Audience of One--A Memorial Day Tribute

Taylor Hicks had just stepped off the stage where he had performed for a packed house in Shirley, Massachusetts.

Then he sang for one—a young soldier, Seth, who hadn’t been able to attend the concert.

In a special performance of “19,” the story of a young soldier who sacrificed all for his country, Taylor sat on his tour bus next to a rather shy serviceman singing the emotional story.

In a Memorial Day Tribute to all our servicemen and women, this performance was released today on “Riding Shotgun with Taylor Hicks” on YouTube:


"Riding Shotgun with Taylor Hicks--Memorial Day Tribute"


“On this Memorial Day, please take a moment to remember the brave soldiers who fought for our country.

We appreciate what they did to make this a safer country.”
Taylor Hicks



Please join us in remembering and honoring our troops this Memorial Day!

The Taylor Hicks Community


~~~


Riding Shotgun with Taylor Hicks on YouTube

Taylor Hicks ~~ Remember the White Shirt?

There was no UStream, FaceBook, or, (oh, my goodness!), Twitter…at least that I knew about.

There was only television and, finally, high-speed internet. I was a fan who knew no one, and all I could do on the internet was a Google search.

So, I searched Google for “Taylor Hicks” and went from there.

All I wanted was to see, hear, and read everything I could about the new Season Five American Idol, Taylor Hicks.

I don’t know how I got that first media I now have filling my computer. I didn’t know what a download was, let alone, an upload!

I wanted to share some of it today and I couldn’t. I didn’t know whose it was or where it came from.

See, it didn’t matter in 2006. I was a fan, alone and fumbling along.

And fumble, I did. But I was lucky to make great friends who knew more than I did. I found the fan sites and life evolved.

Now, there are websites, message boards, blogs, UStream, FaceBook, MySpace, YouTube TV, and, LOOMING-LARGE Twitter!

Yes, the mega fan gathering on Twitter. It has leveled the playing field in many ways. It is a “sharing ground.” There are talented writers and photographers. There are those with talent and wit way beyond that of which I could dream! Taylor Hicks would be one of those! And there are fans who want to hang out and connect with Taylor and other like-spirited fans.

They are the ones who really make it all work!

After all, it is about Taylor, the music, and us. In their last issue, The Soul Connection quoted Bob Lefsetz who has long championed the role of fans. He said: “Play to the fans, and they will spread the word.”

So, I would like to celebrate today being a fan--remember when you started with nothing but enthusiasm and an intense admiration for Taylor Hicks and his music. Remember your first Taylor Hicks media? (Download? Heck, if I know!!) I think mine was from one of the first Idol concerts where he would change into a crisp white shirt for the encore and play the harp on his knees! Remember? If you were here in 2006, I know you do!

It’s been a long five years…and a short five years. It’s flown by because it has been refreshing, fun, and inspiring. It’s been a long five years because we’ve come so far, learned so much, and watched that water go under the bridge.

In the end, we come back here…to being a fan. Where we started and where we must remain.

If we lose sight of what it means to EACH of us to be a fan, we’ve lost touch with our heart and soul.

Taylor Hicks continues to follow the American Dream he alluded to in the American Idol finale. That dream took him there and brings him here.

Let's not only celebrate the success of our American Idol, let's celebrate what took us to Google search in 2006 and has brought us here in 2011…the fun and joy of being Taylor Hicks fans.

Congratulations and thanks to Taylor Hicks for making it a BOOMFIYA five years!

Congratulations and thanks to all the fans for making it a BOOMFIYA five years!!!

I think I’m up for another FIVE!

How about you?

Here’s a Taylor Hicks Cabernet Sauvignon toast to seeing you here in 2016!

~~~

Photo: I do remember that this photo came from one of those great friends, Allyn. Because it is hers, thank you for not reposting.

Musicians come together for Alabama Tornado Recovery

BamaRising brings together the music community for the tornado-devastated Alabama communities.

From BamaRising.org today:

“COUNTRY MUSIC'S TOP-SELLING SUPERGROUP ALABAMA ANNOUNCES "BAMA RISING: A BENEFIT CONCERT FOR ALABAMA TORNADO RECOVERY" AT BIRMINGHAM'S BJCC ARENA ON JUNE 14TH

Tickets Go On Sale To General Public This Friday, May 20th at 11:00am CST

BIRMINGHAM, AL (May 17, 2011) -- On Tuesday, June 14nd, the country music community will unite to assist victims of the tornados that ravaged Alabama on April 27th. "BAMA RISING: A Benefit Concert for Alabama Tornado Recovery," presented by Verizon, will take place at Birmingham's BJCC Arena. It will feature performances by Alabama, who is spearheading the event, Brad Paisley, Sara Evans, Sheryl Crow and numerous other artists. See below for a list of performers and special guests who have been confirmed to date.”

