The Taylor Hicks Experience

The Taylor Hicks Experience is turning more people on to his music everyday. Taylor Hicks was crowned 2006 American Idol and since his win he has been growing in popularity everyday. He has played at The Stadium of Fire in Utah, played harmonica with Snoop Dogg at a concert, played with the Allman Brothers and is now on a tour with the rest of the AI Contestants Mandisa, Kellie Pickler, Ace Young, Chris Daughtry, Bucky Covington, Elliot Yamin, Paris Bennett and Lisa Tucker. For health reasons runner up Katharine McPhee hasn’t been at the tour dates yet. He has appeared on Ellen, Jay Leno and put on a concert for the Good Morning America Summer Concert Series on ABC. Taylor Hicks American Idols Single Do I Make You Proud has sold 385,000 physical sales and has been number one on the Billboard Charts for 5 weeks now. I live in a small town in Ohio and I contacted our Wal-Mart here on the sales of Taylor’s CD. I was told they are ordering a 3rd shipment this week. The first shipment was for 110 CDS and the second was for 50, this next shipment will be for 30-50 more CDS. So far they have sold 160 CDS that may not sound like a lot but remember this is a small town and that is a lot of CDS to be sold for one artist. Taylor Hicks has made his impression in this small town and all over the world.

He writes his own music. Just buy and listen to the CDS In Your Time and Under The Radar and you will see why Taylor is so loved. These CDS were self- released by Taylor Hicks prior to being on American Idol. My personal favorite songs are The Fall from the album titled In Your Time and from Under the Radar; Soul Thing and Heart and Soul. These songs were all written by Taylor Hicks and he also can play guitar and harmonica. When Taylor plays harmonica the crowds go crazy.

I decided the best way to chart the popularity of Taylor Hicks wasn’t simply to see what critics or newspapers say but to go straight to people who have seen him perform and/or met him. Just because you like someone on TV doesn’t always mean they will continue to be as popular when they start doing concerts. But with interviewing people who have seen Taylor Hicks perform live I have found this to not be true. If anything they love him even more. I talked to six people who have experienced Taylor Hicks live, a couple of which also got to meet Taylor Hicks. So let’s get to The Taylor Hicks experience.

1) Where did you attend the concert?
Samantha – American Idol Tour Cleveland Ohio

Marls – I attended the Good Morning America Concert at Bryant Park in NYC on Fri., July 21.

Lynne Anne – American Idol Tour I attended, the Verizon Wireless Center in Manchester NH, The DCU in Worcester MA, and the Hartford Civic Center in CT. July 6 July 7 and July 9.

Lisa – American Idol Tour, I attended two concerts, one in Albany NY and one in East Rutherford New Jersey.

nikkih33 – Stadium of Fire in Provo, Utah

Marlene – American idol Tour, Blue Cross Arena, Rochester, NY

2) Did Taylor Hicks do as well as you expected?

Samantha – Even better than I expected, he was by far the best due to his energy levels and his strong voice.

Marls – Taylor did better than I expected.

Lynne Anne – To be honest, he blew me away I did not expect him to be that good. I have been a fan since the auditions. I have seen Taylor on everything, been on the boards 24/7 since February, and have at least 50 of his pre idol songs. I averaged over two thousand votes a week and more than six thousand during the finale. That does not include the others in my home that voted too. I still did not expect the energy and the fire he brought. He blew me away.

Lisa – AbsolutelyâÂ?¦you always wonder if someone you’ve come to admire musically sings as well in real life as they do on TVâÂ?¦there are some artists who just sound different to me. Taylor sounds very natural, very smooth. How an artist sounds in concert is really important to me and to whether or not I’d hear them again in another concert and Taylor is a definite yes.

nikkih33 – I was very impressed with his performance of Taking It to the Streets. I loved seeing him play the guitar and harmonica on The Deal, but it was a little difficult to hear the words. During Do I Make You Proud? I loved the shout outs to the troops. Sometimes it was hard to hear, which could have been a venue problem, and Taylor tended to move away from the microphone too much. All in all, I enjoyed it and would have been happy to just have him do the whole show.

Marlene – Taylor exceeded my expectations. I knew he would be amazing, but he absolutely blew me away on stage. He was so full of energy. I feel like we actually witnessed him coming to life as he performed. He was so in to the music that I could actually feel it. He sings and performs with every part of his body. So soulful and so passionate; it’s beautiful.

3) Is there anything about the concert that really stands out in your memory if so what?

Samantha – When Taylor ran out into the crowd and he saw my sign I made for him and waved to me. And of course let’s not forget me getting to go backstage and actually getting to meet all of the idols. That was the best!

Marls – What stood out was how intense and focused he was during the sound check, how in control he seemed to be during the performance itself and how his years of experience as a working musician were very evident – both during the sound check and the actual performance. We also noticed that he seemed “off” personally – he wasn’t interacting with the crowd at all. But we later found out he was sick. It didn’t matter though, he gave it his all and I left with a big smile on my face. (Though I did feel very sorry for him afterwards when I found out how sick he was.)

