Taylor Hicks
Encyclopedia
Taylor Reuben Hicks is an American singer who achieved fame in 2006, when he won the fifth season
of American Idol
. Hicks got his start as a professional musician in his late teens and performed around the Southeastern United States
for well over the span of a decade, during which he also released two independent
albums. Upon winning Idol, he was signed to Arista Records
, under which his self-titled major label debut
was released on December 12, 2006. His energetic stage performances and influences derived from classic rock
, blues, and R&B music had earned him a following of devout fans, who have been dubbed the "Soul Patrol." He performed on Broadway in 2008 and on national tour in 2009 in Grease
playing Teen Angel, the role originated by Alan Paul. The new CD, The Distance
, was released March 10, 2009, with the first single, "What's Right Is Right
", going to AC adds January 27, 2009. The second single was confirmed to be "Seven Mile Breakdown" via his Myspace page.
, Alabama
, on October 7, 1976, to Bradley Hicks and Pamela Dickinson. His hair started turning gray by the time he was 14. He and his family had moved to suburban Hoover, Alabama
when he was eight years old. His parents divorced, and stepmother Linda shared custody of their son until he became of age
. Hicks has suggested his difficult childhood as the reason for his turning to soul
and blues
music for solace. He has a younger half-brother, Sean, who later convinced him to audition for American Idol
.
He bought his first harmonica
when he was 16, for $2 at a flea market in Bessemer, Alabama
, and taught himself to play blues harp
. He discovered that he possessed absolute pitch
when he was able to recognize the pitches
of ordinary noises and mimic them on the harmonica. Hicks was 18 when he wrote his first song, "In Your Time", and he taught himself to play electric guitar
when he was 19.
Hicks graduated from Hoover High School
in 1995. He played varsity
baseball
, soccer, and basketball
while studying in Hoover. He then pursued a major in business
and journalism
at Auburn University
, but lost interest and dropped out after three years.
and Percy Sledge
to record a three-track demo but was unable to find a label that would sign him. He left Nashville after a year due to what he called the "oversaturation of the market". Hicks returned to Alabama and launched a professional music career, performing at various venues and parties mostly around the Southeastern United States
, including The War Eagle Supper Club (a popular college bar) in Auburn, Alabama
. Hicks has performed with the likes of Widespread Panic
, James Brown
, Tom Petty
, Jackson Browne
, Drive-By Truckers
, Robert Randolph, Snoop Dogg, and Keb Mo. He also performed in the huge infield of Talladega Superspeedway
in 2004 during a NASCAR
race weekend.
He recorded, produced, and released a second album, Under the Radar, in 2005. Despite releasing two albums prior to appearing on American Idol, he did not violate their requirements for contestants, as he had never held a recording contract
.
Hicks has allowed audience members to record his concerts for personal, non-commercial use, and has authorized the Internet Archive
to create a section for fans to upload and share their recordings. The Archive does not accept the upload of concerts recorded after January 1, 2006 due to the terms of his "American Idol" contract.
, on October 10, 2005. Hicks passed the audition with the approval of judges Randy Jackson
and Paula Abdul
, but not Simon Cowell
, who said that Hicks would never make it to the final round. On Hicks' first performance for the voting public, Cowell called back to this quote, admitting he was wrong.
On the May 10, 2006, results show, Hicks along with Katharine McPhee
and Elliott Yamin
, were announced as the Top 3 finalists. On May 12, Idol producers brought Hicks to Birmingham
for a weekend of promotional events including television interviews for the local FOX affiliate
, a downtown parade, concerts, and an audience with Governor Bob Riley
. May 12 was proclaimed "Taylor Hicks Day" and Hicks was given the key to the city. Also on May 12, Gov. Riley issued a proclamation making May 16 "Taylor Hicks Day".
Hicks was named the new American Idol on May 24, 2006, winning the title over McPhee, with over 63.4 million votes cast in total. The proclamation was aired to a worldwide audience of 200 million television viewers. With his win at age 29, Hicks became the oldest contestant to win American Idol. He was the first male contestant to win American Idol without ending up in the bottom two or three.
In June 2006, Ford Motor Company
, the show's major sponsor, signed Hicks to promote Ford's "Drive on Us" year-end sales event. He was also named Hottest Bachelor by People magazine
for 2006, appearing on the magazine's cover.
Hicks signed a recording contract with 19 Recordings Limited/Arista Records
, managed by American Idol creator Simon Fuller
, in May 2006. Hicks' debut single "Do I Make You Proud
" debuted on the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100
and was subsequently certified gold by the RIAA.
Hicks made guest appearances in concerts by Snoop Dogg
, Widespread Panic
, and Willie Nelson
, among others. Hicks also joined his fellow Top 10 Idol finalists on the American Idols LIVE! Tour
which ran from July to September. The members of the former Taylor Hicks Band, formed by Hicks two years prior, regrouped as the Little Memphis Blues Orchestra
and shadowed the Idols' tour route. Hicks occasionally appeared as a "special guest" when circumstances permitted, and was even accompanied at times by the other Idols, such as Elliott Yamin
, Chris Daughtry
, Ace Young
, and Bucky Covington
.
