Monday, September 8, 2008

Taylor Tuesday- How Do You Talk To An Angel?

This past Friday, I was privileged to speak with Taylor Hicks on the phone. Though I had won the call at taylorhickshq a while ago, it had taken time for his management to work it into his schedule since "Grease" had come up pretty suddenly.

The reason no one ever heard about who won was because of me. I apologize for that. I asked the administrators at HQ not to announce my name as winner and they were great about working with me.

I accepted the delay and in fact, wonder if it may have contributed to Taylor's unhurried manner while talking to me. If he had called me in the midst of rehearsals and costume fittings at the beginning of the summer, the call may have been a quick two minutes, instead of the chatty twenty minutes he gave me during the show's last week.

I have to say, I wasn't expecting that. I had jotted down some questions and comments weeks ago, assuming the call would be brief. During one uncharacteristically quiet moment in my life, I asked myself, "What do you really want him to know?"

It all came down to the music. I wanted him to know that he has the ability to take a sound and turn it into a feeling. I don't understand it, but it happens. He opens his mouth to sing and my body reacts with goosebumps, tears or a smile.

So I picked one performance to talk about first and foremost in case that would be the only thing we got to discuss. Then I listed some questions should he be in a talkative mood.

Finally, the phone rang and Kevin from HQ connected us:

Taylor: Hey, Caryl, what's happening?

Me: Hi, how are you doing?

Taylor: I'm doing well, sorry it's taken so long to get connected, but now we're here.

Me: Yeah! So, how are ya feelin?

Taylor: I'm feeling great, I just went in for a check up. I'm ready to hit this last weekend on Broadway. I'm pretty excited about that. I have friends coming up. There's gonna be a party for everyone and the cast after the show.

Me: That should be fun. I have a couple of questions if that's OK .

Taylor: Sure.

Me: But first I wanted to tell you that I recently saw a video of you sitting in with Spoonful James at Ona's in May. You sang "Bring It On Home To Me" with Wynn Christian and it was sooo beautiful. It stuck in my head for days.

Taylor: Our voices compliment each other. We've had that kind of chemistry since college. Wynn's a great songwriter, too.

Me: I thought your version with the quiet harmonies was just so beautiful.

Taylor: That's a good version. We've always done it that way, since we were younger, you know, at Auburn.

Me: I read that your next CD will have a country influence. Is that true?

Taylor: Well, just because you go to Nashville and write songs doesn't necessarily mean that they're country. I think they're more Taylor than anything else. You can take a country song and...here's an example, did you know that all of Gladys Knight's hits were written by a country song writer? A lot of her Motown hits were country songs, they just made it fit her style. A great song is a great song, whether it's country, blues or rock, it doesn't matter. You just have to make it your own.

Me: Yep, I agree. I also read that you were thinking about adding a verse to "Somehow".

Taylor: Yeah, I was...I think it needs it...but then again, if it's not broke, don't fix it, ya know?

Me: Sure. You've got more life experience though, maybe you have more to say.

Taylor: That's very true.

Me: You looked great, by the way, at the Kentucky Derby. Did you work with a stylist?

Taylor: Yes, I do have somebody. If I have an event to go to, we go shopping. She helps me facilitate my ideas about clothing.

Me: That reminds me, what you wore to A Capital Fourth was pretty nice, too. I couldn't quite figure out what kind of fabric the suit was made of. It almost looked like leather.

Taylor: It wasn't leather! (laugh) If I'd been wearing leather you would have seen me drip completely off the stage. It was about 98 degrees.

Now I started blabbering about a show I went to where I thought I saw his brother. (Yeah, I agree, who cares? But gimme a break. At this point I was wingin' it!) He said, yes-indeed, his brother was at that show.

Me: He looked like he was enjoying every minute.

Taylor: He's a great guy. I keep in touch with everybody, ya know.

I asked him about the Otis Redding album he stole because I've never heard specifically which album it was and I want to check it out. He said it was a compilation of his greatest hits.

