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

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

"Somehow" by Taylor Hicks Is On My Mind

~ 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 ~

Broadway Scoop From Kathy Lee and Hoda

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

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"

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

'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

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"

Two Scoops Please

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

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 ~

Taylor Hicks Loves New York

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!