TWO YEARS AGO TODAY – Taylor Hicks plays Cohasset, MA

“Does Massachusetts Have the Blues?” by LindaT

“Hold On to Your Love” in Cohasset is quite simply one of the most brilliant performances of the summer tour. Taylor has a unique gift as a live performer of opening himself, crossing fearlessly over an unseen line of vulnerability in order to be moved by something larger than he. Van Morrison, one of Taylor’s musical heroes, also disappears into the music during a live performance, but in doing so, often disappears into himself as well, leaving the audience to fend for themselves. Taylor allows himself to be moved but with an open quality that invites us along for the journey.

Hold On to Your Love in Cohasset, then, is the epitome of Taylor being possessed, owned, shaken to the core by the music, and then passing that gift along to us. Listen especially for scatting, and for tags of “The Banana Boat Song”, “The Tide is High”, “Graceland”, “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes”, “You Can’t Trust Your Neighbor”, and “Lonely Avenue”. Humor, radiance, joy, intensity – it’s all there. Let yourself go and enjoy the ride!

Video and photo by Diane