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One year ago…
Taylor Hicks ended his 2007 touring season one year ago in very good company at the Pearl River Resort and Casino near the small hamlet of Philadelphia, MS. Proudly displayed near the box office in the Silverstar Resort along the walkway to the Golden Moon was a very impressive gallery of musical greats who have appeared at Pearl River since the resort opened in the early 1990s. Yes, Taylor’s idol, Ray Charles appeared there! There were over 90 pictures of rock and roll, country, blues, jazz, soul and pop stars. They represented all the musical genres of the late 20th century and the early 21st century. Taylor’s large concert poster was prominently displayed on the corner wall among the greats.
Taylor Hicks ended his 2007 touring season one year ago in very good company at the Pearl River Resort and Casino near the small hamlet of Philadelphia, MS. Proudly displayed near the box office in the Silverstar Resort along the walkway to the Golden Moon was a very impressive gallery of musical greats who have appeared at Pearl River since the resort opened in the early 1990s. Yes, Taylor’s idol, Ray Charles appeared there! There were over 90 pictures of rock and roll, country, blues, jazz, soul and pop stars. They represented all the musical genres of the late 20th century and the early 21st century. Taylor’s large concert poster was prominently displayed on the corner wall among the greats.
I sat for a long time thinking about the history of this place and the people here. The original venue on this location could have been part of the unglamorous “chitlin’ circuit” of Southern clubs and bars that was so much a part of Taylor’s early career. The long wall of pictures represented artists who were just starting on their journey and some who were getting near the end of their musical careers, as a gray-haired Ray Charles indicated. Some pretty darn good artists preceded Taylor along this road in Central Mississippi.
Music seems to evolve in circles. The folk music in the 60s, with artists like Van Morrison, was a revival of Woody Guthrie’s early folk music. Now, Taylor is bringing back music that we haven’t heard for a long time. Sure, he will always have new music, too. It all works together to make new music that is like the old and the old sound new! The music that spoke to Taylor as a child, now speaks to us…again.
As Taylor closed his 2007 tour here, I thought how appropriate that he was ending it among these great performers including his idol, Brother Ray. As many of these artists first brought music into our lives, Taylor has brought it back for us to enjoy again. I stared at an aging Ray Charles sitting at his piano and the brightly lit concert poster of a young Taylor Hicks. I was struck with the sensation that a torch was being passed.
I hope that Taylor had an opportunity to see his picture in this special company. There was a lot of talent, heart, and soul on that wall. Taylor Hicks belonged there. With his own special style and intensity, he has bought back the good soul music of his predecessors.
I think he makes them proud!
~~~
How do you think that Taylor Hicks has carried on the legacy of his idols?
How do you think that Taylor Hicks has carried on the legacy of his idols?
~~~
Photo by san~originally published in The Soul Connection, November 2007
To experience more of Taylor's concert at Pearl River Resort visit our Pearl River Thread:
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4 comments:
I think Taylor has done his idols legacy proud! He has done himself proud as well. He has come farther than I think even he thought he would, but I think he always knew he COULD.
You know I remember at Pearl River looking back and thinking how far Taylor had come in the past year. Now, I look back to a year ago and think how far he has come since Pearl River--Asia, Music Hall of Fame and BROADWAY! It was a very good year before Pearl River! It was an incredible year after Pearl River. Don't you think we are always going to be looking back at the past year and saying, "What an incredible year!" I do.
I loved looking at the memories of Pearl River at the Taylor Hicks Community - Taylor really has had a wonderful year since . . . . .
I think Taylor carries on the legacy of his idols in so many ways, but mainly through taking their exceptional soul and blues sound, making it uniquely his own, and then passing that sound to us, his fans . . . the legacy lives on through Taylor's music -
Taylor does make all the music his very own. Many of these artists left a very large footprint on soul music. And yet, Taylor leaves his own print but stays true to the music.
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