Lynne Anne – I think it was when he did the Beatles song, I knew he was great! The first night, he got so into it, I thought I was watching an old soul singer! I mean an old timer! I was speechless!!

Lisa – Since I saw two, I can honestly say that what I like about Taylor is the fact he mixes things up each time he sings. He would sing “Do I Make You Proud” differently each time, so it feels fresh; same with his other songs, his dancing and his harmonica playing – it was different each time. That will thrill people who want to see him more than once.

nikkih33 – I would have to say the best part was when I was watching the Stadium of Fire dancers during the opening number of Stars and Stripes forever and all of a sudden I could hear harmonica music. Everyone was looking around because Taylor was not on the stage. Then he popped up on a mini stage almost in front of where we were sitting.

Marlene – I would have to say his opening with Jailhouse Rock. When he entered through the crowd, we could all hear the music and we knew he was somewhere in the arena. It was such an adrenaline rush. And when I noticed that he was coming right passed my aisle, I was ecstatic. I will never forget that moment. Also, seeing Taylor play guitar on Hollywood Nights and Don’t Let Me Down was a whole new experience. I loved it.

4) How was the crowd reaction to Taylor Hicks?

Samantha – He electrified the entire audience with his personality alone. The audience was never quiet once. He played off of the audience’s energy and we played off of his.

Marls – The reaction was strong and genuine. Since most of the crowd was very close to the stage, we were all paying very close attention to his every move during the sound check, which lasted about 40 minutes. It was awesome seeing him in person, only a few feet away! During his performance, the applause, screams, hootin & hollerin’ were loud and heartfelt! Many of us arrived at 6:00 am and stood in the rain and humid heat for quite awhile but it didn’t dampen our spirits at all. This crowd belonged to Taylor!

Lynne Anne – In NH, the crowd was wild. In MA the crowd was good, In Hartford, Amazing. Taylor knows how to pull a crowd in and he does it effortlessly.

Lisa – I remember in Albany New York, I had my 13 year old daughter with me and she is a Taylor fan too. At one point the lights skimmed over the audience and I remember tapping her on the shoulder and telling her to look into the crowd. Everybody was on their feet. Everybody was dancing along with Taylor. We got chills; it was cool.

nikkih33 – Taylor got more cheers and applause than any of the other performers. I saw a whole bunch of Soul Patrol and Taylor Hicks type shirts. He got more cheers and people on their feet than headliner Lee Ann Womack.

Marlene – The crowd loved him! I literally felt the energy level in the place increase when Taylor performed. He had us all on our feet, singing along, dancing with him and, of course, screaming!

5) Sometimes Taylor Hicks has been referred to as this generations Elvis. Do you agree? If so why?

Samantha – Absolutely! Both give off awesome sex appeal and they both are extremely charming and let’s not forget very attractive.

Marls – Not sure about that…. time will tell. But I’ll say this: it wouldn’t surprise me one teeny tiny bit. I think a lot depends on his original music. After he starts releasing his own stuff, we’ll have a better idea of what his impact will be. The reason it wouldn’t surprise me if he DID become this generation’s Elvis is because for me personally, he is so unbelievably appealing and charismatic as a musician and performer that it wouldn’t be a stretch at all to see him go down in history as one of the greats. I’ve heard his originals and love what I’ve heard…. I think the music he comes out with in the future will be even better. Plus, I can’t think of anyone else who is as exciting to watch in a live performance as Taylor. He’s also got some good extras going for him: his looks, his moves, his harmonica and the likability factor. He is likable because he seems to be humble and he’s doesn’t appear to be trying to “fit in” or conform to anything. He’s just doing his thing and he’s doing it damn good.

Lynne Anne – No. Elvis is a legend, Taylor is just starting out. I do think he has the potential, but we have to wait and see. I do see some of the same phenomena in regards to women practically throwing themselves at him to get near him. Yeah, women are doing anything and everything to get to Taylor as they did to Elvis. Taylor has a charisma that is on par, I believe.

Lisa – The last thing I want to do is stereotype Taylor; so many people have referred to him as this generation’s Elvis that I’m concerned that label will stick. If you mean that women are screaming over this guy in a way you haven’t seen in a long time, then yes, he’s so much like Elvis in that respect and he has that sex appeal that Elvis had (stay away from the Twinkies though Taylor! LOL). If you mean the dancing, I think they dance differently, but it’s the fact that they both got into their music that makes them seem the same. They were/are both being criticized because of how they performâÂ?¦Elvis got criticized because of those pelvic thrustsâÂ?¦Simon and other critics made it a point to criticize Taylor’s dance moves. However, Elvis became a legendâÂ?¦any questions?

nikkih33 – Somewhat, I think there are those that love him and those that don’t, just like Elvis. He is different from what we are used to, and some people are ready for that and others aren’t. I, for one, am very ready.

Marlene – I have to admit that Elvis was way before my years; I’m only 23. I do know, however, that Elvis owned his genre. He had fans all over the world, all ages, men and women alike. I certainly believe that Taylor has the potential to go there. He’ll be “the King… of Soul.” And for the record, Taylor sings Elvis’ songs amazingly well!

