Taylor Hicks Interview on Walmart Radio, May 1, 2008

Ok guys, I just read this and sorry if it's been posted in the past but I don't remember ever seeing it and it's a great interview, It's almost a year old but if you've read it before it's worth rereading.. Enjoy


Taylor Hicks Interview on Walmart Radio, May 1, 2008

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TOM- All right, good morning. Tom Leadabrand here joined by Taylor Hicks. Taylor, how are you doing today?

TAYLOR- I'm doing great. How are you doing?

TOM- I'm doing really good. I appreciate you joining us this morning.

TAYLOR- Oh, no problem.

TOM- And you know what? We want to start off by saying thank you for basically supporting Children's Miracle Network with us and thank you for the work that your doing with them and all that.

TAYLOR- Well, I appreciate that. I had a great time down at the Orlando show, it's a great charity.

TOM- That's right. You got to perform at the Children's Miracle Network Celebration Finale, correct?

TAYLOR- Yeah, that was awesome. I met Steve Young. Just a great time.

TOM- All right. Well, we appreciate the work that you've been doing with them and I want to say thank you again for that. How did you get involved with the Children's Miracle Network?

TAYLOR- Well, I was called to come down to the Orlando show and I've heard about Children's Miracle Network for a long time and this was my first time I could really get in and be a part of it so I'm very thankful to the folks that called me so I could come down and perform.

TOM- Absolutely. We appreciate you doing that. And you know I'm with Walmart Radio so we're going to be playing this on our radio for our associates as well so I kind of want to ask you a little bit about your music as well, if that's okay?

TAYLOR- Cool!

TOM- All right. Everybody pretty much knows you from the 2006 American Idol Season, that was the Fifth Season of that which you won. Congratulations on that as well.

TAYLOR- Thank you.

TOM- I'm sure you've heard that several times over.

TAYLOR- Yeah.

TOM- Also, you had a self titled album come out, I believe a couple years ago was it now?

TAYLOR- Uh, it was about a year ago.

TOM- Was it a year ago?

TAYLOR- Yeah.

TOM- Okay. And that was certified platinum which is also incredible, great job on that.

TAYLOR- Thank you.

TOM- We play all of your songs here on Walmart Radio, got several associates that are big fans and they like to request that all the time so we throw that stuff in there. Are you working on a new project now?

TAYLOR- I am. I'm working on a brand new album. I've been writing a lot in Nashville and Los Angeles and I'm just thrilled to death about the new album, it's gonna be awesome!

TOM- All right. This last one you did was, I would consider to be a lot of soul music, a lot of, kind of jazzy style, you know, kind of along the lines of what you would expect from like, Ray Charles or something like that.

TAYLOR- Yeah, that's just the kind of music I play.

TOM- Right.

TAYLOR- It was real easy to get in that vein and produce an album that was really true to who I was as an artist and that's the key, you know, writing those songs that, your true to your artistry.

TOM- Absolutely. Is this new album that your gonna be putting out soon, is it gonna be kind of along the same lines? Have you changed it up a little bit to try something new?

TAYLOR- Well, I just want to be able to really create great songs. I have the time to write music now which is really cool. I've always been into songwriting and those attributes need to shine on this next record.

TOM- Absolutely. So, are you writing everything yourself then or do you have some other people who are kind of helping you co-write some of the songs?

TAYLOR- Yeah, I've been doing some co-writing. I've also been writing myself and you know, the process is wherever the song takes me. It's the best lead.

TOM- Go with the flow!

TAYLOR- That's right!

TOM- That's good. What about your Soul Patrol? Gotta ask about that as well.

TAYLOR- I love the Soul Patrol! Great fan base, they'll come out to every show, they travel. It's one big soul circus!

TOM- That's good. You've made several appearances for different things for different people, of course including Children's Miracle Network, but you've also had different organizations like Saturday Night Live and artists such as Weird Al Yankovic kind of make some parodies about some of your stuff and what do you think about that? I gotta ask you about that.

TAYLOR- Well, I laughed it all the way!

TOM- That's good!

TAYLOR- Weird Al and the people on Saturday Night Live, I mean, it was an honor. Your getting parodied on Saturday Night Live, you gotta love it!

TOM- There you go! That means your big now, right?

TAYLOR- Well, I watched it and I couldn't believe it. It was amazing.

TOM- All right. Also, last year you got to come back to American Idol and you got to sing at their finale last year.

TAYLOR- Yeah. That was a wonderful finale. I love the show. It's done wonders for my career and it's a great all American show. It's a family oriented show and it's musical.

TOM- Absolutely. What was it like to be on, well, I guess you would be on the other side because you've gone through the contest. You know what it's like to be on the contestant side of that, but now your somebody that has actually gone out, you've made the records, you've done the tours and their kind of looking at you as, you know, hey, that's an artist I can strive to be now. What's it like to be on that side of the table?

TAYLOR- Well, I was relieved. It was high pressure packed all the way through when I was on the show and now it's really streamlining my career that fits who I am as an artist, that's the key.

TOM- Well, you can do it on your terms now, right?

TAYLOR- Totally.

TOM- And like you said when your doing the music it's what you want to do. It's your artistic interpretation of everything now.

TAYLOR- Yeah, the career is Taylor-made!

TOM- I like that! I like that, thank you! What would you be doing if you were not a musician?

TAYLOR- Um, that's a good question, you know, I have no idea. Probably a fisherman.


