American Idol 7 A Bore - Bring Taylor Hicks Back!

I'm terribly sorry, but I'm watching this year's crop of wanna-be's on American Idol and so far it's a terrible bore. Yawn!! Let's be honest - it just is. Yea, you've got the first potential teeny-bopper AI winner in your mist with David Archuleta. He's does nothing for me musically, but I KNOW the teen girls will love this young boy. You got the overhyped Michael Johns and the failed recording artist Carly Smithson. Oh boy.

And then there's Amanda Overmyer who is the only slightly interesting person to me just because she's different and I respect people who try to stand apart from the mainstream pop field. I doubt she'll last too long though. Nigel will make sure of that, unfortunately. The rest of the field you can have. They are all totally forgettable.

Perhaps one of you guys can wake me up when somebody this season rips a performance like Season 5 Winner Taylor Hicks did in one of the show's best - the week he grabbed Otis Redding's "Try A Little Tenderness" by the throat and delivered like no-one's business. I do believe he actually impressed Simon with this. I know Simon would refuse to admit to this today, but the film doesn't lie.

Let's look at this performance from one of the most talented, if not THE most talented artists ever to come out of that show - someone who knew how to grab an audience by the balls and not let go:

Taylor Hicks Gets His Groove On In Birmingham

Taylor sat in with EARTHBOUND at 'Marty's' nightclub in Birmingham, AL last Saturday night. Word has it that he joined them for an old Grateful Dead song called "LOVE LIGHT". Thanks to TayFan1 for the info and great photo!


Another photo of Taylor from a previous appearance at Marty's.

Taylor Hicks Accepts American Music Award from Alabama Hall of Fame

Alabama's own American Idol 2006, Taylor Hicks never expected to see "Soul Patrol" signs when his plane landed in Jakarta, Indonesia.

"It's amazing the responses I had in Asia," said the Birmingham native, who's as famous for his head of salt and pepper hair as he is for his soulful singing and harmonica playing. "I'm blessed to have such a dedicated group of fans."

These days, he's living on the road. "There are four pieces of luggage that I carry with me at all times, and I call that my apartment," he said. "I'm letting the music carry me where it needs to go."

He's also doing a lot of writing and making plans for his next project, for which he will have more creative control. That pleases him a lot.

It's thrilling to be part of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, he said. On Friday, he received the 2008 America's Music Award. It was thrilling to just be in the same room with all the legends of music.

"I'd buy a ticket just to go," he said.

Source



Taylor and the legendary Percy Sledge ("When A Man Loves a Woman")

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Musicians and movie stars Donnie Fritts and his buddy Kris Kristofferson made time after a press conference Thursday to be part of a video salute to the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind's 150th anniversary.

The two are in town for the Alabama Music Hall of Fame's annual induction ceremony and dinner. Fritts is being honored with a 2008 Lifework Award. He has known Kristofferson for about 40 years. Kristofferson turned down a movie project to be here to support his friend and will perform for the crowd.

American Idol Taylor Hicks also stopped by to record a greeting for the AIDB. Check Saturday's Montgomery Advertiser for more details.

Source

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Stars rock Capital City
February 23, 2008
Reporters Teri Greene, Robyn Bradley Litchfield and Ken Mullinax contributed to this story.

American Idol and 2008 America’s Music Award honoree Taylor Hicks also stopped by to record a greeting for the AIDB, capping it off with his signature head jerk and “Woo, Soul Patrol!”

Hicks followers like Rhonda Huffman of Montgomery were out in full force.

“I am a Soul Patrol member, which means I’m a BIG Taylor Hicks fan. He has the voice of an angel, and he’s a non-stop entertainer,” she said. “His performance always knocks it right out of the park, and it’s great that he’s from Alabama, too.”

Source

Videos to check out:

Taylor singing "Soul Thing"

Taylor singing "Before He Cheats"

Taylor accepting his "American Music Award"!

Taylor Hicks Pictures from the Alabama Hall of Fame Ceremony!

Taylor was looking mighty fine indeed at the Alabama Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony tonight. Isn't he always the most gracious, humble, appreciative and hottest man at these formal affairs he's been attending lately - sorta like a shining diamond? Forget the Grammy's - Taylor got to share the stage with some real legends of the music industry - Percy Sledge, The Commodores and Kris Kristofferson just to name a few and be honored with the American Music Award on top of it! It's about f*cking time Taylor got some recognition for the long road he's traveled to get to this point. Yes Taylor, you DO make us proud in every sense of the word. Taylor had his family and friends with him and said that getting the American Music Award was coming full circle for him.
He belted out Chris Tompkins' "Before He Cheats," the song that won a Grammy for Carrie Underwood last week (hey, at least it wasn't a Daughtry song - that would have sucked!). Tomkins, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Walt Aldridge and Donnie Fritts, backed up Taylor's vocals with crowd-pleasing piano, guitar and harmonica. Taylor also sang "Soul Thing" at the show.

Posing with a lucky fan!
With Governor Riley of Alabama









Pictures courtesy of the Montgomery Advertiser, David Bundy, Amanda Sowards, Jamie Martin

Taylor Hicks Walks The Red Carpet at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame Ceremony

Stars fall on Alabama on today

By Teri Greene
terigreene@gannett.com

It's being called "Alabama's Grammy Awards."

The Alabama Music Hall of Fame's Induction Banquet and Awards Ceremony only happens twice a year, and it always brings out the stars, said Hall of Fame board executive director David Johnson.

