton John.

Lyrics:
For our world, the circle turns again
Throughout the year we've seen the seasons change
It's meant a lot to me to start anew
Oh the winter's cold but I'm so warm with you

Out there there's not a sound to be heard
And the seasons seem to sleep upon their words
As the waters freeze up with the summer's end

Oh it's funny how young lovers start as friends
Yes it's funny how young lovers start as friends
~ Elton John ~

The lyrics of "Seasons", specifically certain words, as well as some of the images I used to depict the story, caused my thoughts to enter another connecting circle.

The image I used above to illustrate The Seasons is of seasons encased in bubbles, which brought to my mind 'The Grey Haired Boy In The Bubble' ... the first chapter in Taylor Hicks' 'Heart Full Of Soul'.

The words "the circle turns again" reminded me of when Taylor Hicks sat in with Willie Nelson to perform "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" at the Red Rocks Amphitheater, and of the first time I heard Taylor sing "Will We Go Round In Circles" with 'Little Memphis Blues'.

I was also reminded of the story Taylor Hicks shared in 'Heart Full of Soul' of what the song "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" meant to him upon the deaths of his close friends. Of how he talked about the book 'The Seat of the Soul' which uses quantum physics to show that we're all connected on a deeper level.

"There is no single way to experience intuition. It is different for everyone...Some people have hunches. Some get ideas. Some people hear music, and others see pictures. Some people get sensations, like the feeling of a crisp winter day. Others hear words."
~ Gary Zukov, Soul Stories ~

Speaking of Soul Stories, I wanted to share here the most recent comment I received from a poster in Greece on my Taylor Hicks "Places I've Been" video ...
"It have soul inside, this song have soul ..."
"Places I've Been" has been travelling around the world, which brings to my mind the quote about Taylor Hicks' music "Changing the world one soul at a time".

I hope that you have been able to follow my thought process, lol, sometimes even I can't figure out how I got to a particular place. It's a matter of connecting the dots to form circles which then ripple into other circles.

"Seasons" by Elton John and Bernie Taupin

Today's cup:
"The ability to relate and to connect, sometimes in odd and yet striking fashion, lies at the very heart of any creative use of the mind, no matter in what field or discipline."
~ George J. Seidel ~

The Results Are In, Did Sebastian Bring It On Home?

2008-07-30T15:40:00.000-04:00

From Canada's National Post
THE AMPERSAND
by Sarah Millar
July 31, 2008

Talking With Sebastian Pigott
Sebastian Pigott’s voice is a little hoarse, but there is no mistaking his enthusiasm the morning after he was the third member of the Top 10 to be eliminated from Canadian Idol.
In fact when asked how he is, he says he’s “just golden.”

Pigott explained there is ultimately a bit of relief that comes with being eliminated from the Idol stage.

“You’ve been engulfed in the bubble and it’s all so intense for so long. So there’s a little bit of relief in it and you know, I didn’t expect to go all the way.
I feel like I went out on a good note”
Article from The Ampersand continued here

The results are in and Canada's voice is heard

Top 7, Enjoy the challenges that await you and may the best entertainer earn the coveted title of Canadian Idol.

A personal thought comes to mind that I would like to share with those who are reading this blog. While I do not intend to diminish the ultimate goal of the program, I have to wonder if achieving the title is all that counts?

From my perspective, each individual who has appeared on Canadian Idol or American Idol has had a remarkable opportunity to let their country know who they are.

The viewers may get frustrated when their favourite doesn't make it to the end, but I think that we have to appreciate that the format of these shows enables many hopeful artists to gain name recognition and publicity.

Sebastian, thank you for participating in Canadian Idol. It does take a great deal of courage to put yourself out there while you are pursuing your dream. You shared your charisma, talent and love of your craft.

You re-introduced Canadian viewers to the harmonica as an instrument to be valued, respected and enjoyed.

I am reminded of the old saying, "When one door closes, another one opens", but I suspect that in your case, there are many doors that will open for you in the future. Whether it is a on a stage or on the big screen, no matter which path you choose, we wish you success and happiness!

"For the vast majority of us, success is not something that's just going to happen.
It's something we've got to make happen.
So go ahead and make it happen."
~ Taylor Hicks ~

Did Sebastian Bring It On Home?
With Gavin Rossdale as the guest mentor, the Top 8 Canadian Idol contestants performed "unplugged"!

Sebastian Pigott's supporters didn't have to wait long to see if Sebastian would "bring it on home" this week. His was the first performance of the evening.

(click on photos to enlarge)
Sebastian listened intently to the advice that Gavin Rossdale gave to him. Gavin asked Sebastian to put more "pain" in his song as opposed to bravado, because it would show a vulnerable side to him.

Sebastian chose to perform Little Richard's version of "Lucille".

When I listened to the video carefully, I could hear the excitement in the audience when Sebastian started to play the harmonica!

I love the harmonica being added to a song. When Taylor Hicks plays the harmonica, he becomes a "Pied Piper" and, for me, the music becomes infused with soul. It is one of the many reasons I support Taylor's music and why I am a "resident" of The Pond.

"I fell totally and passionately in love with that harmonica.
Right from the point I purchased it, that instrument and I became inseparable."
Taylor Hicks ~ 'Heart Full of Soul'

Sebastian succeeded in "courting" three of the four judges this week. Zach, in true Simon Cowell mode, was not as appreciative of Sebastian's performance; however, overall, I think that Sebastian was more than pleased with the "judgement" this week.

The question now is did Sebastian bring enough home to stay another week? Canada decides tonight!

Today's cup:

"In music the passions enjoy themselves."
~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~

Christmas in July

2008-07-27T23:07:00.005-04:00

Taylor Hicks ~ AOL Music Sessions
(click photo to enlarge)

Santa's already busy making his lists and checking them twice.
What's on your list this year?

We're celebrating Christmas in July here at 'The Pond' because it's a perfect opportunity to once again put the idea out there that we would love to have a Christmas CD from Taylor Hicks.
Taylor are you listening?
We not only want that new CD promised in the Fall ... a Holiday CD would be a great present ... hint hint!

During the summer months as the weather becomes increasingly warm (hot) some people's thoughts turn to the atmosphere of cooler temps and the holiday spirit of Christmas time.

'Christmas In Washington' was one of the showcased videos in our Taylor Hicks Goes To Washington blog and today's showcased videos are from Taylor Hicks AOL Sessions.

Speaking of videos, so how do you like my new video player in my side-bar?
I think the sound is extraordinay and I'm really enjoying it myself!
I listen to the crowd roaring at Taylor's Hagerstown concert and it really makes me yearn even more for Taylor to be on tour again.
I sure hope a tour is announced before I have to add a
Taylor Hicks Tour to my Christmas Wish list ... AGAIN
(Don't forget to pause the video player in the side-bar before you press play on the videos below!)

First up is his "White Christmas", a soulful hip rendition that he also performed for the 2006 'Christmas From Rockefeller Center', as well as at a special private performance for CBS News.
Videos for both of those performances can be found on You Tube, but for some unknown reason (to me) you'll not find there ...
his AOL Sessions videos.

video: Taylor Hicks ~ "White Christmas"

Taylor's AOL Session videos were fabulous and they are jewels in our treasure trove of gifts he has already given us.
I'm not sure how much longer it will be before we have new treasures from him to add to the chest, but in the meantime I intend to fully enjoy and share the cache we already have!

Next up ... is the rarely heard on tour ... "Dream Myself Awake".
Remember the sneak preview we had of this and the guessing game we all played of naming the song?

While not a Christmas video, I did do a Christmas blog titled 'Sweet Dreams Baby' about "Dream Myself Awake"which prompted me to include the video in our July XMAS celebration.
You can view here "Sweet Dreams Baby".

video: Taylor Hicks ~ "Dream Myself Awake"

To view additional video from Taylor Hicks' AOL Sessions click HERE

"Ah, Christmas in July, while it's really primarily a marketing tool, what a great excuse to throw a party!
Ready to party some more?
Just CLICK on the sidebar video player AGAIN ...
I personally guarantee you'll have sweet dreams!
Santa

Today's cup:

"Well I wish it could be Christmas everyday.
When the kids start singing and the band begins to play.
Oh I wish it could be Christmas everyday."

Taylor Hicks ~ "Early Works' Movin' On Up

2008-07-23T22:54:00.008-04:00

"Early Works" by Taylor Hicks is back in the spotlight again today!

Yesterday word went out that Barnes and Noble still had "Early Works" available for preordering, and I posted a link to Barnes and Noble, as well as the info you see below.

You'll remember I said "Early Works" is showing as still available through Barnes and Noble for preorder as of 'now' ... key word being NOW!

Woo hoo ... look at the sales rank number NOW folks ... yesterday it said #297 ... today it is #8!

"Early Works"
by Taylor Hicks
CD
Details
Available for Pre-Order
This item will be available on August 12.
UPC: 015707987028 Original
Release Date: 2008 Catalog
No.: 79870
Label: WELK RECORDS
Sales Rank: 8

ANOTHER UPDATE ... 7/24/08
In the blink of an eye ... or in my case 40 winks ..... "Early Works" has performed yet another disappearing act ... this time from Barnes and Noble.

