411 Music Interview: Taylor Hicks

Posted by Joshua George on 03.11.2009

411's Joshua George sits down for an exclusive interview with Taylor Hicks, winner of American Idol Season 5 and the Teen Angel in the Broadway production of Grease.

You may recognize this gray-haired wonder from American Idol: Season 5 where he won the title from fellow competitors Chris Daughtry, Katharine McPhee, and Elliott Yamin, but these days, Taylor just likes bringing the soul and blues to listeners all over the globe. He's getting ready to release his new CD The Distance and I had a chance to ask him a few questions... Thankfully he answered them.

You can either listen to the interview in our 411 player, or just read the transcript below.

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411 Music Interview with Taylor Hicks [TRANSCRIPT]

Joshua George: Hey Mr. Hicks, how are you?

Taylor Hicks: Pretty good, how's it goin?

Joshua George: I'm really excited about this opportunity.

Taylor Hicks: Cool.

Joshua George: I have to tell you, to start off the bat of course, that I picked you in the beginning from Season 5, just so you're aware.

Taylor Hicks: Well that's a good start isn't it?

Joshua George: I've got a couple of questions for you. Obviously I want to start with some business stuff and then maybe if we could get a couple of fun things in that would be great. How awesome is it for you to go out on stage and have people singing the words to your songs?

Taylor Hicks: Well, you know, it's really good. People dream of that kinda stuff every day and you know, we're blessed to have that opportunity to be able to be an entertainer and a musician.

Joshua George: Exactly, and I went to school for music so that's definitely one of those things I understand fully. I heard that you difficult childhood is what led you into the blues and soul genre. What message would you like to convey to kids in the world that are having similar childhood difficulties?

Taylor Hicks: I think music is a good... it's definitely therapeutic. For me it was a type of therapy and really helped the process. I definitely think that soul and blues that was just kind of a lucky find, to a certain degree. I think it's very therapeutic, I would say any kind of music could be therapeutic in a way.

Joshua George: Exactly, so you are an advocate of Music Therapy then?

Taylor Hicks: I am an advocate of Music Therapy, it works.

Joshua George: I actually know a lot of people that are gonna be really happy to hear you say that. What do you think about playing Teen Angel in Grease, I saw that you're doing that lately, how's that going for ya?

Taylor Hicks: I never thought that I would grace the stage and be on Broadway, I just... it didn't dawn on me playing all those clubs for all those many years that I would be on a Broadway stage. You know, it was such a great fit for me and a great role for me to get my feet wet into acting and into theatrical theater. It's a great starting point, and with us doing a national tour, I'm performing my brand new single "What's Right is Right" each night as an encore, and it's a really cool, albeit a cool way to get out there and visit with fans across the country and be able to share my music as well.

Joshua George: Right, definitely. Do you see acting in your future? I mean, are you using the Teen Angel role as a springboard into the "Silver Screen" or are you sticking with music?

Taylor Hicks: Well you know, I think with the perfect fit, again with the perfect role, I would definitely explore it. But for right now, you know... but for right now, music... the new album and Teen Angel that's what's going on, that's for sure.

Joshua George: No kidding, now how surreal was it for you to put out Heart Full of Soul: An Inspirational Memoir About Finding Your Voice and Finding Your Way? How surreal was that to have your life put into a book form that you know people are going to read and draw inspiration from?

Taylor Hicks: I think, you know, drawing inspiration is kind of the reason why I wrote it. It also allowed my friend kind of a first, you know, first person view on... it was my take on my childhood and what's happened and I think it was real official for my fans to know first hand, and to also gain inspiration from my book.

Joshua George: Exactly. That's crazy to think about the fact that millions of people are out there reading your book and getting inspiration from that. Sort of along the same lines, what are you hoping to bring to your fans with the upcoming release of The Distance?

Taylor Hicks: I think that I really had some time to really write and collaborate with some really great songwriters so I think there's some really good stage songs on this record and I just think that the songwriting process for me I'm really excited about the strength of the songs on The Distance.

Joshua George: That's excellent and that's something that we'll definitely be looking forward to... I have a few sort of fun questions if we could. If you could perform with any artist past/present/future, who would it be and why? That's a tough one, I know.