"It takes us a good year to put it all together," Johnson said of the show and celebration. "We have to deal with so many people - and now, they're located all over the country and even out of the country."

This year, those people will include inductees such as Montgomery's own Tommy Shaw, special guests including Kris Kristofferson (who'll be present to honor his longtime keyboardist, inductee Donnie Fritts), and pop music greats from Alabama, among them Percy Sledge, Clarence Carter and the Commodores. Also on hand -- noteworthy contemporary musicians such as Beth Nielsen Chapman, Chris Tompkins, "American Idol" Taylor Hicks and "Nashville Star" winner Angela Hacker.

There will be a red carpet, Johnson said, but, unfortunately for stargazers, it will be indoors, away from the public eye. That may seem strange, but Hall of Fame board member Ralph Burke explained that the set-up is due to the layout of the hotel and convention center.

"It was a challenge to work it out, because the hotel is connected to the convention center," Burke said.

Though that keeps fans from snapping photos of the stars from the rafters, like they do at the Oscars, the public will get a chance to glimpse the "red carpet experience" - just at a later date. Burke said Raycom Media will be on hand to record the stars' entrances, with plans to air footage in the near future. Alabama Public Television also plans to record the show, with a possible air date in April, he said. But you can go to montgomeryadvertiser.com on Friday to see photos from the red carpet, interviews with the inductees and performers as well as performance clips and stories.

Johnson said the show itself is typical of the awards shows seen on television: A few award announcements and acceptance speeches, punctuated by performances by the artists attending.

To get an idea of this event's magnitude, just follow the money. The table hierarchy on the convention center floor - everything from "silver tables," at $1,000 each, to "platinum sponsor tables" at $15,000 - is sold out.

Burke said organizers expect about 3,000 people to attend the program. That includes not only those privileged table guests, who will enjoy a 6 p.m. reception and a 7 p.m. dinner in addition to the awards show - which starts at 8 p.m. -- but also regular folks willing to pay $60 for a gallery ticket.

Gallery tickets will get you in for the show (no reception or dinner included) so you can watch the program from the risers. A plus for gallery ticket-holders: You don't have to dress up and you can watch the whole show, Johnson said.

"This is something you don't get to see every day," he said. "We want everyone to have an opportunity to see us honor this state's great music heritage and achievers."

Source

Taylor Hicks To Receive Award From Alabama Music Hall of Fame

Mary Colurso wrote a nice article today in al.com about Taylor's performance at the Alabama Music Awards that is being held this Friday, February 22 in Montgomery. He will also receive one of the two American Music Awards that will be handed out. Well deserved Taylor! The article reads:

Give Taylor Hicks a plate of Birmingham barbecue and he's a happy man. Give Hicks, 31, an award from the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, and he's happy about that, too.

The Hoover-born singer, foodie and 2006 "American Idol" winner will receive the America's Music Award on Friday in Montgomery, at the hall of fame's annual induction and awards ceremony. Hicks will share that accolade with Angela Hacker of LaGrange, the 2007 winner of the "Nashville Star" TV show.

"I'm very honored," Hicks said today. "I think the last award I received was for being tardy the most in high school. This will be a step up."

Hicks plans to perform "Soul Thing" at the 7 p.m. ceremony, held at the Montgomery Renaissance Hotel. Other performers will include Kris Kristofferson, Percy Sledge, Tommy Shaw, Beth Nielsen Chapman and the Commodores.

The hall of fame will induct five Alabama natives that evening, including jazz bassist Cleve Eaton, 68, of Fairfield. Eaton, a veteran on Birmingham's music scene, has done stints with the Ramsey Lewis Trio, toured with the Count Basie Orchestra and collaborated with many other jazz luminaries.

Hicks has performed with Eaton in the past, and sat in with his band at the Open Door Cafe in Mountain Brook. Eaton is known for his intense focus and flamboyant musicianship during concerts.

"When Cleve plays, he's one of those musicians who's in another world," Hicks said. "While we're listening to him on Earth, he's playing the bass in Mars. I think that has to do with talent. He's that talented, and knows the instrument that well. It was an honor to play with a guy like that."

The hall of fame will distribute four awards at Friday's ceremony, aside from the one given to Hicks and Hacker. Recipients will include songwriter Chris Tompkins of Greenhill, who recently won a Grammy Award as the cowriter of Carrie Underwood's hit "Before He Cheats."

Alabama musicians, producers and other achievers are commemorated with memorabilia in the hall of fame's museum in Tuscumbia. Hicks said he donated his "infamous purple jacket," which drew applause and criticism from "Idol" viewers, for his display case at the museum.

Hicks said the last time he wore the purple jacket, he was headlining the "Idol" tour at the BJCC Arena in August 2006.

"I wore it in Birmingham and retired it," he said, laughing.

Taylor Hicks - You Are So Beautiful To Me

Interesting poll we have going on in the sidebar! Thanks to all who have voted! I see one of my top 3 favorite Taylor songs is in the lead to be the next cover on the new album - "You Are So Beautiful" by Billy Preston. Just a gorgeous song, made even more beautiful by Taylor and his harp. I just LOVE it to pieces! I think he could have a hit with the song again, eh? They have many other Taylor videos over on the rehearsals.com website, including Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On", Stevie Wonder's "Living For The City", Taylor's cover of Weird Al's version of "Do I Creep You Out" (so funny!), Ray Charles' "Georgia", more songs and a lengthy interview! Do check it out!