Taylor: But you know what's great. An album I was listening to this morning...Sam Cooke, Night Beat. There's a song on it called, "Mean Old World", a very cool, haunting number. During the "Somehow" time period I was listening to a lot of Sam Cooke. So I guess you could say it inspired "Somehow". You should look for it: Night Beat and the song, "Mean Old World".

Suddenly lots of sirens.

Me: What's going on over there?

Taylor: This is called what you hear in New York City when you're walking down the street. There's like 25 different cop cars that cruise around New York City, you know, for security. I ducked down the other way so I could talk to you. You hear all kinds of stuff.

I didn't realize we were talking as he walked through the streets of New York. I'm assuming he was walking from the doctor's office to the theater, but I didn't ask. (None of my beeswax.)

Me: Can you move around the city without being bothered?

Taylor: Yeah, all in all. The hat is key. I've loved living up here, being able to do the Broadway thing and that being such a success has opened a lot of doors for me, not only in theater but in music, too.

Me: That's great! I wasn't so sure about it when I first heard about it, but you found a way to make it cool.

Taylor: Yeah, I wanted to definitely make the part my own, that's kind of the reason for the suit and the harmonica. It's worked out really well. It also allowed me to be in front of new fans. There's people who come to Broadway from all different parts of the world and they see me play harmonica and it's been able to broaden my fan base. It's a really cool thing.

Me: Well that's great, I'm glad it all worked out for you .

Taylor: Yeah. I'm excited about the next chapter. It will be... unfolding...before our eyes...very soon. (He said this mock-dramatically.)

Me: *giggle* I hope it's not too long.

Taylor: Yeah, well, I gotta get into the studio. I got a couple more cowrites to do. I don't want to make the record like I made the last record. I want to take the time and be able to find the right players to fit the song. You have to really get it right. You have to get the music right. That's kind of where I'm at. I'm gonna take a little break and then get into the studio and make the songs that I have in my repertoire right now that I want to put on the record. I really want to make them right.

Me: Well, that's what we want from you. We want... what you want the music to be.

Taylor: This time around I'm in complete control of that. It's going to be awesome for my fans and I.

Me: I know that you're under contract where you can't talk about some things connected with AI but will you ever be able to talk about those things?

Taylor: It depends on what they are. I think the next record is definitely the most important thing right now. And it's really cool, there's no bad blood there at all.

Me: Really?

Taylor: Not at all.

Me: That's good.

Taylor: Everything's great. I'm gonna take a little break and I'm definitely excited about getting back into the studio.

Me: Do you think you'll do any shows before the CD is finished ?

Taylor: Possibly. But my main goal is to create the best record I can. That's where all my focus is going- to make a really good record. You don't want to stray too far from what you want to get out there next.

Me: It seems like this is really your time because now you've got the resources and you've got the freedom.

Taylor: I do have that. I think in the long run that's gonna be beneficial for me and my fans, to go into this thing with a clear, stream-lined concept with people around me who have my career in focus.

Me: Yeah. *pause* Do you go anywhere online?

Taylor: Oh, yeah! Yeah, I do. I definitely am aware of what the fans are saying and stuff . I'm tuned in. As long as you guys are tuned in, I'm tuned in.

Me: Well, good. Hey! I've got a silly question. Why do you sometimes play the harmonica with your nose? (OK, I'm cringing. That was a stupid question!)

Taylor: Uh...

Me: Is it just because you can? *nervous laugh*

Taylor: *laugh* Well, yeah, ya know. It's fun for the people in the front. And it's fun for me.

Me: Oh, OK.

Taylor: Listen, Caryl, I've got to run.

Me: OK.

Taylor: I've got to go to the theater. It was so nice to talk to you.

Me: You too, thanks for calling.

Taylor: Sorry it's taken so long, but I'm glad we got to talk.

Me: Me too, take care.

Taylor: Bye.

