Taylor Hicks ~~ Making a Difference

“With our voices, we can really make a difference.”

Taylor Hicks returns to Linn Park in Birmingham, Alabama today with fellow hometown American Idol, Ruben Studdard, for a free concert supporting the food drive for storm victims.

In a way, it started in Linn Park.

In 2006, Taylor Hicks was headlining the most successful American Idol tour ever or since. The stop in Taylor’s hometown of Birmingham, was more than a victorious rock star’s homecoming. Among all the hoopla of instant superstardom, there was a rather quiet gathering in Linn Park to meet Taylor. A group of fans had collected a significant donation for Studio by the Tracks, a charity in Irondale, Alabama that Taylor had supported since a teenager and still does today with events at his new restaurant, Ore.

He said, in part, to the gathering there on that beautiful August afternoon:

“Never in my wildest dreams would I realize, as a musician, what an impact that not only I can make, but what we can make as a whole.

For you guys, and all of us, to be able to give back in any small way…that’s what makes a difference.

...It’s amazing the impact that we have, not just my voice but everyone’s voice. I want to thank everybody that’s been able to put that out there.

With our voices we can really make a difference.”

He closed with what would be a promise for many of his future efforts:

“…I think this is just the start of something bigger...

This is just one of the first of many causes that I think that we can make an impact on.”

From that day in Linn Park, Taylor and his followers have supported too many good causes to highlight here—from children’s cancer research, the American Red Cross and Birmingham charities, Studio By The Tracks and Kid One, to Gulf Coast Relief. Today, back in Linn Park, and Tuesday night at BamaRising at BJCC, he appears for tornado recovery.

But then, it really started long before Linn Park. Before most of us had heard the raspy, soulful voice of Taylor Hicks, he gave a small donation to Kid One and told them that someday he hoped it would be more.

He has made good on that. And more.

With Taylor’s inspiration and leadership, it is amazing what has been accomplished together.

Isn’t that the way it is...

Together.

For this American Idol who believes in giving back and making a difference, it is still just the start…

Support today’s free concert in Linn Park with donations of canned food.
More Information:
American Idols Taylor Hicks and Ruben Studdard Team Up for Outdoor Benefit Concert

If you can’t attend BamaRising Tuesday evening, you can make a donation here:
BamaRising

Taylor in Linn Park, August 8, 2006:




Top photo by: Maria3731

Taylor Hicks ~~ Taking Care of Business...

Taylor Hicks was taking care of business this week—working on his new record and opening a new restaurant!

Are we? I think so!

Many of you reading this are involved in websites, message boards, blogs and keeping taylorhicks.com and Twitter atwitter with Taylor Hicks news, music and chat.

If you are, you know how much fun it is!

And just a little bit of work. I’m going to repeat a line that I wrote here early on in this blogspot:

“We upload, download, and overload.”

Now, we tweet, twitpic, and tweetdeck.

I did not embrace social media. Heck, I didn’t embrace the internet! Now, I spend hours and hours here.

Twitter has given us a common forum to share what we think, what we do, and what in the world Taylor is doing. More importantly, (!) Taylor can share with us his view on life, music, where in the world he is and what in the world he is doing—or not share. (smile)

It’s somewhat of a level playing field…we all just get 140 characters. Well, unless you do the new “long tweet” which seems to me to defeat the purpose of Twitter. For the more verbose among us, there are blogs.

More than anything, Twitter gives the opportunity to come together and spread the word. Some time ago I wrote a blog about the “Chant in the Stadium” quoting music blogger, Bob Lefsetz, who talks about the “chant” where one person’s voice is picked up by others and becomes a forceful voice or chant. That’s what Twitter can do. Lefsetz has long championed the power of social media.

But this is not an assessment of Twitter! I’m just looking at the fan gathering reflected there.

I have never been involved with any other fan community. Shoot, I’ve never been a “real” fan before! So, I don’t have a “compared to what.”

It just seems to me that Taylor Hicks has a very active, engaged, and loyal group of fans who share their time and energies to support him. They take care of business!

In another week, many of you will be packing for the fun part!

I won’t be packing this month, but I hope to soon. Before you take off, I wanted to pat you on the back for taking care of business—the news, blogs, photos, twitpics, and tweets of Taylor’s career and music. If anyone wants to know anything about Taylor Hicks, they can sure find out on @TaylorRHicks on Twitter or websites, blogs, and Taylor web places!! Heck, I check other tweets to find information I need!!

HA! Tell me YOU don’t!!!

Now…go out there and take care of the fun!

Everyone going to a Taylor Hicks concert in the next month, have a blast!

Take pictures, send them to Twitter! Write your recaps and share!

Have fun!

After all, it’s “FRIDAY”… “gotta get down…”

(Shhhh….if you scroll down, I think “it’s” still here….)

~~~
Friday Footnote:
I felt free to talk about taking care of business this week because I finally did.

I took care of a long overdue update of our website. After feeling for a long time that I wasn’t doing Taylor proud and that I “couldn’t” do a lot, I learned by trial and error, redid mistakes, and embraced html code like never before. No, I haven’t switched to an easy “sitebuilder.”

Don’t ask.

Thanks to Cath who takes care of Connections Anthology and is always up to date and for her help also at TTHC. There would be a gaping hole without her!

I think we have some good things to share with you.

Yep, on Twitter!!!

Photo by San.