Tell Me More, Tell Me More

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.

It's About Time

Every year just like clockwork Spring offers us an excellent opportunity to declutter and clean our home of unnecessary stuff!

Every year just like clockwork I chuck that idea and head outdoors!



Spring is a time of rebirth and rejuvenation!

After being cooped up all winter long, just opening the windows and letting fresh air in won't do it for me.
I need to be out communing with Mother Nature.

I'm one of those dust if you must people, yet I'll play in the dirt outside from dawn to dusk.

Spring can also be a time of self-discovery in reexamining our personal or professional goals.

I can tell you there is no better place than in a garden to reflect and gather your thoughts or to put things in perspective.

Think of it as gardening for your soul!

You might have found yourself recently wondering ... is my life on track?
Or you might be facing a bump in the road ... not sure if you should keep going, turn around or just stop.

I have two mottos that I attempt to live by, they are common place, you've heard them thousands of times or more, but they work for me.

"Take Time To Smell The Flowers"
and "Bloom Where You Are Planted".

I have found these both to be simple reality checks anytime my life looks like it's headed for a pothole!

Time is a precious commodity, use it wisely.


"In Your Time" - Taylor Hicks


Take time to think ...
It is the source of power.

Take time to play ...
It is the secret of perpetual youth.

Take time to pray ...
It is the greatest power on earth.

Take time to love and be loved ...
It is a God given privilege.

Take time to be friendly ...
It is the road to happiness.

Take time to laugh ...
It is the music of the soul.

Take time to give ...
It is too short a day to be selfish.

Take time to work ...
It is the price of success.

Take time to do charity ...
It is the key to heaven.

The Earth is always a good teacher — and especially in Spring.
End your days this season with this prayer from the Native American tradition.



Earth teach me stillness
as the grasses are stilled with light.

Earth teach me suffering
as old stones suffer with memory.

Earth teach me humility
as blossoms are humble with beginning.

Earth teach me caring
as the mother who secures her young.

Earth teach me courage
as the tree which stands all alone.

Earth teach me limitation
as the ant which crawls on the ground.

Earth teach me freedom
as the eagle which soars in the sky.

Earth teach me resignation
as the leaves which die in the fall.

Earth teach me regeneration
as the seed which rises in the spring.

Earth teach me to forget myself
as melted snow forgets its life.

Earth teach me to remember kindness
as dry fields weep with rain.
— Ute prayer



Today's cup
"If nature is your teacher, your soul will awaken."
~Goethe~

"In Your Time"
2007 Tour Edition of Taylor Hicks 1997 CD
Available for purchase through Laser's Edge





On a last note, remember this quote from Taylor?
"It's not the dirt I need to plant my musical flower"

Well a little birdie told me Spring Has Sprung in Nashville,
and I think the musical flower has found just what it needed to be rejuvenated!

Is Country The Answer?

The A.I Taylor Hicks hooked us, but it was the acoustical Taylor who reeled most of us in permanently.

As we sit and listen we are spellbound, this is when the magic of Taylor Hicks' artistry really shines.

We long for the moments of just Taylor and his stool, and when it happens the excitement level just skyrockets.

The same phenomenon happens when he begins to play his harp, we are on the edge of our seats straining not to miss a moment of the magic taking place.

Taylor made us sit up and take notice from the moment he appeared on our television screens.

Here was a young man who had the ability to not only sing his heart out, but to entertain us at the same time.

He made the music come alive!

He asked for his voice to be heard and to give him a chance.

We voted to give him that chance, but the PTB and the radio industry have discounted our votes and have not embraced Taylor.

Which brings me back to the title of this topic ... is Country the answer for Taylor Hicks?

The following is an excerpt from an article that appeared in 2001.

The only part I am not in agreement with is the reference to "payola".

I am totally convinced that though it is illegal, it is still taking place.

You just have to look at who has dominated the AC charts since the beginning of this year, to have no doubts about what is happening.

.....

"Most new songs cannot become popular without the medium we know as radio. After all, people won't usually buy CDs without hearing at least one song first, and the place they hear it is usually on the air.
So who is it that decides what is played on the radio and how?
The Radio Industry
During most of the last century, many independent radio stations had DJs who chose the music they played on the air. Many developed legions of hard-core fans who tuned into their shows regularly. Listeners depended on their favorite DJs to introduce them to new songs. Good DJs knew their audiences and could predict which songs would become hits.
These days, large corporations own most of the radio stations. They are in business to make money and play the music they think will lure audiences and sell advertising. (The exception is non-commercial, or public, stations that don't play ads and depend on listeners and corporations to send in donations.)
Some people say that large corporations are less willing than individual DJs to take a risk on new or innovative music, and therefore don't offer listeners as much variety.
One thing commercial stations can't do is accept money from record companies or musicians in return for playing their music. That's illegal, and known in the business as "payola."
"Since the early days of Rock and Roll on the radio there have been numerous rumors of payola in the radio industry, but very few have ever gone to court, and only a few of those have ever led to convictions," said Reed Bunzel, editor-in-chief of the radio industry Web site Gavin.com.
At commercial stations, DJs play songs from a pre-selected playlist put together by the station management based on what they think listeners want to hear. The DJ's job is mostly to entertain listeners with talk between songs and introduce the music. He or she has little choice or input for song selection at most stations.
There are about 10,000 commercial stations in the U.S. and about 2,500 non-commercial stations. The most popular format in the U.S. is Country Music. That means Country Music dominates the airwaves, but not the record stores. "

Acoustical Taylor fits quite nicely into the Country Music genre.

A perfect example, 'The Fall' written by Taylor Hicks

from his 1999 CD 'In Your Time'

This video is from his concert appearance in Waukegon, IL

July 12, 2007

video by samz

Would the Country Music Industry embrace Taylor now, and give him the recognition he deserves?

Obviously it will be up to Taylor whether he chooses that direction, and with the promise of more acoustical music from him ... is it a possibility?

Your comments are welcome.