What I hope you'll take away from this is that Taylor really does seem to be all about the music. He became the most excited talking about Gladys Knight, Otis Redding and Sam Cooke. And he said many times how important it is to him to get the next CD right.

I'm sure Taylor feels the pressure from his critics and frankly, from us as well, to create a CD that's a true representation of him as a musician. Maybe we should all take a break, like Taylor. Push away from the computer, work on something you're passionate about. And when he's got the album "right", come on back and celebrate. That's what I'm going to do.

I'll leave you with the song Taylor recommended. I imagine some of you will want to read too much into the lyrics, but the impression I got from him was that he just thought it was executed really well. So, enjoy it for what it is because, after all, "a great song is a great song."

http://www.last.fm/music/Sam+Cooke/_/Mean+Old+World?autostart

83 comments:

Sierra Lita said...

All I can say is the right person won this contest. Caryl- you were AMAZING! You got a WONDERFUL interview outta him! You are my new hero! LOL! Can I tell the Boogie about this interview?

Anonymous said...

Caryl, WOW!!! what a great converstion. Your questions were wonderful seems like you both enjoyed talking to one another. You did great. Thanks for sharing your experience.

JI

Soul Reporter said...

Aw, caryl, that was sweet. I'm glad you finally got your phone call. You did good. :-) Don't ya just love him? LOL

Sierra Lita said...

By the way, the song isn't working for me- it stops after a few seconds.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your interview, Caryl; you asked him some good questions -- so glad you were able to talk to him.

caryl said...

lubiana: Thanks you for that. I put a lot of thought into what I wanted to say, so I'm glad you appreciate it!

Yes, please share it with the Boogie. I want everyone to know what Taylor's plans are for the new CD.

I'll see what's up with the song.

Anonymous said...

Nice job, caryl. Glad this finally happened for you :)

~Gypsee~

caryl said...

Gypsee, I can't thank you enough for the part you played in this. I really appreciate it.

Anonymous said...

That was wonderful!! I am so proud of you for not falling all over the place. And Tay is so gracious - if you read this, know hat I am humbled by your generosity of spirit every time I read something new. Your music caught me, but your sweet heart kept me. Way to go, dude,lol!
~tyg

Carolyn said...

Beautiful job on the interview, Caryl! I don't know how, under the circumstances, you managed to think so clearly and converse so well, but I thought you did amazingly well. You asked some great questions and had a really friendly and kind conversation with Taylor. I am so pleased that he was, once again, so kind to a fan. He really is a gracious person. Thank you for sharing this special time for you with us and congratulations on winning this opportunity. You made me proud, too!

Anonymous said...

Great job! The question about the nose harmonica was hysterical. Especially since he suddenly "had to run" right after it, LOL. Seriously, I've said it before and I'll say it again- I think Taylor really gets off on it when his fans turn out to be intelligent and articulate and genuinely interested in the music. He probably walked away from that interview feeling all warm and fuzzy inside because of you. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Caryl, you did really, really well. In fact I can't think of a better interview I have read as far as information I wanted to know, professional interviewers included...some of your questions were really brave! Like you, I have been thinking the last few days that I'm going to take a bit of a break while things allow themselves to happen with Taylor, and I don't know why, but somehow this interview has really helped me get in the mindset to do that.

Thanks for using this opportunity so well-Cheers, Jennifer

Anonymous said...

Caryl...I think you did a fabulous job. I really enjoyed reading this. Thanks so much for sharing it with us.

Anonymous said...

Great interview! I enjoyed reading it. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Into your dark world, a little light did shine! Thank you for sharing your Taylor time with us. You rock.

Anonymous said...

Caryl you were amazing - and you got great answers from him. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. You could have chosen not to (as we all know about the risk you take from the bashers) but you put it out there for us. All I can say is it left me a little teary eyed - happy for you to have this opportunity and thrilled for Taylor at his possibilities !!