Taylor Hicks, Dierks Bentley, Bo Bice, Martina McBride, and numerous others join the impressive group of artists giving back to the Alabama community with their music.



~~
Tickets go on sale Friday, May 20th, 11:00 a.m. CST at
BamaRising

If you can’t be there, support BamaRising with a donation at: Donate to BamaRising


…When music is more.

SUPPORT BamaRising!!!

Taylor Hicks~~The pictures say it all...

When pictures speak louder and better than words…

Kirk Stauffer at Snoqualmie was nice enough to give us three pictures to share. They are different and stunning:




Check out more of Mr. Stauffer's photos from Snoqualmie here:
http://www.soundspike.com/photos/771/1/taylor_hicks_in_snoqualmie__wa/

There’s something about this man and his harp. NolaMar1, took some beautifully professional pictures during Jazz Fest week in New Orleans of Taylor and the musicians at Down on the Bayou. She shared this one with us:

She has more at NolaMarImages, including Taylor Hicks and the musicians he met, including Jamie Johnson:
http://nolamarimages.smugmug.com/Music/Down-On-The-Bayou-III-Howling/16930365_d4tbff#1280101707_cJnHJt2

There’s something about pictures of Taylor on the golf course! The Birmingham News caught the action at the Regions at Shoal Creek this week:

Our Regions fan on the greens, OBG/Rayvis, shared this candid shot of Taylor entitled: “tryingtoEnglishitin” which I believe means trying to make his putt go in with a little help from the harp.

There are more Regions photos from OBG here:
http://s1.zetaboards.com/connections/topic/4245976/1/

There’s something intriguing about wine labels, and Taylor Hicks got his own this week! The City Winery, where he performs on May 15th, offered a Limited Edition Artists Selection—a cabernet sauvignon with $10 of each purchase going to the Red Cross for tornado relief. Now, that’s a GOOD way to support a GOOD cause! Might we see some of this at Ore?


Photographer Tamika Moore and writer Bob Carlton of the Birmingham News gave us a good inside glimpse of Ore and its Executive Chef, Joey Dickerson, who showed off the chic retro industrial look of Birmingham’s newest restaurant serving “Southern eclectic” fare.

Food, wine, golf, music--the pictures say it all.

~~
Tour time is super photo time! Thanks to all who share their images…

It is one of the best parts of the fan community—because we can’t be at all the concerts, photos and vids are the next best thing!

Cameras and those who click them ROCK!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Thanks to Cath for acquiring Mr. Stauffer's photos for TTHC.

Taylor Hicks ~~ On tour with "just the music"

Taylor Hicks is back on the road this month.


You can read all of it at the link below. You’ll have a better backdrop for my focus. But what I want to share is this from Bob Lefsetz’ “McMurtry at McCabes”:

"James McMurtry is up there telling his stories, evidencing all the years of practice on his guitar, and his loyal audience comes to see him.

And that's all there is.

There's no front page story in a newspaper no longer being read.

There's no video on an MTV that's all reality shows.

There's no million selling CD.

There's just the music. And that's got to be enough. Journeymen can't afford backdrops and dancers, frequently they can't even afford a band.

Songwriters are bitching they can't get paid in the new world.

Yes, you can. You can put your old kit bag over your shoulder and go on the road. Those radio dreams are history. People find out about music online and support those artists who are authentic, who are playing to them, not the gatekeepers.

Everybody wants to go back to the past. Well, that's what we're doing. Only it's further back than you contemplated, before CDs, before radio, when you made your living live.

Are you up to the challenge?

James McMurtry is."

And Taylor Hicks is.

He proves it again as he heads out for 12 shows in the next month.

I know. It may sound simplistic, idealistic, and not too realistic. It’s not all the “business” of this business.

But it is the focus—the music. It has to be first!

Catch Taylor Hicks on the road this month—with or without his “old kit bag” over his shoulder!

Where there is "just the music."

See if he meets the challenge.

I’m betting he will!

~~~
After a day on the golf course tomorrow at the Regions ProAm Tournament in Shoal Creek, AL, Taylor Hicks opens a month of concerts starting in New Orleans at Howlin’ Wolf. Check out the Tour Schedule to the right. For more information on all of the tour stops, visit:
http://s1.zetaboards.com/connections/forum/1667442/

~~~
Bob Lefsetz’ “McMurtry at McCabes” http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2011/05/01/mcmurtry-at-mccabes/

Note: James McMurtry is a Texas rock and Americana music singer, songwriter, guitarist, bandleader and occasional actor. His literary father, Larry McMurtry, wrote the 1985 Pulitzer Prize winning western novel, “Lonesome Dove.”

Photo by San from Epcot Center, 2010.