Stay tuned for the continuing saga of Taylor Hicks'
magical "Early Works" titled
Now You See It ... Now You Don't!
Well I always said his music was Magic!

Sebastian Survives To Compete Again

2008-07-23T19:19:00.001-04:00

Tuesday, July 22nd would bring us the results we had been eagerly awaiting after the Rock & Roll performances from Monday evening's Canadian Idol.

I, for one, was looking forward to the end of this week because of some comments that I did not especially like and once again Ben continued to refer to the "rock and roll angels" as dead people:

"In an ironic twist, the Top 9 fought for their Idol lives by performing songs by dead rock stars", said Ben Mulroney. An 8 year old in my livingroom asked me "why does he keep saying "dead" people?".
Hello - Canadian Idol - it is not humourous to many of the viewers!

Depending on the results of this show, I had given some thought to drawing the curtains on Canadian Idol and declaring it "VSA" (Vital Signs Absent) on my television set.

Let the results roll in ...

The 3 with the least number of votes stand in anticipation.
This is one spotlight that no performer wants to stand in.

The long awaited moment arrives!

It appeared to me that Sebastian Pigott was aware that he could possibly be leaving the show this week. He looked very surprised that he had survived this week's judgement day.

Sebastian, your supporters came through for you. You have definitely made your alliance with many of the viewers. As you well know, next week, you will really need to "court" the judges with an outstanding performance.

We will now be seeing the "guest mentors" on subsequent shows. First up will be former Bush front man and recent solo artist Gavin Rossdale, who will coach the Top 9 for 'Unplugged' week. Rossdale, who is married to Gwen Stefani, will also perform live during the Top 9 Results show on Tuesday, July 29th.

It will be interesting to see what advice is offered to the Top 8 Contestants, and which ones will take the advice to heart!

"I realized I was playing a version of Survivor, and the alliance I most needed to form was with the viewers at home."
Taylor Hicks ~ 'Heart Full of Soul'

Today's cup:
"You can't tailor make the situations in your life,
but you can tailor make your attitudes to fit the situation."

Taylor Hicks "Early Works" Update

2008-07-22T15:49:00.004-04:00

In the spotlight today is "Early Works" by Taylor Hicks!

From the Taylor Hicks Community ~ TaylorMadeOnline Blog
THE TAYLOR HICKS VERSION OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND
Amazon.com no longer has the Taylor Hicks Early Works CD listed as available.
What does this mean?
Click here to find out!

The release date of "Early Works" has also changed to August 12th ... it's an early release for "Early Works" :-)

"Early Works" is showing as still available through Barnes and Noble for preorder as of now, here is the link for Barnes and Noble

"Early Works"
by Taylor Hicks
CD
Details
Available for Pre-Order
This item will be available on August 12.
UPC: 015707987028
Original Release Date: 2008
Catalog No.: 79870
Label: WELK RECORDS
Sales Rank: 297

Today's cup from me is my guess for Taylor Hicks' BIG news/announcement:
Taylor will soon be appearing in the cast of 'All My Children'

Rock and Roll Heaven Week - Canadian Idol

2008-07-21T23:30:00.000-04:00

Monday night's Canadian Idol show opened with Ben Mulroney welcoming the viewers and then Ben said:

"The Idols were allowed to sing any song they wanted
with just one condition. The original artist must be dead.
This is our Rock and Roll Heaven Week.
The Top 9 have made their choices and we "Googled" them just to make sure they were dead and they were."
Just prior to introducing Sebastian's performance, Ben then said: "Tonight, the Idols are unearthing some of the biggest hits by some of the deadest music stars of all time."

My blog today is primarily about Sebastian Pigott's journey, but I feel that I need to express my "personal" thoughts regarding the diplomacy of these remarks. I have no way of knowing whether the comments were Ben's personal comments or the words written by a writer, but as a viewer, I found them to be distasteful. Considering Ben's background, I expected that he would have been more tactful and "politically correct" in describing the purpose of this week.
In my mind, I wondered what a family member of one of these departed musicians might think as I found those comments to be very offensive.

This is a television show which is often viewed by families. Surely, there must be a better way to boost the ratings and provide a better role model for the younger viewers by giving the appropriate respect to those who have moved on to "Rock and Roll Heaven". Now, I feel much better expressing my thoughts so let's move on to what is really important.

Sebastian chose to perform "Love Me" an Elvis #2 hit on the charts in 1956.

I enjoyed the performance but once again, Sebastian really took some severe criticism from the judges.

Taylor Hicks ~ 'Heart Full of Soul'
"But while I'd always listen to the judges' comments and respond to their criticism as best I could, I was well aware they weren't my ultimate judges."

Did anyone notice that there was no mention about the style of microphone Sebastian chose to use? I watched the footage of the show again and he was the only contestant who used the style of microphone which realistically portrayed the time in which the song was originally performed. One would think that it might have been mentioned instead of the standard "you look good" comments.

The thought has also crossed my mind that Sebastian Pigott is a "blues and soul" music kind of guy which begs the question if perhaps the Canadian Idol show feels that his genre of music isn't going to be easily heard on the radio? Does it all come down to dollars and cents and that is why their comments, perhaps, were intended to sway the potential voters?

Taylor Hicks ~ 'Heart Full of Soul'
"My type of soul wasn't ultra-sexy hip-hop it was old-school soul...."
".... the songs from my album weren't having a particularly easy time on the radio so far. Not for the first time, I encountered resistance from people who were quick to question where exactly I fit in - if I fit anywhere at all."

Once again Sebastian made a dramatic entrance with the lights dimmed and I think his entrance shows that he does give a great deal of thought to how he is going to portray himself on television.

I am not so sure, though, that I saw the go get 'em' sparkle in Sebastian's eyes this week that I have seen on previous shows.

I am wondering about a couple of things. Did Sebastian have his heart in performing tonight? He had all the right moves but did "he" feel the song? I think at times he did.

One thing that I did notice though. There didn't seem to be as many camera close-up shots of him as there usually are so maybe this made it more difficult to really "see" him perform the song.

Does Sebastian miss his brother being on the show or is he finding that the concept of the show is too confining? In my opinion, it takes alot of courage to appear on this kind of show. To be judged week after week is part and parcel of being a part of it, but how many of us would actually be willing to put ourselves out there and do it?

When all is said and done, the ultimate decision belongs to the public. If participating in the show gets you to where "you" want to go, then it is worth the ride. Let's wait until tomorrow night to find out what the people have to say. Sebastian, once again, I think you remained true to yourself and there is nothing more that anyone can ask from you. Good for you and by the way, my fingers did the dialing!

'There's no electoral college on American Idol - simply the weekly will of the people."
Taylor Hicks ~ 'Heart Full of Soul'

Today's cup:

"Just because you look good, don't mean you feel good."
~ Elvis Presley ~

Shades of American Idol Season 5

2008-07-15T18:11:00.008-04:00

"Here's one thing I've learned: I wasn't born to play arenas.
Everything I've learned about music is about making a connection, and at least for me, a giant arena is not the best place to make a connection.
Performing is a relationship between you and your audience, and in that relationship less can definitely be more.
Singing in an arena, it takes much longer to feel the energy of the crowd and feed off that energy.
That shared energy is what I hunger for.
So, if I had my dream in all its fine-tuned glory, it would be to play great theaters and clubs for the rest of my life."
~ Taylor Hicks from 'Heart Full of Soul' ~

(click to enlarge to full-screen size)

"I love blues and soul music. I love the honesty of it; the raw quality of it and the connection you get with the crowd.
That's why I love performing in smaller, intimate places."
~ Sebastian Pigott ~

As I am cruising along the road of this year's Canadian Idol, I can't help but reflect back on the journey of Taylor Hicks on American Idol Season 5. Taylor, too, had his fair or not so fair share of critical judgements.
In his book, 'Heart Full of Soul', when he reflected back to that time, Taylor has this to say about the Idol experience:

"It's also a whole lot of work, and you don't really know how the job is going to pay until it's over."
"In the end, all I ever tried to do was entertain people - that's what I did in the clubs, and that's what I did in those first months of 2006 for the millions who didn't want to leave the comfort of their living rooms.
When you're an entertainer, it's your great privilege to touch people's lives in a distant and yet seemingly personal way."

And, then there were 10 ...
Week 4, July 14, 2008, was the beginning of the Top 10 performances on Canadian Idol. As promised, Canadian Idol came through with more firsts. It started with a brand new set which should give the performers a lot of room to move around on.

The first contestant of the night was Drew Wright who performed his song while playing the drums. The judges said it was the first time that anyone had played the drums while singing. Adam Castelli's entrance onstage riding a motorcycle was another first on this show. The fact that there are only two female contestants in the Top 10 is another first.

This was David Bowie Week and since I have never been a huge Bowie fan, I found it somewhat difficult to appreciate this type of music. All of the contestants put their best efforts forward and some, more than others, received some harsh criticism from the judges.

