Another Taylor Hicks Interview!

Again, I have to give Idol Stalker reader, Sherrill, recognition for sending me this story. With all my computer woes, it’s been hard to keep up. Thanks, Sherrill!

Here’s a great recent article/interview:

“American Idol” isn’t the only cultural phenomenon Taylor Hicks has been a part of.

His self-titled album, his first since winning “American Idol” in 2006, was released last December, reached as high as No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart and went platinum (more than 1 million copies sold) in January.

Hicks’ first single – “Do I Make You Proud?” – hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop 100 Hot 100 charts. The song has raised more than $100,000 so far for the American Red Cross to help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies, according to an e-mail from Julie Thurmond Whitmer, director of celebrity and entertainment outreach for the Red Cross. For every CD, digital download, ringtone and ring-back tones of the song, a portion of the proceeds goes to the Red Cross.

Hicks describes his stage show as “high-impact soul aerobics,” James Brown meets Richard Simmons.

Hicks’ popularity, along with his raspy voice, premature gray hair and “Soul Patrol” sign-out, likely led Weird Al Yankovic and “Saturday Night Live” writers to parody the blues and soul singer.

JibJab posted a music video of “Do I Creep You Out?” – a parody of Hicks’ “Do I Make You Proud?” – that shows the singer’s cartoon likeness singing the ballad and stalking a woman. The video can be seen at www.jibjab.com.

So what does Hicks think of these parodies?

Julie Greene: Welcome, everyone, to this podcast for Antpod.com and HMLoop.com. This is Julie Greene with The Herald-Mail newspapers. We’re talking with “American Idol” season five winner Taylor Hicks, who is currently on tour and will be performing at The Maryland Theatre in downtown Hagerstown on Friday, July 6. Taylor, welcome and thanks for joining us today.

Taylor Hicks: Thanks for having me.

Greene: Other than the popularity, what is the main difference between being on tour pre-”American Idol” versus post-”American Idol”?

Hicks: The budget’s different.

Greene: And how does that affect … ?

Hicks: It’s allowing me the label. … It’s a different type of level that you can be able to have more utensils to get your art across.

Greene: People who watched American Idol know you were a working musician before the show. How did your interest in music begin?

Hicks: I was about, I don’t know, 7 or 8, and started listening to Otis Redding and Ray Charles, and a lot of AM stuff. … The ’70s were great for AM singer-songwriters. I followed the path and luckily, you know, picked up an instrument, a guitar … and started working my way through learning my craft – and still learning my craft.

Greene: Have you had a chance to write some new songs?

Hicks: You know, I’ve started on some ideas, and you know, going right back out for the summer tour, it’s been … tough, you know, to get in the writing process. I’m taking some time off in the fall and gonna really try to get some good songs going.

Greene: I wanted to ask, what’s on your iPod right now?

Hicks: Leo Sayer, from the ’80s. Some Ronnie Milsap, some Derek Trucks … just, you know, all kinds of different people.

Greene: Going back to “American Idol,” how does it feel to be a part of a cultural phenomenon like “American Idol”?

Hicks: It’s very interesting. I’m very blessed that I was able to get through and, you know, expose my singing ability and have it be received in the way that it has. … It’s been great. I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve enjoyed the ride, and I’m out here trying to make the best of the music.”

Greene: Do you watch the show?

Hicks: I do watch it. I watched a little bit last season. I was very happy to see Jordin (Sparks) and Blake (Lewis) be in the finals, and I was happy for Jordin, who won it.

Greene: What did you think about Sanjaya (Malakar) making it to the finals for season six, despite his not being well-received by the judges?

Hicks: I think. definitely. Sanjaya was a visual performer.

Greene: Did you vote for anyone from season six?

Hicks: We did a few – we did some voting here and there. We voted for Blake one night and Jordin the next. We just, we kind of just, we had fun with it, just like everybody else has fun with it.

Greene: Would you say there’s a camaraderie or a competition between the “Idol” winners?

Hicks: I think there’s a camaraderie, and a little bit of a competition, but it just depends on if you’re in the same genre.

Greene: Do you keep in touch with anybody?

Hicks: Yeah, I keep in touch with Elliott (Yamin) and Bucky (Covington) and Ace (Young) and Chris (Daughtry) every now and then. You know, you spend a year like that with somebody like that, and you really get to know them.

Greene: Did you actually keep track of how other “Idol” winners or other Idol performers are doing with their tours or their CDs?

Hicks: You know, it was brought to my attention, but … I’m into their person and their being friends, and not so much into their careers. They were really good friends on the show, and I’m glad to see all of them doing well.

Greene: Your book, “Heart Full of Soul,” is coming out July 10.

Hicks: Yes, July 10.

Greene: Can you tell me a little bit about the experience of creating the book?

Hicks: It was great. I co-wrote it with David Wild, who was a Rolling Stone writer for a while. He really helped me get the thoughts across that I wanted to, about, you know, finding your own voice and staying true to who you are, and the odds, and beating the odds and having an opportunity to beat the odds.

Greene: Do you have any sort of sneak peek, a little tidbit from the book that you can share with us?

Hicks: Well, somebody in the book liked to start fires.

Greene: Was that you?

Hicks: Maybe.

Greene: I saw a little promotional material for the book, and I thought I saw something there about you stealing an Otis Redding album when you were about 9?

Hicks: Yes.

Greene: What was the story behind that?

Hicks: I guess I just – once I heard Otis, I guess I didn’t want Otis to leave my side, so I kind of, you know, in a roundabout way, sideswiped the album from my friend’s parents’ house. I still have that album, and I think I’m gonna be able – I might return it, … have a party and return it – Indian giver.

Greene: How did you come to listen to him to begin with?

Hicks: I don’t know, you know, something was going on with me, you know, around that time, and I guess … it just clicked, you know. The Otis Redding and the Ray Charles and the Sam Cookes of the world, they just clicked with me.

Greene: What was it about them that clicked with you?

Hicks: It just … made sense. The whole, the idea of soul music just made sense.

Greene: You’ve been parodied on “Saturday Night Live” and by Weird Al Yankovic. Have you seen or heard these parodies, and what do you think of them?

Hicks: I have, and I think they’re great. They’re spot on, which just makes them even … funnier.

Greene: I heard that you’ve sung Weird Al’s “Do I Creep You Out?” – a parody of your “Do I Make You Proud?” during sound checks. Is that true?

Hicks: Yes, it was, yes, yes, yes. Well … you gotta have fun with it.

Greene: How important is it to have a sense of humor in your business?

Hicks: Oh, it’s very important.

Greene: Why’s that?

Hicks: It just is. You know, you gotta roll with the punches.

Greene: What can the audience at The Maryland Theatre expect during your performance July 6?

Hicks: I like to call it high-impact soul aerobics.

Greene: Can you give me more of a description for that? What do you mean by that?

Hicks: … James Brown meets Richard Simmons.

Greene: OK.

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