Anonymous said...

what a wonderful treat to divert me from the laundry! Thanks for such intelligent questions ... you did a wonderful job!

bluescomesouttoplay said...

caryl, you done good!!! thank you so much for sharing this with us; you both sounded like friends just having a chat. i am so happy for you!!!

Anonymous said...

Caryl,I read your phone call post with the biggest grin on my face and a smile in my heart. You have always been an excellent writer and I loved the way that you posted the phone call verbatim so we could hear Taylor's voice and then added your impressions at the end.

You hit it out of the park, Caryl! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful experience with us. I think it brought us all a little closer to Taylor as he steps away from us to take care of business. Perfect timing, girl!

jcitysoul said...

Caryl,
Congrats for a fun and informative interview. I enjoyed it very much. You are one cool "dudette" yourself. LOL

Anonymous said...

You did a great job. Probably was good you had a long time to think about it. Great questions.

Anonymous said...

Caryl, thank you for sharing your phone call with us. You made us all proud!
I am excited that Taylor will be going into the studio and work on the cd, and that this time he will have the freedom and take the time to create the music he wants and we want. I want him to know that we are willing to wait for his best.
Wonderful interview!

Anonymous said...

Not a problem, caryl...was glad to help out. You did a terrific interview!

~Gypsee~

kath said...

caryl -

Thanks so much! You've no doubt made some heavy hearts a bit lighter by sharing Taylor's words with his fans.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing that with us. Taylor is really sweet and I you asked the perfect questions.

KTINTN said...

You did great Caryl. You asked questions that we all wanted to ask. Basically you 2 had a nice mature conversation. Really cool. Thank you for sharing.

soulaz said...

Caryl, I'm so happy for you that you got that phone call with Taylor. And I'm so happy for us that you chose to share it, in interview form like you did.

I've been having my doubts lately, which has made me sadder than it probably should. But reading this interview has given me new hope that the best is right around the corner.

I love that particular Sam Cooke song. Actually anything that he ever sang hits me right in the heart. He was a voice for the ages, and I love his music so.

Thanks a lot, Caryl. I was thinking about taking my life back. Now, I guess I'm back to waiting on Taylor Hicks again, dagnabit.

caryl said...

soulaz: Taylor said the same thing, "actually anything by Sam Cooke is good."

GMTA!

Anonymous said...

Great job caryl! I was distracted in reading this due to those pictures of your adorable Hen-ry! Thank you so much for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Great job Caryl!!
I'm so glad you won the contest.
I really enjoy your blog, not only on Taylor Tuesday, but on all other days as well.
Can't wait to see what Taylor has in store for us next!
Now, like you I have lots of work to do!!
Patty

RagsQueen said...

Great interview! Your write up put a smile on my face! Thanks for sharing, and congratulations on winning the phone call!

Anonymous said...

How cool for you, Caryl!

Congratulations on winning the phone call and making certain it was a great experience for you and Taylor both. Good job!

soulaz said...

Wow . . . Taylor told Caryl anything by Sam Cooke is good. I post on Caryl's blog that anything Sam Cooke sang hits me in my heart.

It's like the most dubious six degrees of separation EVER. I'm so excited, hee hee.

Anonymous said...

Good job Caryl and thank you very much for sharing the convo with us.

Anonymous said...

You go girl! Glad this happened to you! Your NE buddy.

Anonymous said...

Your questions were excellent! You did such an awesome job! Thank you for posting your conversation. That was very kind of you.
Jean aka PurpleButterflies

Anonymous said...

Caryl - Congratulations !!! You won quite a prize !! Your questions were interesting and Taylor's chatty answers showed he enjoyed talking to you.

I loved everything you two talked about. Thanks for telling him this:
Me: Well, that's what we want from you. We want... what you want the music to be.

His music and classy appeal are why I will always be a fan.

Thanks for sharing your special time with us.

Hope our local Best Buy has Night Beat !!

Anonymous said...

