She was his biggest fan…and his first.
In his autobiography, Heart Full of Soul, Taylor Hicks recalls his grandmother Jonie and his first musical review.
At a young age and in a desperate desire to have soul music like that of Otis Reddings’ in his life, Taylor had taken an album from his best friend and had played it incessantly. “Try a Little Tenderness” spoke to him like no other.
“The song killed me then just as it kills me now…A few days later, I sang the song for my grandmother Jonie, who was nice enough to at least act suitably impressed. That might have been one of my first good reviews—and maybe the most important, because that was probably the first time I thought of myself as a singer.”
She was there to help when he scraped together a meager sum to record his first indie record, In Your Time. At the time when the 1500 copies were pressed, only a fraction was sold. Today, one of those original copies is a pretty penny.
“Grandma actually had a truly inspired marketing mind. And I like to think I’ve inherited a little of her savvy.”
He tells of her marketing scheme to drop ping pong balls filled with gift certificates for a Birmingham Mall in a flyover. It went much awry when strong winds sent them onto a busy freeway.
“…I respect my grandmother’s ability to dream big. It’s probably from Grandma that I got my desire—and ability—to draw a crowd.”
She could draw a crowd herself. Fans will remember her attending Taylor’s shows and chatting easily with them. She knew the long road that Taylor had traveled to American Idol victory and shared how proud she was of his successes.
We join all those fondly remembering Miss Joni who passed along to Taylor that ability to dream big and believe in yourself.
God speed, Miss Joni.
May she inspire us all to dream…and to believe.
Our heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to Taylor and his family during this sad time.
The Taylor Hicks Community
~~~
Quotes from: Taylor Hicks, Heart Full of Soul, Random House, New York, 2007.
A Joni Hicks Memorial Fund has been established. Donations may be made to her church, St. Andrew by the Sea, building fund: http://www.standrewbythesea.org/
***Taylor's shows at Paris Las Vegas have been cancelled until Thursday, May 9th.
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2 comments:
I was so saddened when I heard the news of Miss Joni's passing. She & Taylor had such a closely-knit relationship. He has mentioned many times of how she was always there to support him on the pathway to all of his accomplishments. She was a great teacher!
Miss Joni will be remembered as a loving & generous lady to all who knew her. God has another angelin His presence♥
And I think Miss Joni has the angels singing and dancing! She seemed to love life as she did Taylor. She will be missed.
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts, Gr8fulheart!
San
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