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How was I supposed to help a thick-looking dude with white hair? To me, he was just another bar band guy among dozens. Way more aggressive, but you know that guy. Trying to make it and quickly running out of time.

AN AMERICAN IDOL UNSUNG IN HIS HOMETOWN

Taylor Hicks Labored on the Birmingham Scene for 10 Long Years Before Anyone Noticed
by Don VanCleave, Coalition of Independent Music Strores

Birmingham is not a very big place. It is about the size of Nashville or Austin, but acts smaller. I am pretty well known in town from doing business there for 18 or so years. Reg and I both get it. We are the music business guys. So I get a bunch of questions thrown my way. Usually they involve what shows to see or what records to buy. But, since it is late May, the questions ALWAYS involve American Idol.

Yep, who knew that our fair city would land THREE finalists in a row? Ruben, then Bo, and now Taylor Hicks. "Hey Don, how 'bout that Taylor Hicks?" "Hey Don, what do you think about Taylor?" and every other combination.

I have to be honest. I have not watched one song on American Idol this year. I watched a few tunes last year and the year before but I just can¹t stand that judge's panel and their comments. For me, music should not be a contest or related to a sporting event. It is impossible to avoid on the news here. I get the attraction to those folks not in the music business. I mean, talent shows have always been popular. What I find really crazy is how our town has magically produced three acts in a row that make the finals. Maybe it is no small coincidence that Birmingham has one of the top rated Fox stations in the country.

About this time last year, Taylor Hicks sent us his new CD. "Please check it out dude." OK man. After a listen or two, it went in the big "I listened to it and I promise I did not throw it away, but it is gonna just sit there" stack. It was a decent enough effort, but we get tons of those. How was I supposed to help a thick-looking dude with white hair? To me, he was just another bar band guy among dozens. Way more aggressive, but you know that guy. Trying to make it and quickly running out of time.

In June, we have City Stages in Birmingham. It is our local festival. Reg and I have been very involved since day one. Taylor and his band were to appear on the "Locals Only" stage. He called multiple times to see if we had listened to the CD. I was busy and avoided most of the calls. When I did talk to him, he lobbied me to come see his set at the festival. So, I dropped by and caught a few songs. I thought the guy had a really good voice, but I could barely watch his stage antics. Man, that dude is afflicted with something. You know, whatever that muscular thing is that possesses Joe Cocker.

Later that day, I ran into Taylor and he asked if I saw the set. I was polite, but got out of there quick. Not long after, Taylor just showed up at the office. We like to hide and don't want local musicians just dropping by. We are total snobs about that. We would never get any work done otherwise. Taylor goes running from office to office asking Reg, Jill and finally me what I thought about him and how could we help him get hooked up. Andrea, my assistant at the time, got up from her perch, took Taylor by the arm and said, "Dude, you need to leave" and that was the last I heard from him. We spent the rest of the day talking about aggressive this guy could be. NO was not an answer ever.

A few months later, Reg came storming into my office and spewed, "Check this shit out. Taylor Hicks is in a serious run in the American Idol prelims." Wow, that is crazy!

This guy is 29 years old and does not look like an artist that would ever get a record deal. I know dozens of A&R guys. NONE of them would have given Taylor Hicks the time of day a year ago. He is neither young enough nor skinny enough. He has grey hair and is about as goofy as it gets on stage. Normally he would be a total non-starter in this business.

Being one of those people who would not really give this guy any serious time, I wish him only the best in the final round. I hope he gets everything coming to him. He has been slogging it out in bad bars around here for 10 years and never gave up. If he wins, I hope he is very successful.

But, for the record, I still don't quite get it.

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