6) Tell me anything else you can think of about the concert and Taylor that I may not have covered?

Samantha – He is a wonderful musician. He plays guitar, harmonica, and tambourine! He was truly a one man band!

Marls – He only played a few songs – but they ALL got us going. When he whipped out the harmonica, people reacted very strongly to that. He gets so into it … it’s thrilling to watch and hear him wail away on it. He performed an original tune that he wrote called “Hell of a Day” which appeared on a CD he released in 2005.Titled Under The Radar. Many in the crowd were not familiar with the tune, but for those of us that were, hearing him perform it live was icing on the cake … an unexpected surprise. It’s a shame that ABC didn’t air that portion of the show.

Lynne Anne – I think the main thing about Taylor is that he knows what his fans want. He then does everything to give it to them. For instance, his dancing, he knows even when he is dead tired, we want to see it and he gives us a great show. He also knows that Harmonica slays us and will tease us with it. Taylor is so full of energy, stamina and smarts; he plays to the audience before him. That is why, three concerts attended, all three were different and everyone was happy. Me, I liked them all, but then I love Taylor. I think he is the best performer out there right now. I look down the road and see an International Star!

Nikkih33 – Taylor didn’t have a band with him, but he still did great. It was especially cool to see him playing the guitar and harmonica at the same time. It’s great to see him showing his skills as an instrumentalist and not just a vocalist.

Marlene – I would just like to say that you have to see Taylor perform live. It is such an experience. I can’t wait for Taylor to tour after he releases his album this fall. An exclusively Taylor tour – that’s too good to be true. I hope he comes to Canada! There’s a Canadian Soul Patrol too! If not, I’ll travel all over the world i
I have to.

I also discussed with those of the group who got to meet Taylor about the experience and it’s a glowing report.

Is Taylor the same in person as we perceived him on TV?

Samantha – On television, we perceive him to be this crazy and energetic guy, but off stage, he is down to earth, sweet, calm and personable! There are definitely those 2 great sides to him! – He looked great and when I met him, although he was very tired and sweaty (THUD) he still took the time to take a picture with me and gave me his autograph!

Lisa – I don’t know how you perceived him on TV, but I know a lot of entertainers who ‘open up’ when they are onstage and kind of close down afterward; it’s their persona. Look at Prince or even Jack NicholsonâÂ?¦they are both very private guarded people. I had the pleasure of spending 5 minutes with Taylor during a press event. During that time, he was very nice to me, answered my questions and looked me in the eyes during the time I had with him. Some people may mistake a quieter more subdued Taylor compared to his stage persona as being rude or unfriendly. In my opinion, I just see it differently. He seemed very nice about doing the interview, came right up to me and we started talking.

Marlene – Taylor was kind of quiet and serious, and although he didn’t smile much, he was very friendly and pleasant and, especially, patient. We know he must have been exhausted from Good Morning America and it meant a lot that he still took the time to sign autographs. Without having had an actual conversation with him, I think that in general, we saw a fairly accurate picture of who Taylor is on American Idol. He’s sweet and kind and just has a very warm presence. He was very down to earth and “real.” Taylor is so much more handsome in person; you wouldn’t even believe it!

Lynne Anne – Taylor is so much better looking in person, I could not stand it. I could not believe just how great looking he really is. I haven’t stopped thinking about him since, and I am not a child. I am an older woman, who has not behaved this way in decades. I am also very happily married. But to watch that boy become the music…. just turns me on! There are no other words to describe Taylor for me right now. The man I saw on Thursday, July, 6, was nothing short of Magnificent. His energy, his stamina, his HAIR as Taylor says, his head is a headlight, well it is. My first note of Taylor was that his head was shining. I saw this huge grey mass of hair, coming towards me and screamed. It was so beautiful; all I could do was shake my head. Let me say this, when Taylor arrived, the whole atmosphere changed. Electricity and power had arrived full force.

As you can tell Taylor puts on a concert that everyone thoroughly enjoys. There are hundreds of stories like these some people didn’t even go as fans of Taylor but reported after seeing him they became a fan. Taylor Hicks is a singer/songwriter and can even play instruments. He grabs the attention of everyone watching him. He excites the audience and keeps their attention. He may or may not be the next Elvis only time will tell that. But he is defiantly loved by thousands of fans. He is a man who has had his dream come true and in doing so he has brought back heart and soul to music. Taylor Hicks will be here for a long time and his music will make people happy all over the world. Finally people will get to hear music with meaning from a man who has morals and self respect and who actually loves and respects his fans. Go to an American Idol concert in your area, buy his single containing Do I Make You Proud and Taking it to the Streets or go online and purchase his The Fall and Under The Radar CDS. Get in on The Taylor Hicks Experience.

I would also like to thank everyone I interviewed for their time and expressing their feelings regarding Taylor Hicks. I also would like to thank Samantha and Marlene for allowing me to use their pictures.