Sebastian Pigott performed David Bowie's version of "Let's Spend the Night Together". (I must say that I always liked the original Rolling Stones' version of this song though.)

video: Sebastian Pigott ~ "Let's Spend the Night Together"

I loved the way Sebastian started the first part of the song and I would have been really happy if he had performed the entire song that way. In the first part of the song, he sang each word in an intimate and charismatic way. The audience certainly loved his performance, I liked it too!

(click to enlarge to full-screen size)

The judges, on the other hand, were, in my opinion, extremely harsh and critical of Sebastian's presentation of the song. Now, this is where I get confused since I am only a TV viewer and not a musician.

For a Blues and Soul man, wouldn't it be challenging to sing a David Bowie song? Aren't the contestants encouraged to make the song their own and be themselves?

(click to enlarge to full-screen size)

Sebastian stood there and took the criticism with a smile on his face and, at times, looked very perplexed. Sebastian was trying to understand what it was that they didn't like - what they were trying to say. I don't think he was really given a definitive answer and I have to wonder what the judges had for dinner because they were harshly critical of many of the contestants' performances, some just and some unfairly.

One of the things I like about Nashville Star is that the judges mentor the contestants week -to- week and they provide detailed feedback to Nashville Star contestants so that they can "build" the next "Star".

In all fairness, perhaps the Canadian Idol contestants do have the opportunity to have discussions with the judges after the show. If not, then perhaps both American Idol and Canadian Idol should take a page from the Nashville Star book. Sebastian was looking for constructive criticism and advice so that he could improve on Week 5 and he didn't get what he was looking for.

"Maybe the reason I like soul music so much is that is inspires with its pain.
The best artists, like Ray Charles, reach out and say,
"You're not alone, brother."
~ Taylor Hicks from 'Heart Full of Soul' ~

video: Taylor Hicks - "Just Once" - Love Songs Week

Personally, I loved the way that Taylor performed "Just Once" and he looked awesome too. Talk about pouring your heart and soul into a song. He did it that night and I still listen to the song today.
I still can't understand why the responses from the judges were so negative. It seemed to me as if they already knew what they were going to say about his performance before we had even heard his first note.

Today's Idol audiences are much more savvy when they "judge" the contestants and thank goodness, it is their fingers that will be doing the dialing this week.

Sebastian, you were "you" and stayed true to yourself.
For the record, I enjoyed your performance. You did the best you could with what you were given and I am sure that you will receive the support from your fans.

Today's cup:

"To be a true artist you have to play the way you feel - not the way others think you should feel."
~ Don Ellis ~

Step Into My Garden

2008-07-14T20:05:00.009-04:00

Welcome to my world .... a place filled with color and serenity ...
a place to soothe your soul!

The Taylor Hicks My Idol blog spot is patterned after my gardens, I've filled it with color, lots of soul, with hints of blues everywhere, and given it the nickname 'The Pond'.
My name is 'Bloom' and as you wander down this page, you'll find that I have come by this name honestly.

I have often referred to one of my favorite quotes by Taylor Hicks in my blogs, I think it is quite ingenious, and I wonder if one day it will appear in famous quotes by Taylor Hicks.

"It's not the dirt I need to plant my musical flower"
Taylor was speaking in reference to the environment he found himself in after winning American Idol.
Thankfully that environment has now changed and we are eagerly awaiting a new release of his music, where his creativity is now free to be unleased!
Plus we have the release of his "Early Works" next month!

I've borrowed Taylor's term, Musical Flower, to introduce you to one of my other passions (yes, I really do have another passion besides Taylor).

These are photos of my garden taken over the last two years, along with some of my favorite garden poems and quotes.
They are my musical flower and I'll hope you'll enjoy your stroll thru my gardens as well as the beautifully soothing music provided by my old friend Bobby Militello!

Please note that some of the photos are very large and I didn't want to downsize them, just click on them to view the entire image.

Come with me take my hand
We'll walk in the garden's light
Peacefulness and scented air
With flowers to delight

Take the time to get away
Spend some time with me
Walking in the beauty of
Nature's love we see

Want to spend a little time
See that we are blest
Greatest things upon this earth
With colors brightly dressed

Feel the warm air drifting by
Sweetly kiss your face
Silence in the beauty of
Love we can embrace

Take time to walk with me
Such happiness to share
Flowers blooming all around
Sweet velvet everywhere

Need a place to get away
Leave the world outside
Take this time to find yourself
With garden loved supplied.

While walking in my garden,
I find such comfort and sweet peace.
I feel as if I'm standing at the threshhold
of my Master's feet.

So much grandeur;
so much beauty there,
I find, often, it becomes
my little house of prayer.

I commune with My Savior,
In Him, I find perfect rest;
As I look upon my garden,
I feel so very blessed.

I speak to the folded ears of the roses,
of all my cares and pain;
Like them, I need a blessing,
a refreshment from the showers and the rain.

I touch the fragile blossoms,
feel their softness at my fingertips;
My spirit is renewed,
at the nourishment that God gives.

While walking in my garden,
I find such comfort and sweet peace.
I feel as if I'm standing at the threshhold,
of my Master's feet.
© Sandra Lewis Pringle

A Garden Lives within our soul,
A secret place so dear,
A quaint and lovely part of earth
That brings us beauty here.
The blossoms catch the morning sun,
The air is fresh and sweet,
At evening tide the shadows fall
When day is then complete.

A garden is a garden spot
Where comfort fills our heart,
A peaceful place where quiet dwells
As each new day does start.
There's loveliness and tender faith,
As raindrops softly fall,
To bless each wondrous growing things,
As nature then stands tall.

A fragrance fills this quiet spot
With peaceful, tender bliss,
Where God looks down on each small plant
And sends an angel's kiss.
To walk and dream 'neath cotton clouds,
To feel the warmth of Spring,
And gently tuck the world away
As robins nest and sing.

There's promise in the hope we find
As seasons come and go.
The laughter of the Summer breeze,
The touch of Winter snow,
A miracle - a friendship real,
The smile that loving gives,
While every heart finds blessedness
Because a garden lives.
©1997 Garnett Ann Schultz

Gardens... should be like lovely, well-shaped girls:
all curves, secret corners, unexpected deviations,
seductive surprises and then still more curves.
~ H.E. Bates, A Love of Flowers ~

Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made,
and forgot to put a soul into.
~ Henry Beecher (1858) ~

I saw a butterfly today,
the color of the sun.
It made the garden dance for joy,
the flowers, every one.
It chased the wind's
bright fairy lips.
It hovered near a tree.
Sometimes it seemed
the butterfly was
writing poems for me.

As a flower in the garden
Bending toward the sun,
Unfolds it's tiny petals
One, by one, by one...
So faith expands it's beauty
Until at last it grows
Into life's lasting flower...
The heart's fair perfect rose.

There's little risk in becoming overly proud of one's garden,
because gardening by its very nature is humbling.
It has a way of keeping you on your knees.

If you'd like to view more garden photos or to inquire as to the name of a specific plant, let me know by leaving a comment here.
Though I do have a confession to make .... I'm going to have to dig deep into my fuzzy memory bank and unearth the name for you, I have so many varieties that through the years I've forgotten what exactly I do have!

Today's cup:
“Man should hear a little music,
read a little poetry,
and see a fine picture every day of his life,
in order that worldly cares may not obliterate
the sense of the beautiful implanted in the human soul.”
~Johann Wolfgang Goethe~

Music provided by Bobby Militello,
The Dave Brubeck Quartet

BLUES, SOUL AND A HARMONICA

2008-07-13T19:27:00.003-04:00

In a recent interview with Jim Cantiello from MTV News, Taylor Hicks and Jim were discussing Taylor’s role as Teen Angel in the Broadway production of Grease.

“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."
~Taylor Hicks ~

Things have now changed on Idol and more specifically on Canadian Idol which is the purpose of this blog.

Season 6 of Canadian Idol began a few weeks ago and it promises to be a season of many firsts! This year, the show started with the Top 24 Contestants instead of 22 Contestants because the judges felt that there was so much talent this season.
For the very first time, we have two brothers who are competing independently.
I am referring to Oliver and Sebastian Pigott.
They sing soulful, bluesy music.

Oliver and Sebastian Pigott's Auditions

If you listened closely, you heard one of the judges say “Holy James Dean” after Sebastian performed.
I must confess that I didn’t notice the comment until tonight.
I have been discussing the Pigott Brothers with Allyn, who produces the most superb Taylor Hicks graphic art, as many of us know.
After seeing Sebastian, she immediately sent this to me (click to enlarge photo).

I don’t think that Canada has noticed this yet but Sebastian definitely has an uncanny resemblance to James Dean.

On Tuesday, July 8th, I had one of those "Taylor Hicks moments" after one of the Pigott brothers performed.
This was the Top 16 week and by Wednesday, we would have our Top 10 Contestants.
For the first time since Taylor Hicks won Season 5 on American Idol, I found myself jumping off of the sofa in sheer joy!

Oliver Pigott performed a Bill Withers’ hit, "Lean on Me", right before his brother stepped up to the microphone.

