RE: [Harp-L] Re: Taylor Hicks (response to Bobbie) -cont'd

["Robert Gaustad" <robertgaustad@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

You make some interesting points, Bill, especially when talking about his
handlers.  But I'm not sure just how they deal with some of these winners.
For instance, Ruben Studdard and Fantasia both recorded R&B albums, not pop
albums.  While they sold well, it appears to me that the "handlers" weren't
trying to force Ruben and Fantasia into markets and music that didn't fit
them.  Now I have to admit I've heard very little recorded music from the
winners, but if the handlers were smart enough to record R&B albums for R&B
singers, that's not bad.

So, perhaps Taylor will put out an R&B album and probably not a strictly
blues album (too bad in my opinion), but I would hope the winners have some
creative say in their recordings.

The big question is, how many albums are they contracted to record?  I doubt
it's an indentured servitude in perpituity. This could be a step for Taylor
and maybe he'll take the fame and help to re-energize the blues market.  But
then again he may not.  But as others have said in this forum, he's not just
a singer, he's a musician.  And he doesn't sing just to make a living, he
sings because he absolutely has to.  That differentiates him from a lot of
others on the show.

Robert Gaustad

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of billhines4@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 2:06 PM
To: Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Taylor Hicks (response to Bobbie) -cont'd

Wouldn't it be a pisser if his prior blues/soul/harp CD did better as a
result of his success than some non-blues/soul/harp CD that his handlers
decide is what the public "wants". That would be great. 

I'm still waiting to see just what they have him put out on his first cd (he
will get one whether he wins or loses tonight) and if it will have any harp.
I think he presents a new paradox to the AI folks and industry marketers -
do they style his new offering to target the 20-somethings and below, or
their parents? I think to the former he still represents an interesting
curiousity, I'm not sure they'd buy CDs with the type of music he's done on
the show (certainly now Swanee River, haha).

Hopefully the diversion will be over soon and we can get back to more
interesting harp content, but this is an interesting diversion. It would be
good to learn more about the harp side of him.

Bill
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