Taylor Hicks - #4 Top Audition According to TV Guide

According to TV Guide, Taylor Hicks is #4 on their American Idol's Best Auditions List! Woo hoo!! The following is their complete list of the Top 5 men and Top 5 women. See if you agree!

This Wednesday's American Idol is a "Best of the Rest" recap of the Season 7 auditions we didn't see throughout each city. That got us thinking about some of the best auditions we've seen, regardless of whether the candidate went on to Idol greatness. Instead of a top-10 list, we thought we'd have a battle of the sexes: the best women's auditions versus the best from the men. — Erin Fox

Top Five Men's Auditions

5) Chris Sligh, "Kiss from a Rose" | Watch on YouTube
Not only did Chris crack us up with his "wanting to make David Hasselhoff cry" comment, he wowed us with his soulful rendition of Seal's hit song. Paula even stood up and clapped at the end.

4) Taylor Hicks, "A Change Is Gonna Come"/"Swanee River Rock" Watch on YouTube
The funny thing about this is that Simon clearly didn't like Taylor from the get-go. You can tell his vote is a no, but Randy and Paula are really impressed by his soulful, funky voice. When Simon says he should stay in the background and will never get to the final group, we wish we could have fast-forwarded to the moment of Taylor's victory and shoved it in Simon's face.

3) Justin Guarini, "Who's Lovin' You" | Watch on YouTube
We know what you're thinking: "Justin? Seriously?" But take a look at the video, and you'll see why the judges went nuts for this unknown. Why he didn't excel as a crooner after Idol is anyone's guess, but it's fun to look back at his raw talent.

2) Chris Daughtry, "The Letter" | Watch on YouTube
Though poor Chris looks like a dear caught in headlights, his voice speaks for itself. Again, Simon thinks Chris isn't ready and gives him a no, but thank goodness Paula and Randy step in to send this mega-hit-producing rocker to Hollywood. That's right, Simon, you were wrong!

1) Clay Aiken, "Always and Forever" | Watch on YouTube
Clay looked like the elf from Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, but he sounded like a superstar. The judges didn't know what to make of his dorky style mixed with his insanely good vocals. But they voted him through and Clay went on to sell millions of records. Frighteningly enough, he also became the object of affection for thousands of "Clay-mates."

Top Five Women's Auditions

5) Frenchie Davis, "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" | Watch on YouTube
Holy crap, we think our ear drums just burst listening to her amazing vocal power. Randy and Paula gave her a standing ovation (Simon, of course, stayed seated but clapped as enthusiastically as he could), and if she hadn't been kicked off the show for those naughty pictures, there's no telling how far Frenchie could have gone.

4) Carrie Underwood, "I Can't Make You Love Me" | Watch on YouTube
Who knew this farm girl who sported the '80s wardrobe and glamour-shots makeup at her audition would become the Idol winner and sell a bazillion country records? Well, check out this video and you'll see why this country girl's star rose so quickly.

3) Paris Bennett, "Cowboy Take Me Away" and "Take Five" | Watch a Clip
Yes, that's right... Paris got to sing two songs because the judges were so impressed. She did a fine job with "Cowboy" but really blew us away by singing a Billie Holiday song with the grace and depth of someone much older than her 17 years. My one question is, "Where is she today, and why isn't she way more famous?"

2) Katharine McPhee, "God Bless the Child" | Watch on YouTube
Paula had goosebumps, we had goosebumps; Kat cried, we cried.... This was one of the best and most natural voices in the show's history. Now this Idol runner-up is filming movies, singing with Andrea Bocelli, and just married her boyfriend of several years. She's on a roll.

1) Melinda Doolittle, "For Once in My Life" | Watch on YouTube
For such a shy little thing, boy could she rock the house! Melinda proved that she was not only talented but also that she was a unique and refreshing addition to Idol. Can you believe she was a backup singer for so long?

Taylor Hicks To Write New Album in Nashville, NY & Los Angeles

Happy Superbowl Sunday! We got a treat today from Taylor who gave an update on the progress of his new DVD "Whomp At The Warfield", his public appearances, his upcoming gigs and his new Clive-Free CD which should be out later in the year! Listen to it here:

Taylor Hicks to Play in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on ESPN

Taylor played a lot of basketball back in high school, once scoring 48 points in one game, so it seems like a natural fit for him to put on his sneakers and hit the basketball court again when he plays in the McDonald's NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Feb. 15 in New Orleans. It will be televised on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET. The thought of Taylor running, jumping and sweating on the court makes me all kinds of happy! Set those VCR's!!

Tickets for the this Celebrity Game sold out within 30 minutes!

Here's the press info:

Brace for an All-Star Battle in the Bayou ... Where Celebrities Hitting the Hardwood Happens

NEW YORK, JAN. 2, 2008 -- Tickets for the McDonald's NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, showcasing the hardwood talents of some of the entertainment world's biggest names, will go on sale Thursday, Jan. 3, at 11 a.m. ET. The game will tip off on Friday, Feb. 15 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on Center Court inside NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas and will feature a star-studded cast of players from film, TV, and music including, among many others, "American Idol" 2006 Winner Taylor Hicks, rapper Common, former NFL player Deion Sanders, "Friday Night Lights" hunk Zach Gilford, "Heroes" star James Kyson Lee, "The Wire" star Seth Gilliam, and New Orleans native Master P. Hip hop star Lupe Fiasco will perform during the exciting halftime show. The full roster for the game will be released in February.

Tickets for the game are $25 and available at 800-4-NBA-TIX (622849), Ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster Outlets or the New Orleans Arena Box Office. A limited number of tickets are available. Tickets include admission to Jam Session on Friday, Feb. 15 where fans of all ages can meet and collect FREE autographs from NBA Players and Legends, shoot, slam, dribble and drive all day, compete against friends in skills challenges and much more.

