Taylor Hicks And His Plans For 2008!

Taylor gave his fans a pleasant surprise today when he made an unexpected appearance as the 'mystery sidekick' on the Paul Finebaum Show in Birmingham, AL. Paul was out with emergency surgery so Taylor helped fill in for him by answering questions from viewers for about 90 minutes. He was in great spirits and looked great! He talked on a variety of subjects - everything from his golf game to the new CD to his allergies.

Here's my summary of the show:

- Will be playing on a cruise to Italy in late May and possibly be doing some small festivals while there.
- His golf game is improving - now at about a 10 or 11 handicap.
- His NBA Allstar Appearance - he thought it would just a lighthearted event playing with the scorekeepers; instead he had Deon Sanders yelling at the top of his lungs. :)
- He has been able to watch Idol more this year and likes "the Irish girl", Carly.
- He might make an appearance at the Soul Patrol Convention in May but no committment.
- The DVD is a done deal and will be out soon (no specific date given).
- Tour in August (not sure with whom yet).
- Would consider doing a Gospel album at one point in the future (like Elvis), but would need to get more educated in that type of genre.
- New album will be out in September. The direction of the CD has taken a 360 degree turn from the character he thought it would take when he started. He did make it sound like the songs are all written. They (the songs) will dictate how much 'production' is on each song (in answer to whether the album will be acoustic or not). He's not sure yet whether it will be released on an indie or major label but there is definitely interest out there for his 'brand'. As far as a producer, he's going to team up with somebody who he feels will give him a great opportuity to be able to have control over the creative side, but he can't say just yet who it is. He was vague about who the producer will be (him or someone else).
- Biggest difference between making the Clive record and this new one is the time he has to just "write".
- He has an I-Touch with all of his new demos on it that he listens to to get familiar with all the nuances of it, so when it comes time to record he'll be ready to go.
- In addition to this new album, he will have another album out called "Early Works" of all his older songs. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT???? GAH!!! These songs will be put together in a brand new CD package. No word on whether any unreleased tracks will make it onto the CD. This should be out in the next few months.
- A caller said Ace Young said hello to him and that he 'thinks the world of Taylor'.
- Taylor has talked to Elliott Yamin in the past 2 days about Elliott's mom's passing and that he's doing okay. Elliott has a good support and family around him and he'll pull through fine.

Here is the interview:

Part 1:


Part 2:

Taylor Hicks Scheduled to Roast Sportscaster Paul Finebaum

Don't miss the Paul Finebaum Celebrity Roast Presented by the American Cancer Society on Monday, April 14th at the Pelham Civic Complex. Confirmed celebrity roasters include Taylor Hicks, Jay Barker, and many more will be announced soon. For corporate table or individual ticket information contact ryan.haney@citcomm.com.

Reception is at 6:00 with Dinner and Roast at 7:00. Tables of 8 are $500 and individual tickets are $75.00. Proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society.

For those not acquainted with Paul Finebaum, here's a little background on him. He is an American columnist, author, television and radio personality based in Birmingham, Alabama. His primary focus is sports, particularly those in the Southeast. Finebaum was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He attended the University of Tennessee, where he received a liberal arts degree.

Here's an old interview that Taylor did with Paul Finebaum from 12-21-06: