Taylor Hicks, Teen Angel, New Single

The news about Taylor and his CD set to come out February 10th keeps getting better and better. December 2nd Taylor starts touring with the National Tour of Grease as Teen angel. Many fans were upset thinking it would push back a CD release and they didn’t think there would be a new CD until after the Grease tour ended. I too thought that might be so but I want to see Taylor as Teen Angel and so didn’t mind waiting for a new CD. Then October 7th on Taylor’s 32nd birthday it was announced that his sophomore CD would hit stores February 10th Now today even more great news as surfaced.

In an interview with Birmingham News today Taylor let us in on some more great news.
The Birmingham News

Hicks is the word
Thursday, October 09, 2008
ALEC HARVEY
News staff writer

Taylor Hicks is rarely at a loss for words.

But he's had to contain himself this year, hearing and reading that his 800,000-unit-selling self-titled CD was a one-shot deal. That he wouldn't sign another record deal. That the 2006 "American Idol" was through.

"It's about driven me crazy to hold my tongue," Hicks says. "I've wanted to talk about this for three months, but I've been patient and trying to be smart about choosing my battles."

The battle, it seems, is over.

Hicks, who turned 32 on Tuesday, announced on his birthday that he had signed a deal to release his new CD in February 2009. It'll be on his own Modern Whomp Records label through Artist to Market (A2M), which gives the Birmingham native control over his recording destiny.

"I was offered a plethora of record deals, some traditional record deals and some non-traditional record deals," Hicks says. "It's been very hard not to just hop on the first one that was offered, but during that time when there was a lot more speculation that I might never sign one again, it couldn't have been further from the truth."

He calls the A2M deal "very cutting edge."

"In today's marketplace, having the control as the artist is key," Hicks says. "I'm in control of where I spend my marketing dollars, who I want to record with, and in control of the companies I hire out. It allows me a really focused release. Basically, I am my own record label."

What that means for the upcoming CD is that the bulk of it will be written or co-written by Hicks, who cut his musical teeth in bars in and around Birmingham.

"I've always been a singer-songwriter, and that's going to be able to surface a lot more than it did on the last record," he says. "On the last one, things had to move at such a quick pace that the actual art of songwriting couldn't really be seen on the last record."

Hicks is in pre-production of the CD now, working with producer Simon Climie (Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Faith Hill) in the studio.

"I don't have a title for it, yet," Hicks says. "I'm kind of waiting for it to hit me."

Announcement of the new record deal comes just after Hicks' stint in the Broadway production of "Grease" comes to an end, and just before he hits the road as that show's Teen Angel for the national tour beginning Dec. 1.

"It was such a success and such a great way for me to learn a new craft," Hicks says of his Broadway debut. "I feel like if I'm going to have longevity in the entertainment industry, I've got to cover all aspects. I have to reinvent myself."

The national tour of "Grease" will offer a unique hybrid for Hicks, he says.

"We're going to cross-promote this record with the `Grease' tour," he says. "I'll be allowed to perform my single in the show on tour

Most importantly, it offers fans a chance to experience Hicks live, which he says is crucial to his success.

"There's such a live aspect to me," he says. "You put me on the radio, and you can't see me, you can't feel me, you can't touch me, so it's easy to count me out in that regard. On the road, that's where you really make your mark and have your longevity."

So don't count Hicks out just yet. He's only getting started, he says, and he doesn't pay attention to the naysayers.

"I hear those things, but I'm not into the talk, I'm into the walk," he says.

So not only will we get to see Taylor as Teen Angel we will also get to hear and see him perform a new single. I for one cannot wait to get the tickets and attend the show. Like the article says don’t count Taylor out. Taylor Hicks is different than artists on the market today and I think he has the talent and the brains to pull off about anything he desires. Get your compact flash cards ready to store all the great audio, video and pictures that will be coming are way. Soul Patrol are you ready to jump on the Hicks bandwagon again for a wild ride in 2009 and beyond?