Taylor Hicks To Include New Music & Hollywood in Future Plans

According to a new interview by the Times Online, speaking about his current career path, Taylor says:

"....He wouldn't change a thing, said Hicks, testing out new songs next weekend at a Lincoln Park club.

"To each his own, "he said. "Everybody has their own particular path they create for themselves. For me, I'm creating my own niche and my own career path.

"Now that he's got his feet wet in acting, that path includes music and Hollywood. His ideal film project: a serious, classy role opposite a serious, classy leading lady. Two Oscar winners top his leading-lady wish list. "From the past, Katharine Hepburn," he said. "The present, Sissy Spacek...."

Taylor as a leading man against a beautiful leading lady on the big screen? I'd swim a mighty big ocean to get to that premiere! Just tell me where and when, eh?

In another "Grease" review, Taylor can add another wonderful kudo to his every growing scrapbook. According to Epoch Times,

"...This version has added songs from the film, "Sandy," "Hopelessly Devoted to You," and "You’re The One That I Want," as well as "Grease.” It also features former American Idol winner Taylor Hicks as "Teen Angel," and he adds a special touch to "Beauty School Dropout" with his harmonica. His role has very little stage time and one song/no lines (yet he is given star billing)...."

Naturally!

Variety Magazine Gives Taylor Hicks A Rave Review For His Role in *Grease*

We're having some fun now, eh kids? Taylor Hicks just received an awesome review from the industry bible - Variety Magazine!!! All the Hollywood biggies read this publication (it's been around since the beginning of time, I think!)... read and enjoy friends and foes! Our soulman is definitely in the big leagues! Enjoy!

"...While "Grease," the touring version of the recently closed Broadway revival, lacks the inspiration and emotional sincerity needed to be more than merely peppy and puerile, it does come alive from a sheer kitsch perspective when Taylor Hicks of "American Idol" fame emerges from a giant ice cream cone to sing "Beauty School Dropout." In fact, the biggest laugh of the evening comes when the flirtatious Frenchy twirls Mr. Hicks' exposed chest hair and purrs, "I voooted for you."

The line, delivered deliciously by standout Kate Morgan Chadwick, has layers of significance beyond a single moment of self-conscious humor, since this "Grease," directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall, was originally birthed on the NBC reality show "Grease: You're the One That I Want," in which the television audience selected the previously unknown Max Crumm and Laura Osnes to become Rialto headliners in the revival.

So the first important fact to remember about this tour is that Max and Laura are not in it.

Yes, the performers swearing in as this Danny and Sandy from Illinois, Eric Schneider and Emily Padgett, were appointed and not elected. They deliver perfectly capable performances, singing and dancing with plenty of polish. But, like much else in this show, they don't express a lot in the way of true personality.

Schneider ("Jersey Boys," "Altar Boyz") has a full set of performance gifts, but while he possesses Crumm's youthfulness, he doesn't have the natural slacker mentality that made the aud's selection fairly interesting.

And Padgett is full on the prototypical Sandy, blonde and totally believable as the good girl. Her transformation at the end into the updated let's-get-it-on bombshell, in fact, is so complete it almost seems Schneider's Danny recognizes her too quickly.

Like both Osnes and Crumm, this cast has a fundamentally squeaky clean, heartland aura, emanating innocence even when accessorized with leather jackets or big hair. And perhaps the casting was partially the inspiration for Marshall to create her colorful, crisp, comicbook inspired take on the show. It looks good, it sounds OK, but it's also both literally (in terms of the sets) and figuratively (in terms of the characterizations) two dimensional.

The ensemble boasts plenty of chops, particularly an ability to capture the melodic elements of the songs. And they do their best to amp up the comedy. But, the little love stories that drive the plot have no dramatic force whatsoever. All the scenes have the same energy, the emotions are all plastic, and the characterizations, purely generic.

This is where Hicks separates himself, creating his own little show-within-a-show, lifting us out of the manufactured quality of the production to enjoy a few moments of an over-the-top oddness that's decidedly individual. Yes, he delivers on pre-ordained expectations -- he even plays the harmonica and dances, as Simon Cowell described it, like he's a father at a party trying to embarrass his kids.

But, to his credit and to the audience's enjoyment, nobody else could be this Teen Angel, and there's no point in even trying to compare him to Frankie Avalon...."

