Is being an “invested” fan a plus or minus?

Is being an “invested” fan a plus or minus? What I mean is this. We all have several musicians that we enjoy. I have a taste for music in many different styles. I have at this time 4 musicians that I really enjoy listening to. Of course anyone reading this or anyone who knows me knows that Taylor Hicks is at the very top of that list. That list also includes an Indie Artist Judd Starr and country music stars Bucky Covington and Luke Bryan.

I am interested in what 4 men accomplish in their music careers. I support all 4 men differently and I feel differently about each. But am I overly invested in any of them or even all of them?

A fellow blogger/friend published a post called Keeping it Real, which as all fans of Taylor Hicks, know is also a title of one of his songs on his new album released March 10th called “The Distance”. So in this post she gives a list of items that can let you know if you are a casual fan or a fanatic. Neither is a bad thing though, in my opinion, unless of course you have crossed the line into stalking or ignoring your loved ones, who are really what matter in life anyway.

So I decided to see how the list relates to each musician that is ranking in my tops list.

So first I will cover Judd Starr. I am a fan of his for a few reasons. One - I love his voice/music, two - he is a dedicated musician, three – he is an awesome guy who really cares about and appreciates those who support him and enjoy his music. You will not find a musician who puts more time and effort into letting his fans know how much he truly appreciates what they do for him. Judd Starr is an independent artist and he has also created music for many television shows and movies. But do I qualify as a casual fan or a fanatic? So from Chills list these are the ones I can relate to in regards to my support of Judd Starr.


1).When one of his songs plays in a restaurant or supermarket, you have to suppress the impulse to tell everyone to, “Shhhh, listen, that’s Judd Starr,” and you can’t wait to tell your “Judd” buddies about it.
That hasn’t happened but if I did hear one of Judd’s songs I might just be tempted to do that. I would be so thrilled for him to hear him played I would want to hear the song not chatter or chopping carts. LOL I would come home and tell my family and yes I would tell online buddies. I would also write Judd and tell him. I would want to give the very good news to make his day.

2.You TIVO all of the television appearances within your Dish’s reach and go online to search for the ones you couldn’t get.
If he appears anywhere on TV you can bet I will. Again I would be so thrilled for him I would not miss seeing him on TV.


3.You bought a “few” copies of his new CD.
I have one of each CD. Does that count?


4. You have a Google alert on Judd’s name and anyone even remotely associated with him.

Just Judd. Hey I run a MySpace fan site about him. If there is some good news to discover I need to know so I can post it and then congratulate Judd.

5. Do you own a blog and/or Judd-related fan site?

As stated above a MySpace fan site. I have also written some blog entries at my blogs about him and interviewed him.

So am I casual fan or fanatic?

I think I am in between. I so want to see Judd succeed in all he does and share his talents with many, many people. If he were to hit the “big” time I would be jumping up and down and be so excited for him. But if I qualify as a fanatic then so be it. Nothing wrong with wishing the best for someone.

Next Bucky Covington, for those who stumbled on to this blog and have no clue who Bucky Covington is, he was on American Idol the same season as Taylor Hicks. I was not a fan of Bucky’s during the season. A few months after Idol was over I interviewed Bucky about his debut CD. Bucky was so funny and sweet during our phone conversation I purchased his album. I loved it and a few months later my daughter and I went to see Bucky in concert.

I was still not really into Bucky yet. I liked his CD but I went to the concert for two reasons. I got free tickets because I had interviewed him and my daughter and I needed some time together. The concert got rained out and Bucky could not put on a concert, however this did not stop Bucky. Well many were waiting in the bleachers thinking Bucky was just going to come in the stands and sign some autographs we were all pleasantly surprised. Bucky brought a guitar, his twin and another band member with another guitar into the stands.

Bucky did an acoustic set right there in the stands. I became a big fan that night. I was surprised to see that since the concert was canceled and Bucky could have just left. He did all that he could to please the fans that had withered the summer storm and played for us anyway. But am I a casual fan or a fanatic?

Here are the items from the list that describe me in regards to Bucky Covington.

4.You’ve worn hand-designed t-shirts to concerts because the commercial ones are not unique enough. If you did not go the t-shirt route, you scoured the closet in search for the top with the lowest cut neckline and pulled out the Miracle bra.

I made my daughter and I both tee shirts to wear to the 3rd concert of Bucky’s that we attended. We also each gave him a gift.


9.You TIVO all of the television appearances within your Dish’s reach and go online to search for the ones you couldn’t get.

I watch some shows Bucky is on when I know about them. If I am not missing a show I normally watch. But If I miss something on TV I will go to YouTube or Bucky’s MySpace looking for a video.


1. You bought a “few” copies of his new CD.

2 of his CD. One got all scratched up in a car wreck so I had to have another

3. When conversing with other fans, you refer to his band members by their first names *only* as if talking about absent friends.

I know his twin brother Rocky’s name and point him out to those who do not know about him. I also know he has a band member called Ducky. Though I cannot tell you what exactly he does.

4. You have a Google alert on Bucky’s name and anyone even remotely associated with him.

I have a Google alert but I don’t always check them all out.
Two more I will add. Whenever Bucky is near my town I make sure to go see him in concert.

I have a autographed CD and Picture and I have one more picture that I want to get autographed.

I think I am just a casual fan. But I sure can’t wait to get his new CD and hoping he schedules a show near us this summer, so maybe a little more than casual.

Luke Bryan

I received an email one day asking if I wanted to interview Luke Bryan. At the time I did not even know who he was. I Goggled him and found the song “All my Friends Say” I had heard this song before and loved it, I just did not know who sang it. I purchased Luke’s album after the interview and like each song on the album. So am I a casual fan or fanatic with Luke Bryan?

1.You’ve worn hand-designed t-shirts to concerts because the commercial ones are not unique enough.

Yes ok once again I had a shirt made special. It is now autographed.


2. You have a Google alert on Luke’s name and anyone even remotely associated with him.

Yes I have a Google alert on Luke to. If there is a concert in my area I do not want to miss it.

3. Do you own a blog and/or Taylor-related fan site?

I started a blog but haven’t kept up with it. Maybe I will start doing that.

Once again I am a casual fan, but will purchase new CD and go to any concerts near me.

Taylor Hicks

I think I know the answer before I begin but here goes

1.You’ve used vacation time to follow Taylor on tour.
If I had vacation time and the money I would do this. But I haven’t

2.You’ve paid $100 or more to upgrade your concert seat from 10th row to 3rd, just so he can see your hand-made signs and posters.
Not into signs and posters. But if I could afford it I would pay $100 extra for 3rd row. However the concert I went to I was front row for a lot less. I got lucky.


3. You’ve worn hand-designed t-shirts to concerts because the commercial ones are not unique enough.
Yea I wore a hand designed shirt.


4. You have pen-pals in foreign countries.
I know of fans in foreign countries and have posted alongside them on message boards

5. When one of his songs plays in a restaurant or supermarket, you have to suppress the impulse to tell everyone to, “Shhhh, listen, that’s Taylor Hicks,” and you can’t wait to tell your “Taylor” buddies about it.
I would tell those with me to shh listen Taylor is playing. As a matter of fact he was playing in Wal-mart once and my little girl said “Hey Mom Taylor is playing”. I stood still and listened with a big smile on my face. It was late at night and there was no one around us so no embarrassing episode.


6.You TIVO all of the television appearances within your Dish’s reach and go online to search for the ones you couldn’t get.
Yes

7. You’ve participated in a “cell cert.”
Yes, one time but want to join in more


8. You bought a “few” copies of his new CD.
I have the promotional copy I was sent, I bout from iTunes and Walmart. Need target copy yet.
I have 3 Taylor tee-shirts, a deck of playing cards with his face on them, a charm bracelet with pictures of Taylor, I have all magazines with Taylor in them, I have a scrapbook with all articles and interviews I have written about Taylor and lots more stuff.