Oliver Pigott - "Lean On Me"

Immediately following Oliver, Sebastian was introduced and he would perform a Sam Cooke song, "Bring It On Home To Me".
Does anyone else see a ‘trend’ here?

Sebastian's entrance to the stage, for me, was a Bublé-like entrance - intriguing for me since Michael is another favourite artist of mine!
A great read - So Different and Yet - Bublé and Hicks

Sebastian Pigott - "Bring it on Home to Me"

A couple of friends of mine called immediately after the performance because they, too, are fans of Taylor Hicks. Like me, the harmonica reminded them of many of Taylor’s performances since AI.

Comments from one of the judges, Sass Jordan, got me thinking.
She said “you are probably one of the smartest, cleverest performers that I have ever seen”.

Did the Pigott Brothers read Taylor’s book, 'Heart Full of Soul' before the CI competition?
It is probably a question that I will never know the answer to, but it is definitely food for thought.

The producers of the show knew that Canada was very interested in the Pigott Brothers and with only one seat left on the Final 10, we had to wait until the very end of the show to find out which one would make it.

"And, the 10th Finalist is .... "

My personal opinion is that Oliver, too, should have made it to the Top 10. You can see his previous performances on YouTube. In the meantime, I wish him the best of luck as he continues along the path of soul and blues music.

Sebastian wore a suit for the performance; he made a dramatic entrance and he has so much charisma on stage. The music flows through his veins before the words of the song come out of his mouth.
There are other contestants who are going to give Sebastian a good run for his money and it will be an interesting trip this season on Canadian Idol. I hope that he continues to play the harmonica because it gives him a distinct advantage.

To be reminded of the magical music of Taylor Hicks on AI Season 5 was absolutely the best experience I have had watching any Idol show in a long time!

I really think that it is fabulous that the harmonica is becoming
more visible.
I can't help but think how awesome it would have been if only Taylor had been able to play it during his stint on AI.

Today's cup:
"Because everything we say and do is the length and shadow of our own souls, our influence is determined by the quality of our being."

Broadway Scoop From Kathy Lee and Hoda

2008-07-10T22:17:00.005-04:00

FROM MSNBC
July 10, 2008

Hoda and Kathie Lee talk Broadway
TODAY’s Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford dish on the day’s hot topics including the most recent Broadway play they saw GREASE!
(photo: Hoda and Kathy Lee with Taylor Hicks, Laura Osnes, Max Crumm and Allison Fischer from the cast of GREASE)

Taylor Hicks' electrifying performance stole the show and the audience went nutso when he pulled out his harmonica and started playing ...

My video capture of Kathy Lee and Hoda's Broadway scoop!
It was another 'two scoops please' day at The Pond!

Todays's cup:
Like the ripples in a pond, the work of one man can spread out and touch the lives of others.

MTV Goes Back Stage With Taylor Hicks

2008-07-10T15:04:00.011-04:00

We catch up with the season-five "American Idol" champ backstage at the musical's latest Broadway revival.
video from MTV News

"I started doing seances to channel Elvis"

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

Here is a video capture for those unable to view the MTV site video, like my Canadian friends!
Karin I did it, lol aren't you proud of me :-)
(whoops, I missed some of it, well not bad for my 1st try lol)

From MTV News
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."
(article continued in my sidebar)

MTV News
By Chris Harris, with reporting by Jim Cantiello

Sweet two videos from MTV in one day, plus two great articles, and I finally got to see Taylor Hicks' Angel Wings!

"I Don't Want To Jinx It"

Who Is Taylor Hicks’ Mystery ‘Megastar’
Published by MTV News
Thursday, July 10, 2008
By Garth Bardsley

On Tuesday night, we swung around the corner from our Times Square offices to the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, where “American Idol” season-five champ Taylor Hicks is cutting his teeth on Broadway, playing the part of the Teen Angel in the most recent revival of “Grease.”

The silver-haired “Soul Patrol” leader gave us a tour around the theater, which is actually a bit of a reality-show mecca. Besides Hicks, the show’s two leads, Max Crumm (Danny) and Laura Osnes (Sandy) were found via the little-watched NBC show “You’re the One That I Want.” And then there’s Cody Green, who won Bravo’s even littler-watched “Step It Up and Dance” while a member of the Grease ensemble.

Hicks is also writing lots of songs, mainly for his own use on his sophomore album coming out in the fall. But he spilled the beans that a certain “megastar” has one of his songs on hold to possibly record. He wouldn’t say who, but he did let it drop that the singer is a female.

Any guesses?
Is Tina Turner gonna rock on a harmonica-filled blues tune penned by Hicks?
Whitney Houston?
Grace Jones???

Awesome With A Capital A

2008-07-09T19:14:00.006-04:00

Earlier today Taylor Hicks joined My FOX NY reporter Julie Chang, to talk about his current gig on Broadway in GREASE ... and what we might expect to see coming from him in the next few months.

Taylor also hinted at ... another big surprise forthcoming ... soon ?!?

Julie: "What's it been like?"
Taylor: "Awesome with a capital A baby!"

Kirsten Wyatt, who plays the part of Frenchy, also joined Taylor on the set today as he sang "Beauty School Dropout", it was nice to see her again ... pretty lady!

Here is the interview along with Taylor and Kirsten performing "Beauty School Dropout"!
Thanks Karin for the video capture, what would I ever do without you, lol don't want to know!

I of course visited the MYFOX NY website as I was intrigued by Julie Chang and I checked out her bio, now I know why I was intrigued, she has a fascinating background! click here to read Julie's bio.

Taylor Hicks is instantly recognizable by his voice, his looks, and his heavenly harp!
In 2006 he became a household name, and since then he's had to hide his beautiful silver hair under a hat if he wishes to go unnoticed.
Now I don't know if it's a myth or not, but my dad always told me the reason he lost his hair was because he wore a hat too much.
Taylor take off those hats and let your hair shine, you are still recognized ... even with a hat on!

Speaking of being recognizable .... reminds me of a cute story that Taylor shared in Heart Full Of Soul, about trying to cold-call his way into a new gig for the Taylor Hicks Band, WAY back before going on to become America's 2006 American Idol.

It's a cross between What's My Line, and To Tell The Truth, lol wonder if either of those are still around!

"I'd put on my most professional music-industry voice and start pitching.
My end of the conversation would go something like this:

Good afternoon, I'm calling you today about a really great young group down here in Birmingham.
They're called the Taylor Hicks Band ... That's H-I-C-K-S.
These guys are really heating up all over the place now.
You might know some of the boys from their old bands, Passing Through or maybe Fletch Lives ....
You haven't huh?
Well the lead singer, he's a helluva front man, and the guy plays some mean harmonica too.
The whole band is packed with kick-ass players.
You've got to hear 'em to believe them ... Their sound?
I'd have to say that they're a little bit of everything you've ever loved and a whole lot of fun to watch ...
What kind of material do they do?
They do all sorts of great old-school soul covers and some rocking originals too.
Heck, for the right price they'll probably do your laundry as well.
And since we're talking price now, why don't we do some business right now? ....

What's my name?
Sir, my name is Taylor Hicks, H-I-C-K-S."

"One of the best things people can have up their sleeve is a funny bone"

Taylor Hicks Goes To Washington

2008-07-05T14:20:00.015-04:00

This land is your land, this land is my land
From California to the New York Island
It's a Soul Thing all across America!
God Bless America, God Bless Our Troops!

What better place could there be to celebrate our Nation's Birthday than in it's Capitol!
Hundreds of thousands were on hand to join in the celebration, while millions of viewers at home were treated to a spectacular concert on the Capital lawn and magnificent fireworks via PBS!
This is cool - click here for a panoramic view!

From The Washington Post:
Soprano Harolyn Blackwell, a D.C. native, opened the concert with "The Star-Spangled Banner," and American Idol winner Taylor Hicks electrified the crowd with a jazzed-up rendition of "This Land Is Your Land."

Earlier today Taylor Hicks, the leader of the Soul Patrol and winner of Season 5 American Idol, joined CNN Live from Washington to give us a sneak peak of his rehearsal for his Capital 4Th Concert and to talk about what an honor it was to perform for the big Birthday bash in Washington!

My thanks to my Canadian friend and partner Karin for capturing today's auspicious events on video!
Beginning with his CNN interview that took place just hours before the concert and then footage of his performances of "Soul Thing", "Dancing In The Dark" and "This Land Is Your Land" from the Capital 4Th concert.

I've invited Karin to share her thoughts as a Taylor Hicks Canadian supporter here today.
Actually I've invited her to write today's blog, to give us a little different perspective.

Taylor Hicks didn't just reach across America today, his message of freedom and democracy and his thank you to our servicemen and women travelled round the world, as did his powerful performance!

I was delighted to catch this interview live today, thanks to Karin who gave me a heads up only minutes before it aired.
Taylor's Southern charm and beautiful smile were in full force along with his sense of humor!
It was a ***** interview!

In the meantime here is a reminder of another auspicious event that occurred in Washington, Taylor Hicks' soulfully spectacular performance for the 2006 Christmas In Washington Special broadcast on TNT!

video capture: Evancol
(Thank You!)

