Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Taylor Hicks

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Jonathan Metts writes:
 
"He is now one of the two finalists and is guaranteed a major label  recording
contract.  You can count on all of his albums having a  good amount of harp
content, and he is damn good from what I've  heard.  It's officially a pretty
big deal for the harmonica  community.  He is going to bring blues harp to a
large new  audience.  Could have the impact of John Popper except Hicks  plays
in the more traditional blues style.  Surely most of you  guys can be happy
about that!

Jonathan Metts"
 
Hey Jon:
 
I'm with you.....I'm a big fan of Taylor's....I like his  exuberance, his 
mellow tenor voice...and his Michael McDonald/Joe  Cocker sound.  Then..he 
started out in the contest by doing Sam  Cooke songs...that's all he had to do to 
win me over!  I liked Elliot  too...he had a nice bluesy sound to his voice and 
was at home doing jazz  standards...so I'm sure he'll have a good solid career 
as well.  If I  remember correctly, you had half-hoped Taylor might not go 
too far in the  competition ....just so he could come home and tell you all 
about the  gorgeous Katharine McPhee <G> ...because you attended the same  school 
he had?  
 
Now it's down to Katharine and Taylor going head to head  for the final.  
Who'd have thought it?  I think it's  marvellous.  There's no doubt he'll play 
his harmonica on his  albums-- whether he comes in first or 2nd on AI....and I 
have a feeling he  just might be the winner...we'll see. But from the beginning 
I had  thought the beauteous Miss McPhee had the contest in the bag...someone 
 whose voice was good enough to actually duet off-the-cuff on an aria  with 
Andrea Bocelli?  Unbelievable.   Still..I'm rooting  for Taylor... I just love 
his quirkiness and Soul Patrol.
 
Some people here seem to have no idea just how far -reaching the  results of 
American Idol are.  The votes last night totalled over 50  million.  When the 
contestants went to their respective home states  for visits...they were 
mobbed.  Taylor was welcomed at the  Governor's mansion...given the key to his home 
town...greeted everywhere  by thousands of fans.  It doesn't end with the 
win.  The  previous winners (and runners-up)  have sold millions of records as  
Clive Davis laid out in excruciating detail last night.  So whether  he comes 
in first or not...his records WILL sell...and it's a sure thing  they will be 
blues-oriented with harmonica figuring  prominently. 
 
 His fans adore him - American Idol makes instant "stars" out of  the 
finalists.  The harmonica WILL be brought to the attention of the  American public 
just by his ending up in the top two of this year's  contest.  I would put money 
on tons of people going out to buy their  children (or themselves)  
harmonicas based solely on their admiration  for him...so it's all good for the harp in 
my book.

Elizabeth