Taylor Hicks: I would say Ray Charles, you know, he's kind of one of my musical heroes. You know, I just attribute a lot to him for me and finding that soulful emotion of singing and performing you have to have to connect with your audience, and another person would probably be Van Morrison. Just because I gained a lot of influence from him and would definitely like to jam with him

Joshua George: That's awesome! Let's say perhaps a totally off-topic question to give the ladies something here. Taylor Hicks, boxers or briefs?

Taylor Hicks: How do I do this? Boxer briefs.

Joshua George: Ah, there you go. That's a fair answer. Let me ask you, just to sort of pull you on this tangent here... What's your take on the RIAA and the way they're attacking individuals as far as pirated music? How do you feel about the fact that perhaps your CD is out there already being downloaded by somebody? Are you one of the people that believes people should go out and buy the CD or are you one of the people who just wants you music out there no matter how it gets there?

Taylor Hicks: That's a pretty difficult question for an artist who owns his own record label. To a certain degree I believe that pirated music has to be patrolled. I think that the artist definitely has the right to control where his music is being bought and sold and so I think it's up to the artist and the label to be able to control that idea and to be able to make sure that the quality stays high and also the quantity as well.

Joshua George: Right, I wanted to ask you that because I knew it would be difficult knowing that you had parted ways with your labels and you were finally back in creative control, I thought that might be interesting to hear from you. How did it feel to have "Weird Al" do a parody of your music?

Taylor Hicks: Well, I found it very flattering and endearing. Any time that you can get "Weird Al" to cover your songs, you're doin alright.

Joshua George: I happen to agree with you, I never understood the musicians that had a problem with it because it's important. They say imitation is the finest form of flattery, right?

Taylor Hicks: Hey, that is... I believe that whole-heartedly.

Joshua George: Exactly, now I have a question... this is coming from the music student in me. I've read that you have absolute pitch, which of course, the definition of such for our listeners and readers is the ability of a person to identify or recreate a musical note without the benefit of an external reference. Have you ever found that to be a curse?

Taylor Hicks: Yes and no to a certain degree. Obviously no when you're performing the "National Anthem" at playoff games, and yes when you're actually trying to figure out a key to make your band laugh at you.

Joshua George: The hard part for me would be to think, if you're singing along with a band and the temperature's not quite right and the strings are a half a step flat, what does Taylor Hicks do? Do you adjust, do you go to them during the sound check and say "Hey man, you're gonna have to bring that up." or I mean, how does that operate?

Taylor Hicks: Uh, I think it's called, an old cliche, it's called grin and bear it.

Joshua George: That's excellent, I know you're a busy busy man, I've got two more for ya, then I can let you guys hop out to do what you need to do. The one other thing I had as an "if there's time" question; did you feel like it was a breath of fresh air to part ways with your labels and to have complete artistic control? Do you think that that's a chance for you to get out there and do what you really want to do, or did you kind of appreciate the label being there to give you guidelines and boundaries and all of that?

Taylor Hicks: I think it was definitely a learning experience with me in being in a traditional label. What I learned was invaluable information that I use now as an artist, so I think I learned a lot and I appreciate those values and those ideas that I learned in the traditional label sense.

Joshua George: Okay... that's a very appropriate answer I think. One final question for you: Final thoughts. If this was the last thing that anyone were to hear from Taylor Hicks, what do you want it to be? What do you want people to know?

Taylor Hicks: That I was a good guy and a great entertainer.

Joshua George: Fantastic, and I don't think that's going to be a problem at all. I know that when this opportunity came up on the 411mania boards, that was something I jumped all over. I was really excited about having the chance to talk to you and to see what you've done. I definitely appreciate everything you've done for the music industry and I appreciate the opportunity you've given me today to talk to you about it and the time you've given us... it's definitely appreciated. Anything people need to know about The Distance?

Taylor Hicks: "What's Right is Right" is the brand new single from the record and there's some really great players. Simon Climie produced it and a lot of Eric Clapton's road musicians performed on the record.

Joshua George: Fantastic, and so if you wanna go ahead and share with out listeners, just in case they don't know The Distance is going to be released...

Taylor Hicks: March 10th

Joshua George: March 10th, alright so everybody knows to get out and get ahold of that, and I'm sure, Mr. Hicks, if you check 411mania.com, there will be a review of the CD as well, so hopefully all that goes well.

Taylor Hicks: Alright cool, lookin' forward to it. Thanks for havin' me.

Joshua George: I appreciate your time sir, you have a good day

Taylor Hicks: Alright, take care.