Tickets Flying Off The Shelf For Taylor Hicks' 'Rams Head On-Stage' Show

Just a reminder for all you people planning on going to Taylor's Rams Head On-Stage show in Annapolis, MD on Feb 7, 2009, if you haven't bought your tickets yet, you might want to buy them now because tickets are flying out the door (no surprise, eh)? There is only 19 seats left, according to their website. Yes, 303/322 seats have been sold which currently makes for a 94% sellout as we speak. Surely, the show will be a complete sellout in the very near future, so get yours while they're still available! A rare chance to catch Taylor in an intimate setting where he will most probably sing his new hit single "What's Right Is Right" along with other music from his upcoming album, "The Distance".

Inspiration for Taylor Hicks' New Video for "What's Right Is Right"

From Jake Davis, the director of Taylor's new video for his new single, "What's Right Is Right". Oooooh, I'm getting awfully excited about this little movie for Taylor! I like the mood this guy is gettin' into - throwback images - Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Silhouettes, Trenchcoats, Nightscapes....

His Inspiration For The Video
(Click to Enlarge Picture)



Birdland, 1958, cool jazz, Ol' Blue Eyes, smoke, Miles, love, Eggleston, Blue Note, Dean, reflection, neon, Marilyn, wind, Jim Marshall, silhouettes, grey melange, night sessions... just a few things running through my head...

Taylor Hicks Appears on WGN-TV Chicago

Taylor does one of his best live versions of his classic "The Fall" on WGN this morning. The guy just grabs me each time he sings it! Just awesome! Enjoy!

Interview & Performance of "The Fall" from his Early Works CD.


Backstage Interview

Taylor's Preps For New Album With Massive Promotion!! Single Drops January 20, 2009!

Did we ever hit the Taylor Hicks jackpot of information today!! The start of the new work week of 2009 brings us massive information from Rocket Science, the company Taylor has hired to promote his new album, single and video! I'm not sure where to start, but here is some info to mull on! I'll be blogging about my thoughts about all this as soon as I can contain them in an organized fashion! Below are some of the media Taylor will be doing (click on the promo sheets on the left to get a complete agenda).

Album Press:
Feature in People Mag in February
Feature in Entertainment Weekly in February

TV Appearances:

Leno in February
Regis and Kelly - Monday, March 9
Ellen - Week of "Street"
Craig Ferguson - Week of "Street"
Rachel Ray - Week of "Street"
Morning TVs with single performance in every Grease tour market

Radio:
Ryan Seacrest - KISS-FM
Syndicated radio & morning shows

Single impacts Adult Contemporary radio on January 20, 2009

Video shoot in Chicago on January 12, 2009
Video directed by Jake Davis
Song: "What's Right Is Right"
Label: Modern Whomp/Artist2Market
director(s): Jake Davis
Production co: Kleiner, Inc.
http://www.videostatic.com/vs/kleiner/

According to Kleiner Inc. Jake Davis will be in the windy city this week and next to shoot American Idol winner Taylor Hicks' new video for "What's Right Is Right." He will be directing the classic performance video in downtown Chicago. Jake says in his blog, "I'm directing a video for some other guy that won some kind of reality show or something... Alright let me kill the internet voice before I get in trouble. For real we're in Chicago and making a really classic video for American Idol winner Taylor Hicks. Inspiration to follow. It's going to be amazing... Taylor is a really great guy and the vibe is right..."

Lyrics to Taylor's New Single
"What's Right Is Right"

"When there’s joy inside your heart
I’ll share it.
When you’ve got a dream I say
reach for the sky.
And if you ever fall
I’ll catch you.
What’s wrong with you is wrong with me
And what’s right is right."

You can listen to a 30 second snippet of Taylor's new single "What's Right Is Right" right here on amazon.com.

Taylor Hicks to Sing National Anthem at MN Vikings/Phil Eagles Football PlayOff

Taylor will be singing the National Anthem at today's Minnesota Vikings/Philadelphia Eagles Wildcard Play-Off game on Fox-TV, 4:30 EST/1:30 PST. We're not sure if Fox will televise the song, but here's a few places you might be able to hear it:

Minn Vikings Radio

Philadelphia Eagles Radio