Here we go ... Taylor Hicks Goes To Washington Part 2!!!

Man Taylor's feet were flying as fast as the fingers of Jerry Lee Lewis and I loved Jimmy Smit's comment that Taylor's performance won him American Idol all over again!

Karin ... this spot is yours, lol ... did I leave enough room!

Today was an ordinary day for me in Canada.
As many of you are aware, Canada's celebrations took place on July 1st.
During these past two years, I have come to "know" some wonderful American friends through following the journey of Taylor Hicks so I knew that everyone was very excited about today's July 4th activities.
I had to get up very early this morning.
It was a beautiful day here and for me, I am often going to bed when the birds start chirping but this morning, I heard them singing their little hearts out when I woke up.
They always start each day off with a song and I often wonder if we humans had the same attitude, our days would also begin with anticipation of the adventures and discoveries that await us as the day unfolds.
Little did I know what the day was going to bring.
I was prepared for the Capitol Fourth show but I must admit that I was taken by surprise when I learned that Taylor was going to be interviewed on CNN in the afternoon.

It has been quite a while since Taylor has been seen singing on stage in concert. Many have seen Taylor in Grease and have been sharing the good news about his success on Broadway.
One only has to read all of the Google Alerts that have been coming through lately to know that Taylor's summer "gig" on Broadway has been successful.
The anticipation has been building amongst the various fan boards during the past few weeks about his appearance on PBS' Capitol Fourth show.

I gathered my young Taylor Hicks' fans in front of the TV.
They had to make a choice - go shopping with their Mother or stay with me to watch Taylor.
Needless to say, I have successfully groomed them and they anxiously sat in front of the television to watch Taylor..
I was very surprised that we would even be able to see the performance in Canada as it unfolded so it was a wonderful treat for us.
They asked what songs Taylor was going to sing and when I told them, they knew two of the three songs.
As a matter of fact, they just sang right along with Taylor as he belted out "This Land is Your Land.

We watched Huey Lewis and you know, I did not realize that he, too, played the harmonica.
Of course, we are biased and we came to the conclusion that as great as he was, he was not Taylor playing that little beauty!

All too quickly it was over but not without a telephone call from my mother in the middle of Taylor's performance who wanted to ensure that my television set was on! Taylor exploded on stage and didn't stop until the last note was sung!
He brought huge smiles to our faces and we moved and grooved to each and every beat to his songs.

I have always admired the patriotism shown by my American neighbours.
We are patriotic in Canada too, don't get me wrong but I am often reminded of some trips south of the border where I have often seen the American flag flying freely on every second or third house on the street.
The folks in Washington got it right today.
They put together a wonderful guest list of performers who really did put on a fantastic concert.

Freedom - sometimes a word that is taken for granted but sadly, we all know that not everyone shares the liberties afforded to the citizens of the United States and Canada as well as other democratic countries.

Taylor did us proud with his performance!
He may be a "Teen Angel" for now but I couldn't help wondering what was going through his mind as he stepped onto the stage in front of so many people.
He gave a wonderful interview today on CNN and he deserves the many accolades that have come his way lately or should I say "finally".
As I have said before to Bloom, friendship knows no borders and I suppose you can say the same thing about "fanship" too.
I am now back to the beginning of my thoughts - the chirping birds which I am sure I am going to hear very soon.
I wonder when you have a song in your heart, like Taylor seems to have, if he, too, wakes up most days wondering what will come his way and change his life?
I think those birds have a huge lesson to teach us.
Don't sweat the small stuff; enjoy the moments and celebrate the good things we have in our lives!
It must be a great way to start a day!

Thanks, Bloom for the opportunity to share my ramblings.
I do appreciate "The Pond" more than you know where there are not only birds but many butterflies who have the freedom to roam where they want to.

KarinP

Today's cup:
"Freedom is the oxygen of the soul.
Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions,
the spirit of men ... and so it must be
daily earned and refreshed -
else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots,
it will wither and die."

People Get Ready For A Capitol 4th

2008-06-30T15:17:00.004-04:00

What:
Capitol Fourth Concert on the Capital lawn

When:
July 4th, 2008

Who:
Taylor Hicks, Jerry Lee Lewis, Huey Lewis, Brian Stokes Mitchell, classical stars Hayley Westenra and Harolyn Blackwell, Choral Arts Society of Washington, U.S. Army Herald Trumpets and the U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps.
The event is hosted by Jimmy Smits and includes an Olympic tribute from Scott Hamilton.

Where:
PBS (check your local listings)

May we always remember the ones who brought and continue to bring us these liberties and freedom.

Proud Of Our Troops Drive
Join us in lifting spirits at the Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C. For Part 5 of the Troop Drive, we are asking that you send copies of 'Heart Full of Soul', Taylor Hicks' inspirational autobiography to Soldier's Angels, who will then forward them to the soldiers at Walter Reed.

He was a gentle man who stood with pride,
His body was ebbing like the outgoing tide.
His walk was slow, for age took its toll,
To live but one season was his goal.
Passing two lads in the park,
He noticed something, though almost dark.
There was a cloth on the ground,
A cloth that the boys had recently found.
With cold gray eyes he looked their way,
Then tears fell as be bowed to pray.
God, give me strength, show me what to do,
To teach them respect for the red, white and blue.
Mister, why are you crying, what did we do?
It's just an old rag that's red, white and blue.
That cloth you call just an old rag,
Is Old Glory, our nation's flag.
There's 13 stripes and 50 stars,
Blood was shed for those bars.
Each star represents one great state,
Pick up the flag, it's not too late.
But mister, why are you angry, oh what did we do?
It's still just a rag that's red, white and blue.
He bent is head and closed his eyes,
Then looked at the boys and said with a sigh,
This is your flag, a sight to behold,
A symbol of freedom worth more than gold.
Our freedom to speak and think as we choose,
For this our ancestors paid their dues.
They fought in wars, and gave their lives,
Fever took their children and their wives.
These were your families as well as mine,
We put their honor on the line.
So our flag can fly for all to see,
Symbolizing freedom for you and me.
Mister, we're so sorry, what can we do?
We'll brush off the dirt from the red, white and blue.
And put up a pole here in the park,
Fly her with pride from morn' til dark.
The three stood still and silence was strong,
The boys knew now why they were wrong.
As they gazed upon that tattered flag,
Their hearts told them this was no rag.
Though dirty and torn, she flew that day,
"That's our flag," he heard them say.
Poem written by Pat Odiorne, Brandon, Florida.

Today's cup:

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness.
You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.
~ Erma Bombeck ~

Detroit/Windsor Int'l Freedom Festival (thanks Karin!)

Two Scoops Please

2008-06-27T17:21:00.009-04:00

Last night, at about midnight, as I was polishing off a bag of White Castle hamburgers, I was wondering if Taylor had yet succumbed to a bag of sliders??

Was he now a member of the luv em club?
Or the leave em club?
There's seems to be no sittin' on the fence, you either love them or hate them!

Not surprisingly visions of malt shops, diners, burger castles and giant ice cream cones have been dancin' through my head recently.

Miss LuLu (Lugracianna), my 4 year old granddaughter, is absolutely mesmerized by the site of the giant ice cream cone containing Taylor Hicks.
(can you tell she is definitely a two scoop?)

The first thing she asks for when visiting is for me to play the Taylor video with the ice cream cone in the sky.

We have to play it over and over (not a problem for me) so she can watch the big ice cream cone open and come to Earth (her words).

Like Frenchy, she dances in her chair when he begins to play his harp .... it's just too cute!

Having a full tummy at midnight, I decided to stay up and begin a blog for today revolving around my dancin' thoughts.

Little did I expect how nicely it would tie in with this morning's article from The New York Post.

photo caption:
As Teen Angel, "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks is helping draw crowds to "Grease."

HICKS IGNITES 'GREASE'
DESPITE PANS, REVIVAL GETS BOOST FROM 'IDOL'
The New York Post
by Michael Riedel
June 27, 2008

TWO shows that shouldn't be making it - but are - must be given their due today.

First, "Grease" - which vaulted right over the critics to box office glory.
It's playing to sold-out houses and is grossing nearly $800,000 a week.

It got a little lift from the Tonys, but its real draw this summer is "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks, who's playing Teen Angel.

(Isn't this just perfect?)
An insider says Hicks is worth at least $150,000 in extra ticket sales a week.
(Make a note of that, Mr. Agent.)

Whenever Hicks whips out his harmonica, the audience goes nuts.

They're having such a blast that the "Grease" megamix at the end of the show - this is where the critics ran screaming from the theater - now runs 10 minutes, with Hicks singing the title song and then playing it on his harmonica.

Meanwhile, the producers of the show are no longer flinching from the critical blows but are starting to have fun with them.

Charles Isherwood recently wrote: "Are the Tonys going to open up the lines so viewers at home can phone in their votes for their favorites?

In which case perhaps 'Grease' would have been the year's big winner."

Look for a newspaper ad that will say: "If the audience had voted, "Grease" would have been the year's big winner!"
Charles Isherwood, The New York Times

Speaking of audiences and voting ....