That was great Caryl, thanks for sharing! Sam Cooke's Night Beat album is one of my absolute favorites.
I'm glad that you got this wonderful opportunity to speak to Taylor. I hope speaking to him yourself calmed some of your doubts and worries about the direction he was taking with his career. I don't think Taylor has changed, the music is still his most important priority...sometimes however, I suspect the practical needs of the business part of his career will cause him to take some small "detours" that may seem strange to his fans. If they all work out as well as Grease appears to have, things will be fine.
I'm glad you had this opportunity, and thanks for sharing.
C.

timewarpnut said...

Caryl, thank you *so much* for sharing this wonderful interview with us! I think you have soothed a lot of fears and gladdened a lot of hearts...

Anonymous said...

Caryl,

I think you did a great job interviewing! Much better than I would have done. (Just drooling and mumbling nonsense syllables!) Thank you so much for sharing with us and if anyone gives you any grief, just point 'em out. My kids will kick 'em! : ;)

Taylor's Angels said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Taylor's Angels said...

Great questions, great answers, great interview! Thanks for doing a wonderful job ! Nice that it's on a positive blog like this for the world to read!

Teri

Anonymous said...

Great interview!! I so glad you decided to share it with us all. Thanks Caryl

The Memory Keeper's Noise said...

Wow caryl!

You did awesome! Just like the pros! Well, better than some of the pros. You really got him to open up. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with all of us!

~Harp

caryl said...

Harp and soulaz: I almost told you guys about this a couple of times (before it happened), but I was afraid that if too many people knew, I'd start to freak out. Don't know if that makes sense, but it looks like keeping it quiet worked for me. I'm glad you enjoyed my recap!!

And I'm proud of myself for not trying some lame joke on him!

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for telling us this. I love your wit and the title, How do you talk to an Angel? I am glad Taylor ended the speculation about recording the new album or going on the road with Grease.
We may have a new tag song with Mean World!

Anonymous said...

You did great! I'm so impressed!
Thanks for sharing this with us. You got more info than most interviewers get! He sure does seem like a nice, regular guy.

Midnite

AH said...

Caryl, I couldn't be happier that you were the one who got this opportunity. You are a very good blogger and did an outstanding job with the "interview".
Congratulations on the win and the result.

Seems one of your earlier commenters was busy this afternoon.
Uploaded today by jcitysoul
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXM0wMGIIIs

Valerie said...

You did an amazing job interviewing him!!!! So, the nose harmonica is for the enjoyment of people in the front huh....ok...! lol

Thanks for a great read, I'm gona link this to Modern Whomp News for you. :)

Anonymous said...

Caryl, Congratulations on winning the contest to speak with Taylor. Thank you for posting the GREAT interview for all of us to read. I feel like I was actually a third party listening in on your conversation.

I really think you kept Taylor interested by not asking questions he's heard so many times before. He was very open with you but at the same time, I think Taylor likes to keep an air of mystery about himself which keeps him interesting.

I have great faith that he'll create another masterpiece with this next CD that is so greatly anticipated. Am I one of the few that actually love his post idol debut? Though he recorded it quickly and had the PTB involved, I think it was brilliant. I still listen to it today and love every song. I think he enjoyed playing most of those songs, many I hope he'll keep in his live sets, especially "The Maze"! I wish that had been a single.

Sorry about my rambling. Keep up the good work. Caryl. I'll definitely continue to visit your site.

Taylor, if you're reading this, I want you to know that I'm so glad you, and your music, with all your influences, are part of my life. You opened my ears to so much great stuff! I thank you and will ALWAYS be a Fan For Life!!! Take care of yourself!

Anonymous said...

caryl,
The right person did indeed receive this call from Taylor! Another person may not have been so thoughtful or made Taylor feel comfortable and may not have shared it with all of us.
I am VERY happy for you and proud that you did not puke or say "dude". ;)

Anonymous said...

Caryl, Doubt I could have kept it secret, but you were smart to do so. You did a great job with your interview, dude. Tays favorite subject is music. I wonder if he sings to his plants- soothe me baby!