9. You have a Google alert on Taylor’s name and anyone even remotely associated with him.
Only about Taylor

10. Do you spend more time on Taylor-related sites than you do with your job or family?

I spend quite a bit of time on them but mostly in daytime when everyone is gone and late in the evening.

11. Do you own a blog and/or Taylor-related fan site?

Yes you are there now

12. Do you post comments on a blog and/or Taylor-related fan site daily?

Yes, Yes

So in conclusion I can probably be classified as a fanatic over Taylor Hicks. However, I am hurting no one. I spend time with my kids and husband and every weekend I am at other family members homes. I enjoy all things related to Taylor and I love his music but I also love my family and they know it.

So is being an “invested” fan a plus or minus? I think it is plus. I love music and I follow some great musicians and it is part of who I am. If I am happy and enjoying life in all aspects it not only benefits me, it benefits my family. We go to concerts together so it gives us more time together as a family. That is a great thing.

But then there is one other side to the dilemma. While I have other musicians I like and some that I follow regularly to some extent. Taylor Hicks is the main one that I follow all the time. I know how many CD's he sales, I know whenever there is any news about Taylor. I know the bad things that are said along with the good. I know when sales are not their greatest or when someone just wants to take a pop shot at Taylor for no other reason than they think they are cleaver.

Sometimes knowing all that gets me upset when I read the put downs or out – right lies. I do not have this happen with other artists because I do not know that much about them.Besides Judd Starr.

I do not know when bad things are said about Bucky or Luke. I purchase their music and go to concerts but I don’t get pissed off about bad publicity or rude/untrue comments. Because I usually don't know about it.

So as all things there are good things and bad things to being an invested fan but for good or bad I am right here for the ride. It is most times an amazing and fun ride that I enjoy very much.

It Began with Taylor Hicks….Good Things Were to Follow

I have interviewed several musicians but most who follow my blog only know of my Taylor Hicks interviews. Lately some have asked about my other interviews and I thought I would address that here, for all who are interested to see any other interviews. To date, I have interviewed around 16 musicians.

It all started when I became a fan of Taylor Hicks. I had been writing articles at Associated Content for a couple years before I started writing about Taylor Hicks. I had written several articles at Associated Content about Taylor Hicks. I interviewed fans based on their experiences when they saw Hicks in concert. At the time, I did this strictly because I was interested in all things in regard to Taylor.

However, one day I received an email from an Associated Content manager asking if I wanted to interview Taylor Hicks. I had never interviewed a celebrity before so I was shocked to say the least at the offer. To be honest I was very skeptical that it would actually happen. I was given a date and time and then it was canceled. I thought yeah, ok this will not happen. Then I got an email with another date and time. The call came through and I conducted my first interview and it was with Taylor Hicks.

Then I was offered an interview with Katherine McPhee. I was not a fan of Katherine’s so I almost turned this down. But then I rethought and if I wanted to break into the field of interviewing musicians I knew I would have to accept it. The next thing I knew I was asked to interview Kellie Pickler. From there I was building a list of those I interviewed and I would request interviews with others, such as Chubby Checker and Bucky Covington.

I remembered that if it was not for American Idol I would have no clue who Taylor Hicks was. I started looking for independent artists and checking out their music. If I liked what I heard I requested an interview. The next thing I knew I was getting emails from various management agencies asking if I would like to interview people like Trace Adkins, Luke Bryan and others.

All of these interviews with other worthy musicians can be found at my Celebrity and Musician Interviews Blog. http://www.cminterviews.blogspot.com/

How the Internet Changed Music

The internet is a huge place. There are no limits on where you can visit or what you can discover with the internet as your guide. The internet has changed music and continues to change it more every day. Before the internet and sites such as Face Book, MySpace, Live Journal and Yahoo Groups to name just a few getting your music out to those who would enjoy and appreciate it consisted of relying on a record contract or doing live gigs and getting a following that way. With the internet you can post your music online and get it out to many more people. Even if you do not have a record deal you can still get a large fan base that love and appreciate what you do. The internet has changed music so much.

