Discussing "The Distance" with Taylor Hicks

Recently I had the privilege of speaking with Taylor Hicks via phone for a few minutes about his upcoming CD "The Distance." Since Hicks recently formed his own music label -- Modern Whomp Records, I asked Hicks what made him decide to create his own label and release the album independently this time around.

"I felt like I was at that stage where I could really express myself from an artistic stand point and kind of live out on the edge with my art and my songwriting. I just feel like that creates drive and I need a lot of drive. That is the reason why I created the label. Ultimately I want to sign acts and use my knowledge and experience to help others."

His answer led me to the question, as to whether he planned to have his own recording studio in the future.

"Yes, I would love to have my own recording studio in the future."

There have been many reports about how to describe Hicks album "The Distance", so I asked Hicks for his own description of the album.

"I think its Americana. It represents an artist who has many different styles. It was influenced by many different styles. I think it's in the vein of a John Cougar Mellancamp kind of sound. It's an experience, a listening experience. Nowadays I think there are a lot of CDs out there where you hit play and you listen to the tracks and they all sound the same. I wanted to take the listener through a musical journey into the styles that represent who I am as an artist. I wanted to let people in on the fact that I can write story songs. I just felt like my song writing voice needed to be heard on the record. I wrote eighty percent of it".

Simon Climie who is Eric Clapton and Faith Hills producer among others, came on board to be the producer for Hicks CD "The Distance." Since Eric Clapton's band members also joined Hicks on the album, I asked Taylor how he was able to get them to join him for the album and his feelings about getting an amazing and talented team to work with him.

"I think from a song writing aspect, I think that the songs were strong. I think they were excited to get on the record. I was very blessed and very humbled that I was able to record with them."

As many fans know, Taylor Hicks is a very talented musician. In which on "The Distance" Taylor Hicks plays harmonica for the song "Keepin it Real" I asked Hicks if he played any other instruments on the album.

" Just harmonica, there was so many great musicians in the room with me. Obviously you need to leave it up to the greats with the recording. It's all about the music. Now when you are out on the road you get to experiment. In the recording studio when you have that kind of caliber of musicians around, you use them."

I asked him if he wrote the song "Keepin it Real" and if so, why he chose that topic.

Yes I did. "I think it's exactly meant for how people are thinking. Its tongue in cheek, it's a perspective on celebrities. I think Delbert McClinton knows exactly what he's doing as far as lyrically. I think Delbert McClinton and Gary Nicholson are two of the best rock and roll lyricists since Chuck Berry. It's a tongue and cheek song that's got an Allen Toussaint, New Orleans kind of feel to it. It's exactly the way that I wanted to artistically get my point across.

It takes a little effort to listen to the record. You really got to get into the lyrics and the music. But if you can understand the music in, that song particularly and if you listen to the music, the lyrics sound like the music."

I laughed out loud to the song "Wedding Day Blues". The song is about a man going to his ex's wedding and it turned into his honeymoon. This funny song could turn into a great novelty tune for Hicks in the element of "The Steak" by Ray Stevens or "Itsy, Bitsy, Teeny, Weenie, Yellow Polka Dot Bikini by Brian Hyland. Therefore, I asked Hicks if he saw this song becoming his novelty song.

"I thought it was a great story. I wanted to kind of put it in the vein of James Taylor. I did not want to over sing on this record. I think the lyrics are very important. I think I'm going to leave the over singing to the live concert."

"Woman's Gotta Have It" is a song from the album where Elliott Yamin joins Taylor Hicks part way through the song blending their voices together. I asked Taylor what made him decide to have Elliott join him for this song.

"I really wanted to have Elliott come in and get in a natural environment with me. I love his voice, I love his natural singing voice and the original Bobby Womack song has this wonderful call and response and duet sounding soul sound. I couldn't think of anyone better to be able to sing it."

I then asked Hicks if he and Elliott sang together in the studio or separately and then was mixed together. Taylor's answer is one I am sure fans of both artists will enjoy.

"No we all recorded together. I called him up, he came over, and we had a couple beers and enjoyed making music with each. We hadn't gotten to do that since our Shadow Tour during the American Idol tour."

His answer brings us to the next question. Are there plans for Hicks and Yamin to perform this song together "live" in the future?

"Oh definitely, yes most definitely. "

For the song "New Found Freedom, it is best described as a toe-tapping gospel beat. I asked Hicks about the musicians backing him up and whether it was a choir.

"There are just a lot of different musicians, different singers and stuff. We just brought in a lot of different singers. Not necessarily a choir. I guess you could call it "The Taylor Hicks Gospel Choir. "

Hicks replied jokingly.

"Maybe You Should" is my favorite track on the album. Hicks wrote this song and I asked him where he got his inspiration from.

"I think love is a universal message and when you have a love lost, I think you can write about it."

Taylor Hicks starred in his first music video to the first single "What's Right is Right" off his album. You can view the video here. I was curious about Taylor's thoughts in making his first video.

"I enjoyed it. I wanted to pull off the idea of a true love and also having that question of whether or not there could possibly be true love for me out there. I think that the vision we had artistically going into it is what we wanted."

Taylor is currently touring with "Grease", as the "Teen Angel" so I asked him if he ever thought he would end up touring back when he first signed up last summer on Broadway.

"Yea kind of, I think this is a no brainer. -- Traveling all over the country, seeing new fans, being able to perform my song every night in the show and having a small intimate club tour. I think it is a wonderful, creative and blue-color way of working and touring."

Hick's final words were addressed to his fans.

"I am really thankful to all the fans I have and all of the support. I am really excited about getting the new music out there to the fans, the new ones and the ones who have been there all along."

Taylor Hicks was voted the Season five American Idol. His self-titled debut album was certified platinum and has sold over 800,000 copies world-wide. Taylor has also been on Broadway in the show "Grease" as "Teen Angel" this past summer and is currently touring with "Grease" on a national tour. Hicks during this time recorded his sophomore album called "The Distance" which goes on sale March 10th. You can read my review of this album here.

Be sure to pick up a copy of this great album "The Distance" by Taylor Hicks on March 10^th. "The Distance" will be available in stores and is now available for pre-order at online outlets. You can pre-order "The Distance" online now at Amazon, Target and Wal-Mart. Watch for the "Grease" show to come to a city near you. You will have a great time enjoying an amazing, classic show and you will also get to see Hicks as "Teen Angel". Don't forget to stay after the Grease curtain call to hear Hicks perform his single "What's Right is Right."

Interview Date - March 5^th 2009