Taylor Hicks Inspires Soul and Spirituality in Canada

“One of the most important things that my interest in the career of Taylor Hicks has brought me is a renewed interest in spirituality. He is a well rounded musician and human being. He not only focuses on his craft, but he often displays his understanding and empathy to those who are “victims of circumstance”. Whether it has been a hurricane, the Gulf War or a very “special” child in need of his attention, Taylor is not afraid to show his compassion and generosity. He has inspired many within his fan base to follow his example and I think that he can be very proud of the many good things that they do for others.”

These are the inspirational words penned by one of Taylor Hicks’ biggest supporters. Each month, Taylor’s Angels receives nominations for the Hero of the Month award from Taylor Hicks’ Soul Patrol community. Oftentimes, the selection process if very difficult because of the wonderful support that Taylor’s fans are forever giving to the fan base and to the community. This month, the selection was not difficult in the least, but did take us on a journey to her world in Canada!

The recipient of this month’s beautiful eternity Angel bracelet is most deserving. She is an inspiration to all and truly has a “heart full of soul”. If you read her posts on the fan sites, you can see that much thought goes into every word. She does not simply reply in a thread, her words are insightful and oftentimes inspirational. She is a friend to many and always portrays Taylor Hicks and his fans in a positive and respectful manner. One of her main goals on fan sites is to promote a sense of unity.

First and foremost, this month’s recipient is a dedicated supporter of Taylor Hicks and simply wants to do anything to help keep Taylor's name and music in the forefront. One way she has done this is through her skillfully crafted videos, which are superb! In fact, her take on Taylor’s single, “Just to Feel That Way”, is consistently climbing the “charts” at YouTube and is the highest viewed JTFTW video with over 11,000 hits. In the past year, it has been seen in 105 countries! She has put together many, many more wonderful videos of Taylor Hicks, and some of her favorites are highlighted in this blog.

We congratulate KarinP on her selection as Taylor’s Angels Hero of the Month and urge you to read more about this wonderfully uplifting and loyal Taylor Hicks fan!

Taylor's Angels: Tell us about yourself.

Karin: I am the mother of two adult daughters – an “empty nester”, I suppose you could call me. Life, fortunately for me, is rather uncomplicated most of the time and with five young grandchildren, life can be very busy at times. As Joe Walsh used to sing, “Life’s Been Good to Me” despite the many twists and turns along the way.

Taylor's Angels: Besides Taylor, what are your hobbies and interests?

Karin: In the Spring and Summer, you will often find me in the garden. I enjoy going for walks along the lake as well. I am very interested in music and today as I was reflecting on past memories in my life, I was reminded of the many times that music was a safe haven for me during very difficult times.

I volunteer 50-60 hours a month in my community which can be very rewarding and, at the same time, I see very sad and tragic circumstances that others find themselves in. It keeps me grounded in the real world and it reminds me how fragile life really is. My “hot” button, as some of you know, is domestic violence and child abuse. While physical abuse is deplorable, broken bones and bruises heal but the emotional abuse scars a child for life and in my opinion, it is the most difficult wound to heal.

Since my induction into the world of Taylor Hicks, I spend a great deal of time on the computer and I enjoy trying to learn new programs and unleashing the creativity that I didn’t even know existed in me.

Taylor's Angels: How did you become interested in Taylor's music and what is it about Taylor Hicks that caught your attention?

Karin: I watched American Idol for the first time in January 2006. Taylor intrigued me right from the beginning at the Las Vegas auditions. I saw a young man with gray hair who had a somewhat boyish charm and I listened to his story about starting to turn gray when he was 15 years old. He was genuine when he said “I am just who I am”. My first impression was that I loved his speaking voice and I was anxious to hear what he was going to sing. Needless to say, I was hooked.

I became an even more avid supporter after Simon told Taylor that it wasn’t “just” about the voice and then said, “They will not put you in the final group to be judged by the public” – words that later would come back to haunt Simon.

On Hollywood Bound week, Taylor’s answered a question from Ryan by saying: “It’s music, man. If music is in your heart, you feel it, you play it, you sing it, you perform it, you bust your buns doing it and that is what it is all about.”. He really impressed me when he said those words and I was determined to follow his career.

Taylor's Angels: How have the Canadians received Taylor's music?

Karin: I must confess that there were some in my circle who supported Daughtry but after Chris left the show, they all became Taylor Hicks fans. Since AI, most people I know and whom I meet, went back to their lives and didn’t end up where I found myself. Through many conversations, they soon found out that I was a walking encyclopedia about all things Taylor. Taylor’s CD has not received any radio play in Canada, much to my dismay. Many wondered what had happened to Taylor and I was more than eager to let them know all of the things that Taylor was doing. Most were unaware of his ability to really play the harp or even a guitar. The people that I have talked to about Taylor have nothing but admiration for his talent as seen on AI and I am always sending them to YouTube so that they can see the many concert videos that are available there.