The artist can interact more with their supporters though blogging, emails, journal entries and so many more ways. You build a more intimate relationship with you fans with the help of the internet than ever before. The fans feel more connected to the artist and are very supportive of everything they do. It almost builds a friendship of sorts between the artist and the fans. An artist who spends their time building the fan base and devoting some of their free time becoming personally involved on some level with the fans reaps the benefits for the rest of their career.

Many artists use the internet for this very purpose. For examples I will name a few that I follow.

Taylor Hicks is the first artist that I started keeping track of on the internet. There was a site Gray Charles that posted almost daily about Taylor. Taylor would check in now and then to leave audio blogs for his fans about things going on in his career. Fans loved every audio blog that Taylor left and talked together about the goings on in Taylor’s career. Taylor still leaves blogs now and then at other sites such as his MySpace about what is going in his career and so forth. His fan base has created many fan montages of Taylor and there are many fan run websites that keep up with all things Taylor Hicks. The fans have become friends with one another and meet when concerts are going on to go together, sometimes having pre concert parties or going to dinner together and the talk is Taylor Hicks.

Go here to read the rest.





Off Topic – Are you planning to move? Check out these moving companies

Concerts, Fans, Luke Bryan, Taylor Hicks, Bucky Covington

I went to a Luke Bryan concert last night and I also had a meet and greet. It was a pleasure to meet Luke. He is a real sweetheart. I talked my sister and her hubby into going even though the only thing knew about Luke is they had heard the song All My Friends Say. They left complete fans and stood in line after the show to get his autograph.

Last summer I got my sister in law and niece into Bucky Covington and this summer my brother climbed on board the Bucky train. I have managed to meet Bucky twice and Luke once so far and get them some new fans along the way.

One thing I have found out is attending the concerts works best to get people to check someone out that you recommend better than just telling them about a song. Each person that I have gotten to finally give Luke and Bucky a chance is solely because I talked them into going to a concert and they walked away fans.

All my friends and family still argue with me about Taylor Hicks. I know if on his next tour he comes near enough to get them to attend a show they will become fans of his as well. I have yet to meet Taylor. I attended a show April 2007 but I did not go back to the bus to meet him. I chickened out I guess. I still regret not doing it but if I make it to another show I will wait as long as it takes to meet Taylor. I have so enjoyed my meet and greets with Bucky and Luke and cannot wait to meet Taylor. It will happen some day.

For now my stereo cabinet is starting to hold a nice collection of autographed CDS from Bucky Covington, Luke Bryan, Kellie Pickler, Chubby Checker and Judd Starr. I can’t wait to add Taylor’s top the collection. Some say go on e-bay and buy one. I will wait until the day I can have Taylor sign it with me there watching. By then thought I’ll have quite a few to get signed. I have the Do I Make You Proud CD and 45 record, Taylor Hicks debut CD, Heart Full of Soul Book and will be adding the Early Works CD and his new album due out this fall. I do have a autographed poster that was mailed to me after I interviewed him though.

Bucky Covington Concert July 5th 2008

I haven’t been able to see Taylor Hicks in Grease. But Saturday night I attended a Bucky Covington concert. It was my 3rd concert so far. The first of this year, it was also my first opportunity for a meet and greet with Bucky. I was notified early last week that I got a meet greet.

My husband and son and my 13 year old daughter went with me to the concert. My daughter and I had ordered and created some personalized gifts to give to Bucky. I have always loved to give these type of gifts to people something that is just for them. The concert was to start at 9 pm. This was an outdoor concert and you were to bring your own chairs. It was right in the center of Hillsboro on the street. We had plans to meet up with a friend from I met at Bucky’s fan site. This would be our first time meeting in person and we going to up calm each others nerves before the meet and greet. Something came up with her son and she was not able to attend though. We will meet though at another show sometime I am sure.

So anyway we get to where Bucky is going to perform and we set our chairs up. Even though we were about 5 hours early we still ended up seating back pretty far from the stage but it was a good spot just not as great I had wanted. So we went around exploring the festival and the sights and sounds of the festival.