Do you remember this?
The Taylor Hicks inspired ice cream flavor .... Soulful Sundae Cone
(vanilla and chocolate light ice creams swirled with chocolaty coated peanut and cone pieces)

And I'm wondering ....

Will there be a revival of the American Classic Malt Shop float for Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade this year?
The cast of "Hairspray" rode the float last year, but I'm thinking it should be the cast of "Grease" this year, led by one harp blowin Teen Angel!

And an absolute show stopper would be to incorporate Taylor's giant ice cream cone into the float, can't you just imagine the crowd response if he was riding in the cone!
(To quote: Whenever Hicks whips out his harmonica, the audience goes nuts ... oh yeah!)

I wish I had a good photo of his dazzling ice cream cone to share, but I haven't run across one ... yet ... so in the meantime ... two scoops please!

In keeping with the flavor of today's blog, instead of my usual cup of Karma coffee, here is today's scoop, or I should say scoops!

"I doubt whether the world holds a more soul-stirring surprise than the first adventure with ice-cream."

"Life is like an ice-cream cone,
you have to lick it one day at a time."

A Match Made In Heaven

2008-06-25T17:58:00.002-04:00

I like the whole rock-and-roll heaven idea.
The rock-and-roll Gods have been very good to me,
and they're good to me in this part too.
~ Taylor Hicks ~

The above quote was taken from Taylor Hicks' recent interview with Kathy Henderson of Broadway.com.

It is a fabulous interview, filled with great questions and many insightful answers from Mr. Hicks.
(interview in full below, in case you've missed it)

When Taylor talks about Rock and Roll Heaven, I'm reminded of the original song by the Righteous Brothers.
click here for lyrics

I ran across this video tribute a while back, it is a spine tinglin' tribute, aptly titled Rock and Roll Heaven.

A music video tribute to the rock music heroes who have passed away.
The soundtrack is "Rock and Roll Heaven" (Stevenson/O'Day) a (2006) demo recording, sung by Ronnie Kimball, with reworked lyrics from the 1970's Righteous Brothers hit.

Taylor Hicks Finds Broadway Heavenly in GREASE
BROADWAY.COM
by Kathy Henderson

Frenchy's got a new muse at Grease, and this time around, her guardian angel is a silver-haired crooner with rhinestone wings sewn into the pattern of his midnight blue suit.

When a giant ice cream cone descends from the heavens at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, Taylor Hicks emerges to sing "Beauty School Dropout" in his Broadway debut.

By now, audiences have gotten used to reality show winners turning up in musicals (Grease alone has four, with leads Max Crumm and Laura Osnes, Step It Up and Dance champ Cody Green and now Hicks, the season five victor on American Idol) and Hicks' loyal fans, known as the Soul Patrol, are avidly cheering him on.

Director Kathleen Marshall plays to his strengths by showcasing Hicks' bluesy harmonica playing and brings him back to sing a verse of the title song (and gamely do the hand jive) during the curtain call.

In conversation, the Birmingham native is friendly, down to earth and grateful for the opportunities that have come his way since winning Idol just before he turned 30, after years of struggle.

Above all, Hicks seems delighted with his summer gig on Broadway.

How are you enjoying your first experience on Broadway?
I love it!
I think the part suits me perfectly, and it allows me to get a toe wet on Broadway. It's a great way for me to start exploring the idea of an acting career and learn what Broadway is all about.

How did this opportunity come about?
I was in Birmingham, Alabama, eating a barbecue sandwich and playing golf and writing music for my next album, and my agent called me and asked me if I wanted to do the gig.
Basically, I had until I finished my sandwich to decide whether or not I wanted to do it [laughs].
It was a really quick decision, and honestly, I'm having the time of my life.
[Broadway] is a wonderful, extremely talented community that deserves all kinds of respect and praise.
To go out there and be spot-on every night for eight shows a week—that's live performing at its utmost, and I'm very excited to be a part of it.

Were you familiar with the part, and with Grease?
I knew the Frankie Avalon part from the movie, but I thought I could add a Taylor flavor to it—kind of Taylorize the part, no pun intended.
I'm able to play some harmonica, and I like the whole rock-and-roll heaven idea.
The rock-and-roll gods have been very good to me, and they're good to me in this part too.

What was it like to work with director Kathleen Marshall?
She is a force to be reckoned with! I was excited when she started directing me. I thought, "This is very similar to producing an album; it's just theatrical."
I've been produced musically, but I've never been directed theatrically.
It was a really cool first experience.
Kathleen was so accommodating and made it easy for me.

She guided Harry Connick Jr. to a Tony nomination, so you were in great hands.
What did she say about Teen Angel's function in the show?
She said that my purpose was to lead Frenchy to go back to high school and put down the teasing comb [laughs].
I'm more or less the voice of reason and the voice of reckoning for this young girl.

Were you nervous before your first performance?
I don't think I've ever been so nervous in my whole life! [Laughs.]
I've been lucky enough to experience a lot of things—the American Idol stage, singing at the Orange Bowl—but I never would have thought in a million years that I would be as nervous as I was.
It's easy to walk out on stage to sing, but when you're coming down 40 feet in an ice cream cone to debut on Broadway, it's a different story.

Did you ever do plays in high school?
I was Santa Claus in the second grade and Santa Claus in the eighth grade.
I've always come bearing gifts [laughs].
It was always the jolly jester, the entertainer—they always put me in that kind of role, which is perfect.

Had you seen many musicals?
I saw Rent probably 10 years ago, and growing up, I always went to the Summerfest shows in Birmingham.

When you saw Rent, did you think, "I should do this"?
You know, I was so entrenched then in learning instruments, harmonica and guitar, and writing music that I never really thought about the idea of doing it.
But now, having the opportunity to explore a particular part, the idea has come to life.

Your costume is quite different from the all-white suit that was used before.
How did that come about?
I just thought about the part and the time period.
A rock-and-roll angel in the '50s made me think of the Nudie suits [flamboyant, rhinestone-studded cowboy suits created by Nashville tailor Nudie Cohen] that country-and-western stars like Bob Wills and Porter Wagoner used to wear.
I thought: Nudie suit leads to Gram Parsons leads to Teen Angel.
And I thought it would be a cool idea to incorporate the angel wings in rhinestones.
Martin Pakledinaz, the costume designer for the show, was exceptional in talking with me about the outfit, and his creativity just took off.
It's a beautiful suit, and I think it looks great for me and the part I'm playing, especially with the embroidered rhinestone angel wings on the back.

Why do you think so many American Idol alums have come to Broadway?
In a way, the Idol experience is similar to the Broadway experience.
We'd do the group numbers every week [on Idol], and the rigorous schedule is very similar to the Broadway schedule.
And it's live!
You really have to be on your best game every night, but I've lived in a live setting musically since I was 16 or 17 years old.
That's where I thrive.

I would think that nothing could be as challenging as surviving a season on American Idol, not to mention actually winning!
It's a gut-check and a soul-check.
It definitely teaches you a lot about who you are as a person.

Some Idol alums, such as Clay Aiken, express mixed feelings now about constantly being identified with the show.
It doesn't bother me.
Once you become an American Idol, it will always stay with you.
You have to work as hard as you can to be as successful as you can—and be glad you're able to perform and grateful you had American Idol to give you that platform.

Is there extra pressure that comes with Idol in terms of who sells the most records?
Yes, there is pressure.
But the measuring stick for American Idol winners is everybody's measuring stick.
Each of us has our own identity and our own path.
For me as a performer, it's about the marathon, not the sprint.
I'm in this for the long haul, whether it be Broadway or acting or music.
It's using everything I've learned.

You never struck me as a top-40 singer.
You have to be who you are, and find and write great songs.
Great music will stand the test of time.
It will also cross over—radio will come find a great song.
And that's what it's about: playing great music and finding great songs and letting those songs speak for themselves.

You're working on a new record, right?
Yes, I've got a record coming out in the fall.
I've written half of it, and I'm going to be recording it while I'm here on Broadway.
[Just after Hicks' Broadway.com interview, an announcement came that Vanguard Records, known for jazz, blues and folk recordings, has agreed to distribute the singer's next album, which he will cut on his own label.]

Your fans seem to be turning out to see you in Grease.
The Soul Patrol is definitely invading Broadway!

Is having such fervent fans ever a mixed blessing?
How do you make sure that the attention doesn't intrude on your life?
I'm just excited to have fans.
For a long time, it was a struggle for me—one night I might play for nobody and the next night I would play for 50 people.
It was a grind.
For me to be able to catch a break and have the opportunity to perform in front of a lot of people?
You never take it for granted.
And as long as you don't let [fan attention] be intrusive, it won't be.
It's out there and you're aware of it, but I'm a private person by nature.
I try to keep as much normalcy as I can in my daily life, in my social life, in my private life.

Are you enjoying living in New York?
I love it.
I just spent about four hours in Central Park.
When I've come to New York in the past, it's like I leave my hotel room and then I get out of a sedan and then I'm lighting the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center and then I'm stuffed into a sedan again and then I'm in Virginia somewhere.
It's been nice because I've been able to enjoy the city as opposed to doing a show or doing a press tour.
I'm excited about being here because I know [New York] is where it all starts.
Being on Broadway is a big honor for me.