In August 2006, Hicks' lawyers sued a producer with whom he worked in Nashville, for redistributing without permission songs that Hicks had copyrighted in 1997. The lawsuit was dropped when the masters were handed over to Hicks.
In the same month, it was announced that Hicks received a $750,000 (USD) deal to write a memoir of his life. Titled Heart Full of Soul: An Inspirational Memoir About Finding Your Voice and Finding Your Way
and ghostwritten by Rolling Stone writer David Wild, the book was released in July 2007 by Random House
.
On June 6, 2008, Hicks joined the cast of the Broadway musical Grease in the Brooks Atkinson Theatre
. He played the role of "Teen Angel." Once his 18 month tour in the traveling Broadway show 'Grease' ended, Hicks performed in over 20 live shows. He has recently appeared on TV in Don't Forget the Lyrics and appeared on Celebrity Ghost Stories
in December 2010.
ran in Calabasas, California
between October and November 2006, and took six weeks in total. The album was released on December 12, 2006 and debuted at the number two spot on the Billboard 200
charts. It was certified as a platinum album by the RIAA on January 17, 2007. Hicks embarked on a three-month US promotional tour for his album that started on February 21 in Jacksonville, Florida
, and ended in Seattle, Washington
on May 12.
December 16, 2007, Hicks performed "Do I Make You Proud
" live together with six Asian Idol
finalists in Jakarta
Indonesia
. Hicks also performed on the American Idol (season 6)
finale at the Kodak Theatre
on May 23, 2007.
In July 2007, Hicks released his autobiography, Heart Full of Soul: An Inspirational Memoir About Finding Your Voice and Finding Your Way
.
Despite winning American Idol 2006, Hicks' post-Idol career had its ups and downs. Arista Records confirmed in January 2008 that it had dropped Hicks from its roster. Hicks had, at that stage, the lowest selling American Idol winner's album.
Early January, Taylor Hicks made this statement on his MySpace page:
As of June 2008, Hicks has signed a distribution deal with Vanguard/Welk records to distribute a compilation album Early Works. He also starred in Grease
in the national tour as the Teen Angel after playing the role on Broadway. Early Works
was released on August 12, 2008.
Hicks has also been part of the concert series that airs on HDNET.
, on his own label, Modern Whomp Records, on March 10, 2009. The first single, "What's Right Is Right
", was added to AC adds on January 27, 2009. So far the single reached #24 on Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks. It was produced by Simon Climie
and Dennis Morgan
. On the day of the album's release, Hicks wrote on his MySpace,
Hicks returned to the American Idol stage on April 29, 2009 during Season 8 and performed the second single from The Distance
, "Seven Mile Breakdown", which was re-released in a country format.
Both "What's Right is Right" and "Seven Mile Breakdown" were made into music videos.
In May 2009, Taylor Hicks made Forbes
"Top Ten earning American Idol stars" list, coming in at number 10, with over $300,000 earned from album sales and from his role as "Teen Angel
" in the national tour of Grease
.
asked if he had any parting words and Hicks yelled, "Soul Patrol!".
During a promotional event for Idol in Alabama
, Hicks "inducted" Governor Bob Riley
and his wife into the Soul Patrol.
In addition to zealously following the musical career of Taylor Hicks and related artists, the Soul Patrol is also known for its charity work on behalf of various organizations such as Studio By The Tracks, Kid One Transport, Habitat for Humanity, and American Red Cross among others.
skits on NBC
's Saturday Night Live
on April 15 and May 20, 2006, portrayed by cast member Jason Sudeikis
. In a reference to Hicks's quirkiness and disposition, Sudeikis mocked playing Hicks's trademark harmonica and repeatedly shouted out "Soul Patrol!" Hicks, when interviewed by Ryan Seacrest
on the subsequent episode of American Idol on April 18, 2006, as to whether or not he saw the imitation, admitted that he had and that the impression made him "fall out on the floor" with laughter.
"Weird Al" Yankovic
parodied
Hicks on his 2006 album, Straight Outta Lynwood
, on a track called "Do I Creep You Out
", which is set against the melody of "Do I Make You Proud
". In the music video of the song, an animated Yankovic, dressed as Hicks, is portrayed as the stalker. The video can be seen on JibJab
. Hicks is also known to perform Yankovic's version during soundchecks.
Talk show host Jay Leno
frequently refers to Hicks as "his son" due to their striking gray-haired resemblance. Seacrest has also mentioned on American Idol that Hicks resembles Leno, Phil Donahue
and George Clooney
.
Stephen Colbert
, host of The Colbert Report, had also promised to give political pundit Bill O'Reilly
a copy of "Do I Make You Proud" upon O'Reilly's appearance on the show on January 18, 2007.
On the television sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine
, in the episode titled "The Real Thing", Christine, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus
, mentions that she has an imaginary relationship with Taylor Hicks.
