“To the victor go the spoils” was a phrase was first coined by Senator William Marcy of New York back in 1831. Senator Marcy was referring to what was a “spoils system” of appointing government workers. Back then each time a new administration came into power, thousands of public servants were fired and members of the victorious political party took over their jobs.
It’s safe to say that Senator Marcy never saw the American Idol television show. However, his catchy phrase can certainly be applied to last year’s winner Taylor Hicks as well as the previous four winners. Taylor has always been a working musician, especially these past ten years. It’s just that now he’s got a new CD on a major label (thank you American Idol) and he’s touring the country playing to sold-out venues. The days of clubbing it around his native Birmingham are long gone. Now when he plays his home town it’s at the Alabama Theater in front of a couple thousand instead of a local pub in front of a couple dozen.
Taylor won last year’s American Idol competition not because he was the best singer but because he was the best entertainer – and the best musician. He’s a dancing fool who happens to be an excellent guitarist and an even better blues harmonica player. His legion of fans are affectionately known as the “Soul Patrol” and today he’s gaining popularity among those of us who like the blues, classic rock, and even the jam band scene. This is because he’s at his best in front of a live audience as opposed to inside a recording studio. His current tour will bring him to the Fox Theater in Mashantucket, Connecticut on April 6th. I caught up with Taylor by phone on Friday March 2nd. Taylor was chilling down in Myrtle Beach at time getting ready to play the House of Blues later that evening.
BH – So how you doing these days Taylor?
TH - “Good man. Livin’ the dream, livin’ the dream!”
BH - How’s the tour going so far are you having some fun?
TH - “Everything is sold out. Every house that I’ve played to has been a clean sale so far.”
BH - Good for you. I hear you got the Greyhounds with you. Why don’t you tell me how you hooked up with them?
TH - “I ran into them in Austin, Texas. I was looking for the old school musician types and I said ‘hey you guys want to open up for me?’ And they said ‘we’d love to.’ You know I’ve watched a lot of Booker T & the MG’s videos and realized that that kind of band is a great opening act for me. They’re a great fit.”
BH – On this tour have you noticed more Taylor fans and less American Idol fans? What sort of mix have you been getting?
TH - “It’s a little bit of both but I don’t mind. I’ve gone ten years at the local pubs playing to twenty people so I’m thrilled that the fans come and see us perform and I’m very thankful.”
BH – I know you’re out there in support of your new CD. Did you ever think you’d be criticized for not selling a million records fast enough?
TH - “Yeah that’s pretty funny. You know selling ten thousand CD’s in this business nowadays is a pretty tough thing to do in my opinion. And I don’t get wrapped up in all that. The most important thing is the people who come hear this music. The people that work nine to five every day and spend their money to come see me play, and spend their money on the albums, that’s what I believe in wholeheartedly and that’s what I’m here for. It’s those people who put their time in, to buy my music and put their money in coming to see it. That’s the old musician in me. The frontlines are that I’m ecstatic and I can’t believe that I’m playing sold out venues all across the country. For me that’s the important part. The important part is the people, not the numbers. It’s the people that come and see me play and buy my albums.”
BH – Let’s talk about the record a bit. I like the song “Heaven Knows” with the obvious reference to Ray Charles.
TH - “Yeah that song is a modern, funky song and I knew as soon as I heard it that that was going to be a great song to perform live.”
BH – I also like the tune “Gotta Move.” I have the original by Paul Pena in my CD collection.
TH - “I’ve been playing that for about ten years now. Paul Pena was one of those artists that never really got the limelight and the recognition that I feel he deserved. I know there are artists that have covered his music and I was just happy to do that and to have his music on my album, that’s a great song.”
BH – The Marvin Gaye song ‘Wherever I Lay My Hat’ is a good strong number too.
TH - “Yeah it is. What I’m doing with these songs live is I’m really allowing these songs to breathe. You know they’re not under a time constraint. They’re allowed to breathe and they’re soulful. These songs that I’ve picked for this album and these songs that I’ve written for this album, I knew that they had to translate into a live setting. That’s where I learned all these years to perform. And something about making a record, you know, when you make these records you have to live with them for the rest of your life. And you have to be excited about playing them for the rest of your life.”