I hadn't realized that you wrote a book [Heart Full of Soul, subtitled "an inspirational memoir"].
What message did want to convey?
The importance of self-determination and a deep inner belief that you're going to succeed; not letting anything get in the way of your vision, whether it be music or theater or running a Fortune 500 company.
I am the American Dream.
In four months, I went from playing at a Steak and Ale to performing for 37 million people!
The book also allowed me to connect with fans in my own words and show them the prelude to what they see [now].
People talk about overnight success—it's been a 13-year "overnight success" for me. But I really believe that when people become successful, 99.9% of the time it's because they have dedication and don't see anything but the bull's-eye.
That's what I wanted to show in the book.
You can overcome things if you're good to people and you work hard.

You're living proof of that, for sure.
I remember standing outside in Las Vegas at American Idol [auditions], and kids were coming up to me asking me where my kid was that was auditioning.
If that doesn't make you want to walk away, I don't know what does.
But I never walked away.
I knew I had a vision, and that was to entertain people—and here I am.

Is Alabama still your home base?
I was in Birmingham for a few weeks visiting my family, but I don't have a permanent residence.
I've been living out of four suitcases for about two years.
I went down to two suitcases, but I had to fill two more up and move to New York.
I toured Asia in December—I went to Jakarta, I went to the Philippines.
I went out on tour in February of last year and basically stayed out for eight months.

That sounds lonely!
You know, I've always made the people I perform with my family.
And it's so interesting—the theatrical experience is very similar to what I see with musicians on the road.
Broadway really is a family atmosphere, and I'm thankful for that.
I love working with the cast of Grease.

Would you like to try a more substantial part in the future?
Yeah, I definitely would.
We'll see what happens, but hopefully there's some more stuff in store for me.
I'm having a ball.

JUST FOR FUN

In the twilight of his years, a man asked God what it would be like when he went to heaven.
This man was a child of the 50’s.
He had a strong sense of the past, especially his, as he was fortunate to be a teenager when times were simpler.

Those were the days when girls were flirty but virtuous; boys were devilish, but gentlemanly.
As their lives were molded by the traits of honesty, integrity and hard work, they endeavored to live their lives accordingly.

So God told this man, “Your eternal life in heaven will reflect the most innocent times of your particular generation.”
The man did not totally understand, but he accepted God’s explanation.

Several years passed, and this old man was finally sent to Heaven’s door.
As he arrived at the front gate, he could hear music from inside.
The sounds were soothing to his ear, and he felt a wave of nostalgia come over him. As he knocked on the gate, he heard a voice, “I Hear You Knocking, must be an Earth Angel arriving.”

A really cool male angel opened the gate, and asked, “Well RollOver Beethoven, Great Balls Of Fire, who are you?”
“I’ll bet you think you’re Sleep Walking or this is Just A Dream.”

The man said, “Some call me Speedo, but my real name is Mr. Earl.
I passed away In The Still Of The Night, and I Cried A Tear as I recited My Prayer that God would embrace me in a Sea Of Love.”

The man continued, “My wife died a few years ago; I called her Susie-Q.
As I leaned over her bed sobbing, she said very softly, Honey Hush.
I cried, Wake Up Little Suzy, but she had moved on.
There Goes My Baby, Goodnight Sweetheart.”

The angel said:
“Well my friend, you’re not Stranded In The Jungle.
You need to know a Story Untold.
Your Little Darlin has abided by the Ten Commandments Of Love
and the Book Of Love says Save The Last Dance For Me.”

“Don't You Just Know It, your Angel Baby is waiting for
you This Magic Moment!”

The man said, “Well I'll Be John Brown, you mean My Babe is
here in My Blue Heaven?
Lawdy Miss Clawdy, Let The Good Times Roll.
Hallelujah, I Love Her So.
Could This Be Magic or Just A Dream?
Take me to my Little Bitty Pretty One!”

The angel admonished:
“You will see your Honey Love soon.
But first I need to hear your story.”

The man described his last days:
“Well sir, I was on a Sea Cruise and met this Long Tall Sally from Ko Ko Mo.
Her real name was Peggy Sue and she was a real Party Doll.
One night after One Mint Julip, I touched her Tutti Frutti, she touched my Ling, Ting, Tong, then one thing led to another.
I told her, I’m Your Sixty Minute Man.
After that, I called her Tweedlee Dee and she called me Speedo.

We’d start to Flip Flop & Fly, and we both were Breathless.
Then one night I got this Fever which I thought was Poison Ivy.
I felt this Ting-A-Ling after One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer.
Then I went into this Endless Sleep and Sh-Boom, I’m Over The Mountain, A Thousand Miles Away and here I am.”

The angel said,
“Ain'T That A Shame.
Sounds like you were the All American Boy.
Love Is Strange.”

The angel beckoned,
“Didn’t know if you were a Devil Or Angel.
But you’re OK.
Come Go With Me, I Want To Walk You Home.”

As they entered the gates of heaven, they passed this old Hound Dog.
The angel said, “He belongs to this long haired dude who likes to
wear fancy clothes and drive Cadillacs.”

The angel pointed to a man, “His name is Carl.
He loves wearing those Blue Suede Shoes.”

Then they saw a sharp lady drive by in her Rocket "88".
Her license plate read “Maybellene”.

Another man passed by and waved.
The angel said, “He’s the The Great Pretender who thinks he’s the Duke Of Earl.”

When a huge crowd of people making all this Yakety Yak passed by, the man asked, “Where are they going?
The angel said, “They’re going to Shake Rattle & Roll down at Smokey Joe's Cafe.”
This Jim Dandy of a woman went by carrying a cake with Sixteen Candles.
The angel advised, “She’s headed to her School Days when she was Sweet Little Sixteen but she knows Its Only Make Believe.”

The angel advised, “You should know that here in heaven we Rock Around The Clock. Every day we go up on Blueberry Hill where we Rip It Up with a Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On.
And there will be some Good Rockin Tonight as we Honky Tonk and do the Night Train. You’ll see Short Fat Fannie, Johnny B. Goode, Be-Bop-A-Lula, Rock'N Robin, Good Golly Miss Molly, Mr. Lee, C.C. Rider, Stagger Lee, Charlie Brown and lot’s more all dancing to Wooly Bully and the Chicken Shack Boogie.”

As they walked further into heaven, the man saw a dazzling lighted entrance to a huge theatre.
The angel pointed and said, “That’s the GRRHOF building.”
“What?” the man asked.
The angel replied, “ God’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
It’s the place where you can meet all your favorite singers and bands.”

The angel continued, “It’s growing everyday.
When a new singer or group arrives, we play When the Saints Go Marchin In.
Let’s go inside and see who’s there today.”

As they entered the theater, you could hear the sounds of rhythm, boogie and beat, strumming guitars, doowop-de-wop and a thunderous background noise of cheers and applause.
There was one group doing a rock-a-billy song with Buddy Holly and Carl Perkins. Another group singing some love songs consisted of Roy Orbison, Ritchie Valens, Jimmy Clanton and Ruth Brown.
Doing some heavy
blues tunes were Joe Turner, Hank Ballard, Smiley Lewis and Faye Adams.
And perfect harmony in doo-wop style was coming from the Five Keys, the Five Royales and Frankie Lyman.

In the rear of the theater there was a brightly colored door in the shape of a guitar with the initial “E” painted in the center.
On either side of the door there were replicas of a grill from a 1956 Cadillac.
The man asked, “What’s in that room?”
The angel replied, “It’s not what’s in the room, but who!
And you can believe he’s here.”

As they walked outside, suddenly, as if out of A Thousand Stars, this Little Star appeared.
It was Susie-Q!
Oh What A Dream!

Susie-Q said “No more Tears On My Pillow.
My Treasure Of Love has returned to me.
The Glory Of Love has brought us together once again.
Come Softly To Me, My Love.
Eddie My Love!”

And Eddie said, “There are many Moments To Remember Since I Met You Baby
but now that I’ve Got You Babe, I have but one.
Only You!
Do You Wanna Dance?”

The angel then left Eddie and Susie-Q to their Good Lovin.
As the angel walked away, he said, “See You Later, Alligator.”

~ S. Gray Steifel, Jr. ~

Today's cup:

"Music can be all things to all persons.
It is like a great dynamic sun in the center of a solar system which sends out its rays and inspiration in every direction.
Music makes us feel that the heavens open and a divine voice calls.
Something in our souls responds and understands."
~ Leopold Stokowski ~

Soul Shining Through

2008-06-20T04:25:00.011-04:00

"Heaven Knows"
by Taylor Hicks

A slice of Heaven on Earth!

Lovin' you is easy cause you're beautiful
No one else can make me feel
The colors that you bring
Lovin' you
I hear your soul come shinin' through!

Whether he's playing the part of Teen Angel or singing our National Anthem, Taylor Hicks' voice always reflects that his musical roots are firmly planted in Soul and enriched by Blues.

Will his highly anticipated new CD, promised for this Fall,
have a bit of Country added into the planting mix?