Anonymous said...

One last thing. I also want to mention that the "In Your Time" and "Under The Radar" CD's are ALSO masterpieces. His music is timeless and will definitely endure over the years. Everything Taylor does is gold, no bias, just the truth. I was told by someone that he recorded "Georgia" at 19!! He was born to be a legend and I will be there for the ride. Go Taylor!!!!!!!
You ARE a STAR!!! Enjoy it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's it.

Bluesgirl said...

Caryl, I'm so happy that your call finally became reality. You have been waiting a while and have been very patient. It sounds like you had a wonderful conversation. I noticed that Taylor made a comment about "not making this record like he made the last one" Although he has alluded that he was not totally satisfied with his finished product, I have never heard him give such a direct answer on this topic. I had the privilege of going to see Grease in August. Taylor did a great job with his role as Teen Angel and I think it was a wise career move. But like everyone else, I cannot wait for the new album to be released and most of all go see Taylor perform live !! Great Job Caryl !!!!!

tishlp said...

Wow, 53 comments. Great interview!

caryl said...

Wow, I'm so relieved that everyone has given me the thumbs up. I expected a comment or two saying, "You dumbass, why didn't you ask him x, y and z?!"

Thanks, you guys!

Unknown said...

Caryl, you nailed it!!! You asked such great questions. I am impressed. So glad this finally worked out for you, and thank you so much for sharing it with us.

The Memory Keeper's Noise said...

Awww caryl! Thank you for thinking of me anyway! I'm SO happy for you! This worked out perfectly! :)

Anonymous said...

HI...This is Blondebabe! Honey, you did a bangup job. I think you missed your calling! I loved the interview and one of the best so far. You are a natural and we all know that he is. He is without pretense and is certainly focused toward getting his next CD out. I have always had that faith and also know that he wants it right and his way this time, and it should be that way...he has complete control. What I prayed for, for him. I thank you for sharing...and I am glad someone like you won this contest. We learned so much and I imaged it in my mind with him walking down the street...you get an A+ and I know, yes, I know that your heart did a flip flop. Glad you got that little something you needed! MUAH!

lois meyer said...

You did realy well, Caryl. It's so easy to get tongue-tied when you speak with someone you admire but you were right out there! As a New Yorker yourself, couldn't you just imagine him walking down Broadway with the crowds jostling him, never catching on as to who he was, while he was on the phone with you. Pretty cool!

Caryl's Mom

KarinP said...

Caryl, your interview was fabulous! I think that you asked some very interesting questions and Taylor gave you very informative answers.

Thanks so much for sharing this "special" moment!

Anonymous said...

Caryl~ ya done good girl! Great questions, and thanks for sharing! I had a smile on the whole time reading, and I'm glad to see the next big focus is the album!

Anonymous said...

Caryl, you did an excellent job. You represented the fans well. You were composed, intelligent and thoughtful. You got great responses from Taylor.

This is better than a lot of interviews with Taylor that have been published in newspapers and magazines!

Now, back to my vacation ;-)

Kenzie Ryan said...

63 COMMENTS IN ONE DAY!?!?! AMAZING.
Thats way too many for me to catch up on in one day!

Caryl he needed that interview just as much as you did!! He actually sounds like everything is going straight, it seems we were a bit too worried. And wow, it was a HUGE relief to hear him explain more of his sound from his own words, rather than just what we all put together watching YouTube.

I loved it Caryl! It's great to finally know now that I look up to an actual musician. His career is looking very positive!

And for you! That had to be a huge spirit lifter to get that call!! I would've died! Literally, I would've found myself lying on the floor, asking him to repeat everything said, because I would have been in such a huge daze. Lol!

p.s. (omg he's human!! lol)

Sunny said...

