Q&A with Taylor Hicks
dience of over 30 million viewers.
Hicks, who hails from Birmingham, Ala., had
music on his mind from childhood. As a
young adult, he became a fixture around the
Southeast, playing concerts and club dates
with visiting stars like James Brown, Tom
Petty, Jackson Browne, Robert Randolph,
Keb’ Mo’ and Widespread Panic, among others. Hicks also released the independent albums “In Your Time” and “Under the Radar.”
Later, these albums were compiled and released by Vanguard Records as “Early Works.”
Hicks has also performed with artists like
Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg, Gladys Knight,
Earth Wind and Fire and The Allman Brothers, appearing in concerts worldwide.
In addition to headlining at Paris Las Vegas
and other Caesars Entertainment properties
all over the United States, he is currently in
studio working on his first country album.
Insight Magazine spent a few minutes with
Taylor for a Q & A…
Insight: You seem like a person who enjoys
varied work -- most singers just sing, but
you're a musician, an actor, you've released
a book -- was there ever a time when you
weren't going to be an entertainer? Was
that ever in question?
Taylor Hicks: You know, the older you are
without a break in the business the more
you start thinking about other options, and
I did a lot of couch surfing for a long time. A
funny thing I like to tell people, “When you
couch surf with your friends is one thing,
but when your friends kids start waking you
up in the morning you need to start rethink-
10
ing things.” I was very blessed to catch a big
break like American Idol and have the support of all the folks from Alabama supporting me. So yeah, that thought has crept in
my mind but I’ve always had the focus on
being an entertainer.
I: As someone who won American Idol during the early seasons, you could arguably
say that you managed to win over the entire
country. Do you think that being a working
musician from before the competition gave
you an edge?
T: I think there’s no question that it gave
me the experience that I needed to really focus and concentrate on winning the
show. That’s something that… I tell you all
the Road Houses and FloraBama definitely
helped.
I: What do you think it was that pushed you
over the top?
T: I like to say you have to have your ducks in
a row upstairs as much as you have to have
them in a row downstairs for all of it to work
out, so a little bit of that never hurts anybody and I think that with a lot of hard work
you can accomplish anything.
I: Do you ever consider what it would've
been like without Idol? Was it difficult going
from being regionally successful to suddenly a nationwide household name?
T: I think I will always be playing music but I
definitely think I would be working and performing somehow. It just might not have
been on a grand scale as it is now and I am
very fortunate for that.
I: Your casino gig has finally wrapped up --
May 2014
INSIGHT