Will the light needed for his radio airplay to blossom be provided not by sunshine, but by the lights of Broadway?

Taylor's "Heaven Knows" never got much of a chance
for it's roots to take hold.
Whether from lack of watering by his former label, or the fact that American Idol chose to focus their light elsewhere, it's airplay wilted and died quickly, while common weeds flourished.
Whomever was in charge of laying the mulch did a half ass job of spreading it!
(Hmm .. Whoever versus Whomever ... a whole other ponder)

Taylor Hicks' voice is like a breath of fresh air, it revives my soul.
His music fills my world with color and makes me feel as if I've brought my gardens indoors!
And oh that harp, it is indeed, the music of Angels.
A slice of Heaven on Earth!

My thanks to my friend Karin for her "Heaven Knows" video tribute.
"Heaven Knows" has been one of my top favorites since first listen, and she showcased it perfectly!
It is as enjoyable to watch, as it is to listen!

I took a bit of liberty with the lyrics from Minnie Riperton's
"Lovin' You" from her album 'Perfect Angel' (1974) to use here today.

A truly talented lady, with the voice of an Angel, her young life was cut way too short.
Listening to her music I am reminded of the words
God must have needed an Angel.
Listen

Today's cup:
All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions.
Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else.

Good Morning New York!

2008-06-17T15:02:00.009-04:00

It's a beautiful morning, in this case not because of the weather, but because first thing I saw this morning was Taylor Hicks on TV!

Taylor joined Sukanya Krishann, co-anchor for CW11 Morning News, WIPX Television in New York, to talk about his debut on Broadway as a bluesy Teen Angel in the current production of GREASE at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.

It's a wonderful interview and Taylor is in fine form, enjoy!

Taylor Hicks Came From Alabama With A Banjo On His Knee

My thanks to janibeth from Taylor Is The Boogie for her video capture!

CW11 Morning News blogspot and video

It's a beautiful morning
I think I'll go outside for a while
And just smile!

Today's cup:
All mornings are like paintings.
You need a little inspiration to get going.
A little smile to brighten up ...
From someone who cares to color your day.

Comment On Taylor Hicks Places I've Been

2008-06-15T18:55:00.008-04:00

This morning I received notifications from You Tube on new comments for my uploaded videos, and I was so so impressed by this comment on Taylor Hicks "Places I've Been" that I wanted to share it here!

I immediately contacted the poster to ask if I could share his comment on my blog, but since it is Father's Day, I expect he might be busy elsewhere!

I'm hoping that he won't mind that I didn't wait for his response, his comment made my day, and I think it will make yours too!

I love Taylor's voice it's so raw and soul bearing.
It makes chills go up and down my spine.

I just got remarried to the most wonderful woman in the world.

At our wedding we both decided to pick out songs to each other, this was the first one that came to mind.

After the first verse there wasn't a dry eye in the church.

After the ceremony was over, people asked me who that was that sang my song and were pleasantly surprised.

Taylor picked up a bunch of new fans that day!!
dynamitemike65

Reading this comment was such a wonderful way to start my day!

Happy Father's Day Mike
and Congratulations!!

From my April blog titled 'Blooming With Romance'
It doesn't matter how wonderful a place is ... if you're not with the one who holds your heart.

Taylor Hicks' "Places I've Been" is truly one of the most beautiful of love songs and stories.

"Places I've Been" is the tale of a travelling man who realizes the only place he really wants to be.

My heart simply melts when I hear Taylor sing this song.

Here is another comment I just love that came in a couple of days ago at You Tube:

This is a breathtaking video.
The photography alone is enough to bring tears to my eyes.
The song Places I've Been just adds a romantic element to the photos.
It almost makes me feel like I am there.
Simply and essentially perfectly chosen pairing of images and song.
Thank you.
Arrow2MySoul

In my Blooming With Romance blog I also said that I find myself imagining he calls his love, baby girl, as he does in "Dream Myself Awake", and thinking that there wouldn't be a dry eye in the house when he sings it live!

Remember what Mike said in his comment?
"After the first verse there wasn't a dry eye in the church."

I just knew it, yes indeed!

Today's cup:

“Our soulmate is someone who shares our deepest longings,
our sense of direction.
When we're two balloons, and together our direction is up,
Chances are we've found the right person.
If you love someone, set them free.
If they come back they're yours;
If they don't they never were.”
~ Richard Bach ~

Taylor Hicks Loves New York

2008-06-15T02:47:00.005-04:00

Taylor Hicks has taken a bite out of the Big Apple
and he is lovin' it!

It was 'Broadway Week' at LIVE With Regis and Kelly, this past week.

On Friday, Taylor Hicks (Broadway's new Teen Angel), and Kirsten Wyatt (Frenchy) appeared and performed a shortened version of "Beauty School Dropout", aided by four of the GREASE chorus Angels!

Taylor has so much stage presence, it is one of the things I have always loved about him.
It was a fantastically fun performance, thoroughly enjoyable, and Mr. Hicks was looking very suave and debonair in his sparkly suit!

Thanks, to my good friend Karin, here is a video capture of Taylor's "Beauty School Dropout" and of his great chat with Regis and Kelly following the performance.

video capture by: KarinP
(Thank You!)

"It's definitely country come to town," Taylor Hicks said of his presence in the Big Apple.

"The traffic, all the people and the fast pace of New York is an adjustment.
But I love it and I'm starting to become more comfortable with my role in the show."

The role is that of Teen Angel, played by Frankie Avalon in the 1978 movie version, and Taylor gets a nice, BIG solo in the production.

"The music is classic and the part is a perfect fit," he said.
"I couldn't turn down the opportunity to perform on Broadway for the first time."

But don't expect an imitation of Avalon or anyone else.
Like everything else he does, the 31-year-old performer said his number has been "Taylorized".

"The great thing about this role is I was able to be Taylor at the same time as Teen Angel," he said.

"It allows me to get my feet wet a little bit before I really dive into acting."

Taylor will be living in New York until at least September 6, when his run in the show is due to end.
But he will be multitasking all summer: writing songs for a new album planned for later this year and an appearance on "A Capitol Fourth," which airs live on July 4 (on PBS).
From the Press Telegram,
Long Beach, CA
By Greg Hernandez, Staff Writer

Taylor Hicks celebrated his heavenly Broadway debut as Grease's Teen Angel with true star finesse, adding his imprint to the collection at New York's Planet Hollywood.

After an enthusiastic curtain call, where the silver haired Angel soulfully crooned along with fellow reality show winners (and Grease stars) Max Crumm and Laura Osnes, Hicks and cast made their way to the iconic Hollywood-inspired restaurant for a 1950s worthy fete and plenty of pictures.

Kirsten Wyatt is simply adorable in the roll of Frenchy!
I haven't seen the play, but just watching her interact with Taylor on Regis and Kelly was absolutely delightful!
Love when she dances in her chair while Taylor plays his 'harp'!
We always knew Angels played harps!

Kirsten Wyatt is an American Broadway actress portraying Frenchy in the new Broadway revival of Grease.

Since completing her training at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Wyatt has appeared in a number of Broadway productions.
Her Broadway premiere was as the understudy for Kristen Chenoweth (Sally Brown) and Ilana Levine (Lucy van Pelt) in the revival of
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
Other notable Broadway roles include Little Becky Two Shoes in Urinetown and Allison and Anna in High Fidelity.
Wyatt has also been a member of the national touring casts of Urinetown and The Boy Friend (directed by Julie Andrews).
Her regional credits include Peter in Peter Pan and Eponine in Les Misérables.

Today's cup ... compliments of Karin:

"Every calling is great when greatly pursued"
~ Oliver Wendall Holmes ~

I just Love this expression, so Elvis and yet so Taylor Hicks!

Tell Me More, Tell Me More

2008-06-13T06:11:00.004-04:00

Grease is the word
is the word
is the word

With Taylor Hicks debut on The Great White Way playing the part of Teen Angel in Grease, there is no doubt that Taylor has brought the wow factor and his woo to Broadway!

Several blog posts ago I asked the question of whether Broadway was always one of Taylor's dreams.
Then I began to think about doing a video of Taylor's "On Broadway" recording from his 1997 'In Your Time' album.

Well it is done and here it is!

Thank you again to all who have graciously shared their photos!

For additional photos, recaps and media of Taylor's Broadway debut, please visit my favorite Taylor Hicks' links located in my sidebar.

The Great White Way is a nickname for a section of Broadway in the Midtown section of the New York City borough of Manhattan, specifically the portion that encompasses the Theatre District, between 42nd and 53rd Streets.

Nearly a mile of Broadway was illuminated in 1880 by Brush arc lamps, making it among the first electrically lighted streets in the United States.

The headline "Found on the Great White Way" appeared in the February 3, 1902, edition of the New York Evening Telegram.
The journalistic sobriquet was inspired by the millions of lights on theater marquees and billboard advertisements that illuminate the area, especially around Times Square.

Today's cup:
Be careful of the words you say,
Keep them short and sweet.
You never know, from day to day,
Which ones you'll have to eat.