Nice conversation with Mr. Hicks, Caryl. Man, and you never gave me a hint at this! ha. I told you he knows what's up on-line. That man doesn't live with his head in the sand. lol

Good job and I'm happy for you to be able to speak to him.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for posting your conversation with Taylor. You were very prepared but I'm sure nervous. You ended up having a great conversation with "our" guy. Thanks for taking the time to share your wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Anonymous said...

Well there shouldnt be a freaking negative thing anyone has to say about what you shared. That was very generous of you! What a great time that must have been! Somehow though I think I heard it was you who won the call .. why is that? I don't remember, its been a while! Lucky! Thank you for sharing with the rest of us!

Anonymous said...

oh and P.S. my worry wouldn't have been saying "dude" it would be have saying "yo" I have a bad, bad habit of saying YO! .. LOL

caryl said...

There was some kind of a message at HQ that said the winners had been chosen, but they didn't announce my name.

They did name the winners of the last contest, you know, the people who won tickets to Grease.

Maybe that's what you're thinking of?

Anonymous said...

Oh, Darlin', I 'preciate your sharing your special "prize" with us in the hinterlands. Whatever will we do when he privatizes his travels and appearences all winter? It's a real downer to anticipate. Maybe now he's got your number and might check in again in his loooong free time!
Dinah aka Linn

Anonymous said...

Caryl,
Thank you so much for a great interview. I absolutely love the Sam Cooke song. It's sweet gospel in it's purest form.

I'm glad that Taylor said he's not necessarily putting out a country album. I really never could imagine this (not that he couldn't if he wanted to).

This interview re-affirms my appreciation for this fantastic and well-studied musician. Thanks again.

*~*Mezmorise*~* said...

Caryl, thank you so much for sharing your special moment. You were awesome with all the questions you asked.I was picturing you guys as I was reading the conversation I felt as if I was there right with ya'll.Caryl thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing . It's good to know that Taylor has many new things to come our way and that he wants it to be extra special. I will always love him as an artist that sings from with'in and makes us fell proud and especially like dancing! I'm glad you got your call. Hugs, xoxoxox,*~*Mezmerise*~*AKA*~*Sylvia*~*

Anonymous said...

Caryl,

You are a cool, calm, collected and smart lady! Thank you so much for stepping up to the plate and asking the important questions regarding Taylor's musical future plans. This "interview" brings alot of enlightenment to all of Taylor's fans as to what the future will bring to himself and all of his loyal followers.

Don't under-estimate yourself Caryl! You are a very passionate, dedicated and loyal fan of Taylor Hicks and you represented and expressed very eloquently what all of Taylor's most ardent fans feel and love the most about him.

Great job!!

caryl said...

Wow. You guys are awesome. Thank you.

A. Hicks said...

You did a marvelous job! Kudos to you for sharing w/ all of us. I'm in awe, but happy for you as well. You could do interviews for a living as far as I'm concerned. I think you did a better job than most pros. I think Taylor would agree. It must have been nice for him not to get the same questions he's answered 100 times already.

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for sharing your phone call, Caryl.

Anonymous said...

Caryl, I've been on vacation so I wasn't able to post a comment earlier.. but wow.. Great job!!

So all in all, he sounded happy and excited about the new CD? How cool is that.. keep the faith a flowin'

Tif

caryl said...

tif, yeah. I mean, I realize he was aware that I would report back to the Soul Patrol, so of course he's going to be positive about everything, but he talked about getting the music RIGHT a couple of times. He said that's his focus right now and I believe him. He wants to be 100% sure it represents him as an artist. I think it's great!

Anonymous said...

Off Topic!!!
Hey everybody -
I'm a bit later than I wanted to be with this - busy in the house - but I got a call from Caryl. She survived the storm amazingly well, wth only a fence knocked down at her house. I'm sure she'll bring us all up to speed as she's able.
~tyg

Julie said...

Damn, girl, how did you get 79 comments? When I blogged about MY phone call with Taylor I got like five.

Congrats, C!!

caryl said...

Julie, you have to post a link at HQ to get the comments!

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