TOM- All right. Do you do a lot of fishing?

TAYLOR- Yeah. Well, it's springtime so I try to when I'm writing a record so I've been fishing here and there. Yeah, I'm from the South, we've got great lakes. I don't know how good I would be at it, but it would be something fun to do.

TOM- What do you like to fish for?

TAYLOR- Um, deep sea fishing is great, uh, bass fishing is always nice. It's just nice to get out in nature and it's the catch and release thing that I like too.

TOM- Well, that's good. What else do you do in your spare time?

TAYLOR- Watch a lot of sports. I'm a big sports fan. Try to play golf as much as I can and just keep up with the election that's coming up and you know, just be a regular guy.

TOM- There you go. I guess it kind of goes into what my next question was gonna be. What do you do for exercise? You said you play golf.

TAYLOR- Well, I play golf, but I also play a little basketball too, try to run a little bit, but basketball, I enjoy that.

TOM- That's good. You had a tour last year I believe, ran for a few months. When do you think you'll actually start touring again?

TAYLOR- I would say late fall.

TOM- Okay. Of this year?

TAYLOR- Yeah, of this year hopefully. I've been on the road all my life. The road calls and I'm just happy to get out there and perform for the fans.

TOM- All right. So that's nothing new to you, right?

TAYLOR- No, I love it, love performing.

TOM- Good. What is one of the most fun artists or bands that you've actually gotten to tour with?

TAYLOR- Well, I've got to sit in with a lot of folks. I guess the Allman Brothers was a big dream come true for me.

TOM- Oh, yeah.

TAYLOR- Those guys, I've always listened to them. To be able to sit in with people is just, I enjoy that. The harmonica helps to sit in, it was always handy for me sitting in with bands. I'm just very blessed to have the opportunity to do that.

TOM- Absolutely. What do you like most about your profession?

TAYLOR- Well, I enjoy performing. I've always been a live performer and I'm gonna stay that way throughout this career.

TOM- That's good. When you finish a tour, I guess, what do you look forward to doing the most I guess when your done with that tour?

TAYLOR- Well, probably sleeping. Touring is, it gets kind of rough on the body touring in buses and stuff, but sleeping and uh, eating.

TOM- Eating, huh?

TAYLOR- Yeah.

TOM- I guess I should say is it eating regular food that you miss?

TAYLOR- Yeah, being from the South you always like a home cooked meal.

TOM- Right. Is it hard to not eat junk food when your on a tour?

TAYLOR- Very tough. After show food is very, very tough.

TOM- Yeah, I'm sure you get plenty of food just not the right kind, right?

TAYLOR- Yeah, you just gotta pick and choose your battles as far as that goes. You gotta be light on your feet cause there's a lot of strenuous work that goes on with touring.

TOM- Well, that would go back to my exercise question, right?

TAYLOR- Yeah, right, totally.

TOM- All right. Well, you were constantly talking to people in the media and giving interviews and such, just because that's part of what you do as an artist and my question to you would be what advice would you give to associates at Walmart and Sam's Clubs to help them be more comfortable talking to customers about purchasing the Children's Miracle Network balloons that we sell?

TAYLOR- Well, I would just say be youself, that's the key. Just be yourself and be happy. It's a wonderful organization and it's for a great cause.

TOM- Absolutely. And we again thank you for being a part of that with us, we really appreciate that.

TAYLOR- No problem.

TOM- When you shop at a Walmart or Sam's Club, cause everybody does that.

TAYLOR- Totally.

TOM- Absolutely, right? What is something that you always look for or always buy when your in a Walmart?

TAYLOR- Well, that's a good question. Probably golf balls.

TOM- All right. Just go through those like crazy, huh?

TAYLOR- Yeah, I hope I can get through a round with a few, but I usually go in and buy golf balls. I mean, they've got a great Sporting Goods Department. It's Walmart, you gotta love it!

TOM- We don't seem to have too much of a shortage of golf balls which is a good thing.

TAYLOR- No, not at all and I need those!

TOM- Absolutely. Well, your putting together a new album, trying to get that all ready and everything and obviously your gonna have some inspiration from some people. What are you listening to on your cd player or on your iPod or your car or whatever? What kind of music do you actually listen to right now?

TAYLOR- Well, I'm listening to a lot of Van Morrison and Paul Simon and Mark Chesnutt. Those are just great songwriters and that's what I'm looking for is the great song so their in my iPod along with Beyonce and a few others.

TOM- Just kind of sampling around a little bit to get a feel for what you want, right?

TAYLOR- Oh, totally, totally.

TOM- All right. Well, Taylor, I appreciate it.

TAYLOR- Oh, man, no problem. Soul Patrol!

TOM- Thank you very much and we hope that we'll get the chance to talk to you once again.

TAYLOR- Yeah, please call when the album comes out!

TOM- All right, absolutely and thank you so much again for partnering with Children's Miracle Network and helping us out here at Walmart, I appreciate it.

TAYLOR- Love them, love them both. Children's Miracle Network and Walmart, gotta love it!

TOM- All right.

thanks for the interview! always nice to read a past interview or anything Taylor!

I'd read that, yeah. Cute huh?
Hey Renee - those square golf balls just might come in handy, huh?
~tyg

tygrlllie wrote:

I'd read that, yeah. Cute huh?
Hey Renee - those square golf balls just might come in handy, huh?
~tyg

square golfballs....I love it. Maybe he can put them to use.