For the fourth straight year, ESPN will televise the game, which also features NBA and WNBA players, beginning at 7 p.m. ET. It will also air on ESPN HD and will be simulcast on ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobil TV. The game rosters are subject to change without notice. Visit NBA.com/jamsession or call 866-NBA-JAMS for more information.

Last Feb. 17, the team of West celebrities defeated the East squad, 40-21, in Las Vegas behind an MVP effort from Tony Potts, co-anchor of Access Hollywood. Potts registered 14 points and eight rebounds. In perhaps the game's most stunning development, superstar running back Reggie Bush of the New Orleans Saints had his night end early after a slight ankle sprain.

NOTE: A $20 TICKET (STANDARD PRICE OF ADMISSION) TO JAM SESSION ON FRIDAY, FEB. 15, DOES NOT INCLUDE ADMISSION TO THE CELEBRITY GAME.

Tighten Up with Taylor Hicks!

One of the great funk & soul songs of the 1960s, 'Tighten Up', appears on Taylor's first self produced album 'In Your Time'. In the opening bars, he sings "Here's an old song from Archie Bell & The Drells from way back in 1973". The truth of the matter is that Archie Bell had a #1 hit with this song in the Spring of 1968, not 1973.

In any case, here are the two versions for your listening pleasure!

Tighten Up
Archie Bell & The Drells


Tighten Up
Taylor Hicks

Censorship On Taylor's Official Website

As we all know by now, Taylor was given a 60 sec sound bite on the Howard Stern Radio show (you can listen to it in the side bar) on Tuesday. After seeing the reaction to it on some of his fansites, and in fact, his own official site, I was shocked by the censorship some of his egocentric fans imposed on one-another.

You know the type of fan I’m talking about - the holier than thou moral church attendee - the ones who are on a life mission to protect Taylor from all vices in the cold cruel world. The ones that continue to place him on some fantasized pre-conceived high pedestal and thinks he should be first in line for sainthood. The ones who refuse to listen to him utter an off-color comment/joke/word, i.e, “fuck” (like he’s done at least ½ dozen times in song lyrics), watch him shake his ass around like a horny dude on stage, or listen to him utter the words “smelly genitals” like he did on the Howard Stern show. Oh my, how that riled up some of his more conservative, older fans. You’d think by listening to this bit it would have stunted their growth and make them go blind. It seems like certain people feel a warped sense of “I know what’s best for my son” syndrome – you know, the ones over 35 years of age who constitute a large portion of the fanbase.

These highly conservative self-righteous women have absolutely convinced themselves that Taylor lives (or should live) the same way they do. In other words, delusional fans who think he’s a choir boy who spends a majority of his time helping old women and sick children because he lends his name to charities. And while I have no doubt he believes in these endorsements (aside from the fact they’re probably paying him to do those), it in no way excludes the fact that he’s a 31 year old stogie puffing, cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, sexually active dude, who likes to listen to Howard Stern (and talk about ‘smelly genitals’) and who’s lived most of his life in dirty bars seeing and doing it all.

I was shocked to learn that a moderator on Taylor’s own official website banned and refused to put up any information and/or discussion of Taylor’s 60 sec sound bite on Howard Stern’s radio show because it might be ‘offensive to young and older members” who might be reading the message boards. Can you fucking believe that? Here you have Taylor endorsing this guy, saying he would “love to” be on the show and yet the only moderator over on his website injected her own conservative personal bias attitude into this “decision” because SHE deemed the content "inappropriate". Exactly who is this person to tell us what we should and should not be entitled to read on his PAID site about a subject (Howard Stern) that Taylor said he likes, for God's sake!! It’s censorship at its fucking worst.

A plea to Taylor: Please get on Howard's radio show as fast as you can and crack open this "image" some have of you. Develop a new, progessive fan contigent - a contigent who will not have a tissue handy every time you blow your nose.

Hear Taylor Hicks on the Howard Stern Show

Okay, I found it! For you Howard Stern/Taylor Hicks fans out there, here's his 60 secs on the show (grabbed at the Bob Hope Golf Classic in Palm Springs).

Warning - there's some language that might be offensive to some.

Taylor on the Howard Stern Show

1-29-08


Let's hope for an in-studio longer interview with some *real* raunchy talk!

Again, to put in a request for Howard to have Taylor on the show, email him here!

Taylor Hicks on the Howard Stern Show?

Through the grapevine, we heard that Taylor was on Howard Stern's Sirius Satellite Radio show this morning - interviewed by Gary Garver, Howard's LA Correspondent. If anyone actually heard this and captured it, do let us know! We'd love to hear it!

From one listener:

Seems Taylor said he loves Howard and listens to his show everyday. He was asked to describe Howard in one word and Taylor said “kind”, then he said something about smelly genitals, and how he likes when Howard busts his chops. He then said he'd love be a guest on his radio show. (The smelly genitals thing was because Howard’s interviewer asked him if he had ever been with a girl that had them, and he gave some funny answer.)

Another recap from another listener:

Howard Stern sent some guy out to the Bob Hope Classic...the guy was asking celebrities typical Howard Stern stuff....Taylor heard him asking another celebrity if he was ever with anyone with 'smelly genitals'....and Taylor was cracking up and saying back..."I think Howard is the one with smelly genitals!".....Howard loved that and said it was very true......

Taylor also said he would love to be on his show....Howard said, "He just went up 25 notches for me for that!"....The guy asked, "Do you listen?" and Taylor said "Yes, and I have even heard him goof on me a few times.."....Howard said he might have him on......Howard then goes on to be more disgusting, but very funny indeed......

To put in a request for Howard to have Taylor on the show, email him here!