A little while later we came back to where our seats were. We were sitting there talking and I noticed a bus with a trailer hooked up to it. It was a bus with Zippo designs. I remembered that Zippo sponsors Bucky so of course that meant Bucky had arrived.



A little while later I got my meet and greet pass and was told the time and place. I only had one pass and wanted my daughter to use it but she was too scared to meet Bucky with out me so she refused to go. I went ahead to get in the line. While standing in line a guy told me he had a spare pass and to call my little girl and tell her to come up she could use it. So I got her up there and put her in line ahead of me.

The doors opened and every one was taken inside to start the meet greet. My daughter’s turn came up and she started towards Bucky and he said Hi sweety but then she was stopped for a second while one of the sponsors who went ahead f the fan club got their picture with Bucky. Then they told her just one more second while they took another picture. Finally they told her to go ahead. Bucky laughed and said Hey sweety starting to feel like we’re best friends. She laughed and handed him her gift. Bucky looked at it and told her was really nice and thanked her.



He sat it down and she got her picture with Bucky.




Then it was my turn. Bucky saw the shirt I had on and said I have to say I am loving those shirts.




I handed him the gift of a DVD I had created for him. He said So tell me what is on this? I said Well when I interviewed you awhile back I asked if you could duet with anyone who would it be? You mentioned Elvis as one. So this is you and Elvis doing a duet he smiled real big and said That is awesome I will definitely have to watch this. Then the picture was taken. ( major time for a diet now)



The concert was Amazing as always. Bucky sang American Friday Nights, I’m Good (got a little girl onstage with him during this one) I’ll Walk, The Bible and the Belt, Suspicious Minds (Elvis) Bucky and Rocky sang Seven Spanish Angels (Willie Nelson) Another Brick in the Wall ( Pink Floyd) Keep Your Hands to Yourself, during this song Bucky is playing the hell out of the guitar with another guitar player (don’t remember his name) and while he is doing that Rocky comes up and grabs the mic off the stand. Bucky comes back to where the mic is supposed to be and points at it. Rocky comes back with it starts singing the song. It was a very funny moment. You can just tell those two our loving doing this and being together. For those who may not know Rocky is Bucky’s twin and is the drummer. I know there is other songs I have left out but its 2:30 amd my mind is a little fuzzy.

I had an amazing time and will probably be attending a show again July 31st.

Here are some pics from show.Click to see them better






futures trading

Taylor Hicks, Bucky Covington, Luke Bryan and Sammy Kershaw

I just do not see how I can swing the cost of going to New York and seeing Taylor Hicks as Teen Angel in Grease. I would love to be able to attend the show more than anything else but I do think it will happen. I will however be having a summer of great music anyway.

I am a huge country music fan ad thanks to fairs and festivals in my area I will be seeing at least three great acts. On July 5th I am attending a Bucky Covington concert, then on August 4th at the Lucasville County Fair we will enjoy a Luke Bryan Concert and August 5th at the same fair we are going to be enjoying music by Sammy Kershaw.

With all the great Grease press and fan pictures and video and the country concerts it is becoming a great summer of fun and music. There is going to be lots of walking at these fairs and festivals so good thing I just got a new pair of Merrell shoes.

Bucky Covington Festival of the Bells

As most of you know not only am I a Taylor Hicks fan, I also like Bucky Covington. He was closer to my area last year than Taylor was so I only managed to see Taylor once, I however saw Bucky 3 times. I have told every body I hope Taylor, Bucky and Kellie all three come near me alot this summer so I can see all three. Well I just got a email alert and July 5th Bucky Covington will be in Hillsboro Ohio at The Festival of The Bells. A few years back we saw Mike Albert, an Elvis impersanator their. We camp at Rocky Fork alot in that area so you can bet I will be there this summer to see Bucky. My concert plans for the summer are starting now I just need Tay to come here.

It's Good to be Us



And totally off topic, you might want to check out Scottsdale real estate if you are looking to sell or purchase a home.