BH – You know when Carrie Underwood won Idol I remember someone saying that all they had to do was point her in the direction of Nashville and start counting their money. With you I would have pointed you in the direction of Muscle Shoals. I assume that’s a place where you’d like to record some day?
TH - “Oh yeah, oh yeah yeah. It’s interesting. I like to take the Willie Nelson approach to music. You can’t really pigeonhole me. And I love that because down deep inside that really makes me feel unique. I have no one genre, it’s tough to pinpoint my music and it’s because I’ve grown up on all kinds. And I try to have all kinds of influences in my music.”
BH – I talked with Willie Nelson once and he told me that one of the greatest gifts his fans have given him is complete artist freedom.
TH - “Yeah that’s the deal. It’s about you and your fans and the people that buy your music and come to see you. I’m thirty years old and I have two independent albums, ‘In Your Time’ and ‘Under the Radar.’ But on a major label album it’s a little bit of give and take but that’s the direction I’m moving in. I mean it’s obvious. I’ve got four writing credits on this album and I’m moving in that direction. And this is just the beginning for me. I’ve caught the break on American Idol and now I need to just keep touring this album and looking towards the next.”
BH – Will those early records of your “Under the Radar” and “In Your Time” be made available for your fans?
TH - “Oh yeah, I’m selling them at my shows and I’m going to have a distribution deal hopefully within the next couple of months to really get those out in stores. There’s some good music on there and everything is a work in progress. For me being a beginner singer/songwriter you can definitely see there’s work in progress.”
BH – Hey Taylor I noticed that you were at the annual Warren Haynes (Gov’t Mule & The Allman Brothers) Christmas jam down in Asheville, North Carolina. You looked like you were having a good time.”
TH - “Oh man I was so thrilled when I got the call to hang out. You know that community is what I’ve always considered myself wanting to be a part of. The true live music fans, the afficianadoes of music. They’re such a dedicated fan base, those are the real guys and I was just honored to be able to be a fan and not only play but just meet those guys.”
BH – Yeah you come across as someone who has the newest issue of Relix and the newest issue of Living Blues at home.
TH- “That’s exactly right. I was slowly making my way a little bit in that demographic of fans. And this allowed me to really get my music out there and I’ll definitely be having all my harps in a backpack hanging out with all those guys.”
BH – Last year when you were just getting started on Idol, I logged on to the website bt.etree.org and downloaded one of your Birmingham shows. I gave it to my teenage daughter to listen to.
TH - “That’s cool. I’m open to anybody coming and taping my shows. You can write that. I’m very open to people coming and taping the shows. I’m for that.”
BH – That’s very cool and I’m glad to hear you say that. Changing the subject why don’t you tell me about this book you’re writing called “Heart Full of Soul.”
TH - “Yeah, ‘Heart Full of Soul’ you know there’s a lot of lives lessons that you can learn on the road in the south traveling as a struggling musician that you can apply just about to anything in everyday life, and not just music too. So I took some of those and really tried to let people know where I stand and where I am up to this point. Some of the Idol stuff is in there, some good photos. And it’s just for my fans to really get down and dirty. I get asked a lot of questions and this is kind of the way that I can tell my story.”
BH – So life has changed for you a little bit I imagine?
TH - “It’s definitely gotten interesting in the last year.”
BH – Do you still watch American Idol? Do you have a favorite this year?
TH - “I don’t have a favorite but I definitely enjoy being a viewer though that’s for sure.”
BH – Some past Idol contenders have had some success acting. Is that anything you’d like to do?
TH - “Oh yeah if the right script comes along I would definitely take a look at that. You know that show it teaches you a lot and I’m very grateful for that.”
BH – Are you getting more comfortable with the whole fame and fortune thing?
TH - “I am. It’s an amazing opportunity. All those years I’ve been dreaming about it and now it’s actually materializing. It definitely helps me to keep grounded by having some family around for fried chicken dinners. Everything is scheduled as planned and it’s a lot of hard work and I’m thankful for everybody that’s involved with it.”
Next month Taylor Hicks will pass the baton to a new American Idol winner (Melinda Doolittle?). However, his success on that show guarantees that he’ll be a working musician with a loyal following for the rest of his life. In other words, Taylor Hicks will keep on “livin’ the dream.”