Taylor's Angels: You have made some awesome videos. What is your inspiration for making your videos?

Karin: Thank you for your kind words. As I watched the videos on YouTube, the montages, I became really interested in learning how to make them. It started out as a personal challenge for me and then it became a hobby. With help from fellow posters on TOSP, I was able to master the program and now I am “hooked” on making them when the spirit moves me. In the beginning, it was the pictures and then when Taylor released his CD, some of the songs really touched me and I felt the need to tell a story or convey a message. The availability of the videos and photographs that have been so generously shared on many of the fan boards have made it possible for me to do continue doing this. I hope that they are a positive contribution in some small way. I am always hopeful that they will draw new fans and promote Taylor’s music.

There was one video in particular that was driven by a personal crisis last year, “Have We Told You Lately”. (Unfortunately, I was politely asked by YouTube to remove it because I was using a Van Morrison song.) A very good friend of mine suddenly passed away. I was in shock and found it difficult to function normally. I didn’t know how to pull myself out of my despair and then, I decided to watch some of the many videos on YouTube of Taylor and I realized that I began to feel better after watching them. Through following Taylor’s music and his career, I realized that perhaps, for some karmic reason, this was something I needed to do and Taylor, unknowingly, helped pull me out of a very dark and sad place. If only one of the videos can do that for one person, then to me, it is a worthwhile investment of my time.

Taylor's Angels: We know that the current Canadian Idol is from your hometown. What has that been like and how is Canadian Idol different from American Idol?

Karin: The first difference that comes to mind is that we don’t have Simon as a judge here. (I’m kidding, of course…hmmm.) I could be wrong about this, but I am not so sure that there is the same type of deliberate influence from the judges as seen on the American Idol. It was a very proud moment for my city and while I did not go downtown where they were viewing the final show, I saw the excitement in the streets on YouTube and it was very evident that everyone was thrilled that Brian won. His life was changed so dramatically that night. It is an incredible opportunity for aspiring musicians to have their ultimate dreams come true.

Taylor's Angels: Have you attended any Taylor concerts? Tell us about your experience.

Karin: I have been able to attend two of Taylor’s concerts. The first one was in Royal Oak, Michigan and it was an incredible experience. I met many people there and it was an opportunity for me to meet some people who I had become “cyber-friends” with. The second concert I attended was in Niagara Falls, New York and once again, it provided me with an opportunity to meet more people. Needless to say, I was able to once again enjoy Taylor’s music in person which was fantastic for me. I am looking forward to having Taylor come to Canada.



Taylor's Angels: How has Taylor Hicks affected your life?

Karin: I am reminded of something that happened in the summer of 2006. A woman sits beside me at the computer as we had done on many evenings. I introduced her to the “Soul Man” via the Internet. She seemed to really understand the magnetism that Taylor possesses.

She was weary, heartbroken and lost. She has lived through so much abuse during her lifetime. A “broken” soul is what she was. She finally had gained the courage after 11 years to walk away from the most recent abuser. She didn’t walk; she ran with the clothes on her back and had to leave her children behind in a relatively safe place in another city.

We sit and we watch the videos of Taylor Hicks. We watch his triumphant winning moment on American Idol and listen to Taylor sing “Do I Make You Proud”. The woman sits and she listens. Finally, she speaks and expresses one of her thoughts about Taylor. Tears welled in her eyes as she uttered that the reason she had become a supporter of Taylor was because he made her believe that realizing your dream is possible. He persisted in his dream and through sheer determination and belief in his gift, he had realized his life-long dream. His voice was heard by millions of people.

We listened to the song again, neither of us speaking. Each and every time she listened to this song, the tears flowed easily. It reached her deep inside and touched her very soul. Then, I heard my sister say, “I always think of you when I hear this song and I wonder if “you” are proud of me?”. “Yes”, I tell her, “I am very PROUD of you.” It has been a long and difficult road for her to travel and she has succeeded.

A “Taylor” moment between sisters and we both wondered if Taylor Hicks would ever know how much he has touched the lives of others. This is the magic of Taylor Hicks at its very best.

One of the most important things that my interest in Taylor’s career has brought me is a renewed interest in spirituality. He is a well rounded musician and human being. He not only focuses on his craft, but he often displays his understanding and empathy to those who are “victims of circumstance”. Whether it has been a hurricane, the Gulf War or a very “special” child in need of his attention, Taylor is not afraid to show his compassion and generosity. He has inspired many within his fan base to follow his example and I think that he can be very proud of the many good things that they do for others.

As he continues to travel new horizons, I hope that life brings Taylor Hicks the joy that he continues to give to countless others.

Taylor’s Angels once again congratulates Karin on being selected as our Hero of the Month and invite you to leave a congratulatory comment for her, which may inspire her to make more awesome videos to share!

Edited by Tina (DidNotExpectThat)
Videos by KarinP

Picture Credit: Cydter -Millersville






Tags: Taylor Hicks, American Idol, Soul Patrol, Taylor's Angels