Reminiscing with Taylor Hicks...A Message from Birmingham, Alabama

For most of us, reminiscing is a traditional part of the holidays. The spirit of the season often makes us pensive and reflective of our many blessings. During this wonderful time of the year, Taylor’s Angels wants to bring to you a few of the magical moments shared by the Soul Patrol as we followed the incredible journey of Taylor Hicks, a journey that took him from a struggling musician in Birmingham, Alabama to an internationally known celebrity.

The following is a post that quickly made its rounds to all the major Taylor Hicks fan sites once it was posted in August 2006. It is a story of what I believe (and hope) to be one of the most significant events in the life of Taylor Hicks, for it is the story of his journey back to Birmingham as a hometown hero.

The Significance Of His Homecoming
Being a Birmingham native, I knew Taylor Hicks’ homecoming concert would hold a special significance. However, I did not realize the magnitude of the occasion until the next day. As I drove in to work just 10 hours after experiencing first-hand Taylor’s amazing talents, I was listening to a CD of his AI performances. “Just Once” happened to be playing- the part where he so passionately and earnestly pleads, “can we find a way to finally make it right, make the magic last for more than just one night?”. At that exact moment, I looked to my left and realized I was passing the BJCC, the arena in which we all stood in amazement the night before, watching Taylor pour out his love and make his own magic come alive for us. I found tears welling in my eyes. Why did hearing those words come from his mouth with such emotion, seeing the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center and then remembering his emotion in that arena the previous night create a stream of tears that made navigating a busy interstate difficult?

I was suddenly struck with the realization of the magic that had occurred between Taylor Hicks and his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama the previous night. For 10 years, he gave Birmingham every part of himself- is energy, his passion, his presence and his music. He begged us to hear his voice, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. We ignored his amazing artistry. But in spite of our rejection, Taylor continued to persevere as a “broke musician” and to pursue his dream. He continued to entertain night after night, even when he felt the pain of our rejection and needed our comfort. He gave us his all, but we gave him nothing in return.

So he left Birmingham for Las Vegas to try a different tact. He again gave it his all and endured rejection from the likes of Simon Cowell and David Foster. But this time he knew people were actually hearing his voice and “getting” what he was about. He rolled the dice week after week and worked the machine masterfully. And on May 23, 2006, he emerged from the back of the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood wearing a purple jacket, white shirt, snakeskin boots and danced the aisle to center stage. The world knew in that moment his voice had indeed been heard and his life would be forever transformed. When the official announcement came the following evening that Taylor Hicks was indeed our American Idol, he bent his knees in an effort to remain upright and turned to see the masses in his hometown of Birmingham cheering wildly- a site he had not seen during the10 year journey on which he had been.