INSIGHT Magazine May 2014 | 页面 10

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