Taylor Hicks could be compared to a gambler of sorts. Gambler in that he quit college to pursue a career in music. Gambler in how he parlayed a free airline ticket received after dodging hurricane Katrina into an American Idol audition. Gambler in that he rolled the dice to go for the win on that show - against the odds. Really, looking at the guy, who'd have wagered he'd actually have pulled it off back then? Perhaps only those who like to bet on those long odds.
Again Taylor Hicks rolls the dice. As his fans are aware, he's the star feature in the nationally traveling show of "Grease". Many dismiss his foray into this theater production as evidence of his failure as an artist, as a musician. Expectations rose that he'd bomb out while playing that Teen Angel in an ice cream cone. Thing is, Mr.Hicks took that small role and created a win for himself, created a win for the Broadway production.
Taylor Hicks most recent gamble centers around utilizing the national touring opportunity to open a new potential avenue in marketing - he's combining his role in this theater performance as a way to highlight his own music. This marks a first time out venture in working the industry this way; if it works out for Mr. Hicks, certainly other musicians will follow in his dancing foot steps.
This recent spate of events in the career in Taylor Hicks' exemplify the appeal that Taylor Hicks holds for me - his perseverance. The guy tried out for Idol in a bid to get his name out in the national spotlight and that succeeded - although not with the exact results desired. Certainly his time with 19E and the Idol producers were not always spent enjoyed as a harmonious relationship. Still, now the man is moving forward, taking what he has open to him from that experience and bringing something else, potentially innovative to the picture.
This time I'm hoping that Lady Luck smiles down on him. Regardless, Taylor Hicks obviously plans on going the distance. Tumble those dice, Soul Man.
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I guess time will tell. I'm not holding my breath. The critics and media don't seem to like him, and it seems the only people that like him are bored housewifes, but if the music is good, perhaps he can win them over.
ReplyDeleteYou're lumping generalities in this case. The media - of recent times - have actually been very favorable toward him. Critics, those were in the days of his post-Idol CD. We'll see how it reads when the new material drops.
ReplyDeleteRegarding 'bored housewives' that's getting rather tired. It's not accurate either; just another generality to cast negativity.
You're enjoying living in the past with Mr. Hicks' past bad hype. Certainly he's had his share of problems and issues, but he's moving on - perhaps so should you.
Sunny, Taylor took a bit part and made it into the biggest draw of the show. His marketing background from college has sure come in handy, he is a very savvy businessman. He is taking a gamble cross promoting his CD one I think will work in his favor, its a win, win for all. I think we all know as he does this CD is critical for his carreer, I think this one has to be recieved well for him to survive in the record business. I truley believe this CD is what he wanted but didn't get post Idol. I have faith that it will be awesome!!!
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Sunny, according to Taylor's fansites, he does in fact, have a rather large middle-age, married/kids, housewife, type of fanbase. I see few, if any, single/no kids/working girl type of girls posting on his fansites. Face it, Sunny, Taylor has not appealed to this demographic and he desperately needs those type of fans. I think in the beginning, he did have them, but they have ALL backed away for whatever reason. I'm not saying this to be a mean - it's just a fact.
ReplyDeleteHicks was playing bars in the SE before Idol, he played to a lot of college crowds, party bar crowds, those weren't bored housewives hanging out there. OK, maybe a few, lol.
ReplyDeleteOn-Line, what we see as far as fanbase, mainly those who found him from Idol - myself included. You're right in that many who haunt the Boogie Board and places such as that might be what you generalize them to be - bored housewives.
I disagree that he needs those young hip singles to succeed. Success comes in many forms and while he's not going to be an Akon (thank God) or some of the other artists topping the charts, that's not my kinda sound anyway.
Man, so he's not the next rock god or boy band craze, I'm not sure what your point is in selecting to disparage the guy for not being That Guy. If you like him, listen to him, if not, there are a lot of other flavors out there to tune into.
So he attracts the Frauen, so do the other Idols, look at Dave Cook, Little Archie, Jason Castro, etc... It will happen again this next year as well. It's apparently part of that dancing with the Devil thing. haha
I'm just glad I happened to find the reality show interesting and in watching it, discovered Mr. Hicks that year.
Hell I'm not twenty, have kids, so I guess I'm in that whole demographic anyway. Except for the bored housewife part. I'm not a housewife. ha.
Well, that's what I'm saying, he's failed to attract fans outside of Idol and his post-Idol CD has a lot to do with that. For Taylor to make it in the music business, he needs fans of ALL ages, he really does. His new cd needs to appeal to a wider variety of people, otherwise, I don't see him succeeding in a music career. As far as my music taste, I'm a lot like Taylor, I like all types of music. I listen to songs, not genre. To just write-off today's music as not being good, is silly to me, but to each his own.
ReplyDeleteVariety is the spice, I've eclectic tastes in music as well. It would do him well to have a wide fan base that draws more in than the Idol crowd, so I hope this new record will help him do that.
ReplyDeleteDaughtry was able to accomplish that, but then he's in a genre that's more popular. He fits into that soft rock demo and that's the stations that play him, at least in the Dallas Markets. I don't ever here my alt rock station play his music though.
To see where Mr. Hicks' next fit might be will depend entirely on the sound of this new body of work. That last album just could not find a fit. The one or two tracks I thought had some hope in the soft rock/pop arena never made it off the disk.
I occasionally hear JTFTW at the local department stores - just not one of my faves from the previous CD. *cringe*
He definitely is a gambler, and I really hope, for his sake, that he wins this round.
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