First, he’s gotten his name and face out in the media again. His billboards are covering buildings in NYC. He’s getting television interview time. He’s managed to show there is another side of his personality; he’s not just this dark barroom blues performer, we’re seeing the guy has a wild sense of humor.

Appearing on Broadway in “Grease” as the Teen Angel in that black glitter-winged suit is a brave endeavor. He’s receiving promotion and attention for any upcoming projects while getting paid. Man, I see nothing but win in this for him. Being spotlighted on The Great White Way – and importantly – from the reviews I’ve read, actually liked and appreciated for your role in a show, not a bad thing.

Sure Warren Haynes likely wouldn’t want to do such a role, but who really knows? ha.

Probably the biggest problem that Taylor has is over-promise and under-deliver. Whatever the reason. If you say youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re going to do something, then you better do it.”

Exactly! Well said. Deliver on the promise(s) Taylor, or don’t make them.

I’ve expounded elsewhere but, the Grease thing, for me, is a colossal disaster. In my mind, Taylor is along the lines of a Widespread Panic, Government Mule, Marc Broussard mold. To me, THAT is where he should play. A pompadour and a shiny suit singing Beauty School Dropout just don’t fit. And, stretch? Why? He hasn’t even reached potential within what he really does well.

Get a duet together with Grace Potter or Joss Stone, some gritty chick. Go to Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals and STAX in Memphis where all the great Soul Artists recorded. Sign up for a “Live from Sun Studios” performance for YouTube. Cut a track in Ray Charles’ Hollywood Studio. Deliver on the promise.

Probably the biggest problem that Taylor has is over-promise and under-deliver. Whatever the reason. If you say you’re going to do something, then you better do it. Can’t be the boy who cries wolf, otherwise after a while…nobody’s listening. Taylor has had some awesome chances and I’m hoping that the next CD will be “killah” and vindicate him in some way, but if past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior, I have my doubts.

That said. I, too, hope to be the wrongest I’ve ever been.

What I find more interesting is why there was a decline and what could have been done to prevent that. I tend to think that artists are the ones responsible for their successes and their lack of. Others like to blame everyone else.

hicksaholic, being born and bred in NYC, I can tell you living in NYC for the summer ain’t all that. Hot, muggy, smelly. But living in NYC on someone else’s tab, that’s not so bad!

And, heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the only winner that never had a video. I have no idea why this happened or who made the decisions

I belong to the group that believes it was Taylor’s call to not invest recoupment dollars in a video. I have no facts to back this, just my opinion. I’ll take a kick ass tour over a video anyday.

I just donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t understand how anyone can argue that ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a big fan base.

I’m not. I maintain that I have no idea how big his fan base is.

He didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t sell many tickets for his Summer tour, nor did his album or book do well. So where are all these so-called fans?

Well, this is a little different than the myspace theory though isn’t it? I never looked up how many books he sold, so I have no idea (I’ve never read the book either). I think 700,000 cd’s is a lot, but I understand that it’s an underperformance by an AI winner. But, I actually think for the scale of it, Taylor’s tour appeared pretty successful.

I know nothing of sabatoge, and I don’t really subscribe to that theory. Just because they treat Taylor like crap now, doesn’t mean they did in the beginning. I also don’t have a hard time believing that Taylor can be difficult to work with. I have no problem with stubborn artists, so that won’t color my view of him either way.

I’m in agreement with MJ that a lot of the mistakes made during Taylor’s cd release were his own (or the mistakes of his people). Waiting to release his cd and missing the Black Friday sales is a huge mistake. Letting other contestants release theirs before him was the biggest blunder. History shows that whoever releases first, sells the most.

I have no prediction on the success or failure of Taylor’s upcoming cd. I’ll buy it, because man do I love that voice, but I have no idea if anyone else will.

I’ll purchase the new CD and every other one he releases, just like I will for Ruben, and all of the other non-idol artists I believe have talent. I don’t expect anyone else to like what I do. I also, don’t expect Taylor to do anything more than live his life the way he sees fit, personally or musically.

Just for the record, MySpace, Facebook, whatever – no thanks.