Taylor Hicks on Ustream talks new album, touring, and Idol

Taylor Hicks chatted with followers tonight about his new album and a plethora of topics.

A new “country soul” recording is expected out later this year although he declined to give a date. He did say he is about half way through writing it and is collaborating with several songwriters.

“I’ve got four – five really great undeniable songs” so far. He called the new work a “pretty bad ass” record!

He answered questions pre-posed by fans on Twitter as well as fly by ones in the UStream chat thread. One took him back to his win on American Idol Season Five in 2006:

If you could go back to the night you won American Idol…would you carve out the same path?

Taylor answered thoughtfully:

“I’m pretty happy where I’m at.”

He talked about traveling to other countries for tours and said Japan and Indonesia were “not out of the question.” He also said he would love to go to Bali.

He complimented “Kat,” his Season Five Idol competitor, Katherine McPhee, on her debut in “Smash.”

A wide range of random questions were fielded by a relaxed Taylor Hicks, including the boundaries for his fans, Celebrity Apprentice, and acting.

Some surprises were announced at the end of the chat revealing an American Idol Viewing Party planned at Ore Drink and Dine, Taylor’s Birmingham restaurant. Details to be announced. He will also be discussing American Idol on local television appearances in Alabama and Tennessee.

Watch the complete live web chat video on his official website: http://www.taylorhicks.com/

and check out all the latest on Season Five’s American Idol champ.

Taylor connects on Twitter ~ Follow: @TaylorRHicks

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Thanks to cath_tthc for the Ustream screencap.

Taylor Hicks working with KebMo on new album...

Taylor Hicks confirmed tonight during a Live Chat on Ustream that he is collaborating with KebMo on his new album expected out early next year.

Taylor said that Keb has been a long time mentor even before American Idol and gave him advice on some of his song choices on that show. In an interview earlier this week, Keb listed Taylor Hicks as one of the musicians with whom he was working on projects. Taylor is already involved in the song writing process and gathering songs to record. He will take the time needed and not let a sense of emergency interfere with a CD of “great” songs.

In the live feed that encountered some technical difficulties and lasted in excess of an hour, a relaxed Taylor also talked of future plans to live in Nashville and that he was looking at property there. He said the city has so much to offer, not just in the way of country music, but all kinds of music and culture. He is looking forward to a “normal” life there.

He is still taking acting lessons from Carl Ford and found that doing audition tapes was a new experience. He has only done one audition in his life—his audition for American Idol.

Questions flew by in the Ustream chat window. He said he was definitely ready for some football; Ore Drink and Dine, his new restaurant in Birmingham, is doing great; they are featuring the live music of the great Birmingham musician, Cleve Eaton at Sunday brunch. He was asked about Amy Winehouse and he said he thought that someone should have been with her. At one time, Taylor said she was an artist with whom he would like to do a duet.

There will be more concert dates coming up. He is especially looking forward to playing the Telluride Jazz Celebration since he never has. It comes up August 6, 2011.

If you missed the live chat, watch for the recording on taylorhicks.ning.com or Ustream. Previous chats have been posted there.

http://www.taylorhicks.com/

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Photos from Taylor's Facebook: KebMo and Taylor Hicks at The Ryman in Nashville for Vince Gill's Jammin' to Beat the Blues Benefit, 4/7/2011.