On April 1, 2011, Hicks made a surprise appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
during a cover of Rebecca Black
's "Friday
," which was being sung by Stephen Colbert
. Jimmy Fallon
hinted at his upcoming appearance by wearing a sweater with the label 'Soul Patrol' when appearing on stage.
American Idol (season 5)
The fifth season of American Idol began on January 17, 2006 and concluded on May 24, 2006. Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell returned to judge, and Ryan Seacrest returned to host. It is the most successful season to date ratings-wise and also with 18 contestants getting record deals -...
of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
. Hicks got his start as a professional musician in his late teens and performed around the Southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
for well over the span of a decade, during which he also released two independent
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
albums. Upon winning Idol, he was signed to Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
, under which his self-titled major label debut
Taylor Hicks (album)
Taylor Hicks is the eponymous major label debut album by the American Idol fifth-season winner of the same name. The album was released on December 12, 2006 in the United States by Arista Records in association with 19 Recordings Limited, nearly seven months after Hicks won the reality-talent...
was released on December 12, 2006. His energetic stage performances and influences derived from classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
, blues, and R&B music had earned him a following of devout fans, who have been dubbed the "Soul Patrol." He performed on Broadway in 2008 and on national tour in 2009 in Grease
Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
playing Teen Angel, the role originated by Alan Paul. The new CD, The Distance
The Distance (Taylor Hicks album)
-Singles:*"What's Right Is Right" – peaked at No.24 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks.*"Seven Mile Breakdown" - released May 4, 2009 to country radio.-Chart performance:...
, was released March 10, 2009, with the first single, "What's Right Is Right
What's Right Is Right
"What's Right Is Right" is the first single from Taylor Hicks' second studio album The Distance.-Single release:The single was released to Adult Contemporary radio adds and digital outlets on January 27, 2009. A music video for the song was filmed on January 12, 2009 in Chicago by director Jake Davis...
", going to AC adds January 27, 2009. The second single was confirmed to be "Seven Mile Breakdown" via his Myspace page.
Early life
Taylor Hicks was born in BirminghamBirmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, on October 7, 1976, to Bradley Hicks and Pamela Dickinson. His hair started turning gray by the time he was 14. He and his family had moved to suburban Hoover, Alabama
Hoover, Alabama
Hoover is a city in Jefferson and Shelby Counties in north central Alabama, in the United States. The largest suburb of Birmingham, the population of the city was 62,742 as of the 2000 census and 81,619 in the 2010 census. Hoover is part of the Birmingham-Hoover, AL MSA and is also included in the...
when he was eight years old. His parents divorced, and stepmother Linda shared custody of their son until he became of age
Age of majority
The age of majority is the threshold of adulthood as it is conceptualized in law. It is the chronological moment when minors cease to legally be considered children and assume control over their persons, actions, and decisions, thereby terminating the legal control and legal responsibilities of...
. Hicks has suggested his difficult childhood as the reason for his turning to soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
music for solace. He has a younger half-brother, Sean, who later convinced him to audition for American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
.
He bought his first harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
when he was 16, for $2 at a flea market in Bessemer, Alabama
Bessemer, Alabama
Bessemer is a city outside of Birmingham in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States eight miles west of Hoover. The population was 29,672 at the 2000 Census, but by the 2009 U.S...
, and taught himself to play blues harp
Blues harp
The Richter-tuned harmonica, or 10-hole harmonica or blues harp , is the most widely known type of harmonica...
. He discovered that he possessed absolute pitch
Absolute pitch
Absolute pitch , widely referred to as perfect pitch, is the ability of a person to identify or re-create a given musical note without the benefit of an external reference.-Definition:...
when he was able to recognize the pitches
Pitch (music)
Pitch is an auditory perceptual property that allows the ordering of sounds on a frequency-related scale.Pitches are compared as "higher" and "lower" in the sense associated with musical melodies,...
of ordinary noises and mimic them on the harmonica. Hicks was 18 when he wrote his first song, "In Your Time", and he taught himself to play electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
when he was 19.
Hicks graduated from Hoover High School
Hoover High School (Alabama)
Hoover High School is a public high school in Hoover, Alabama, USA, serving grades 9-12. It was built as a replacement for W. A. Berry High School. It is currently one of the two International Baccalaureate schools in the Greater Birmingham Area...
in 1995. He played varsity
Varsity team
In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, soccer, and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
while studying in Hoover. He then pursued a major in business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
and journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
at Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
, but lost interest and dropped out after three years.
Independent music
While in college, Hicks was part of a band called Passing Through, which he later quit to start his own band. In 1997, he independently recorded In Your Time, an album which included both studio and live tracks. In 2000, he moved to pursue a music career in Nashville, Tennessee, where he worked with Nashville veterans Billy Earl McClellandBilly Earl McClelland
Billy Earl McClelland is an American session guitarist and songwriter.-Overview:McClelland left High School to go to Nashville, Tennessee, and was signed by a record label. As a session guitarist in Nashville, he worked with B.J. Thomas, Willie Nelson, Tony Joe White, Hank Snow, Townes Van Zandt,...
and Percy Sledge
Percy Sledge
Percy Sledge is an American R&B and soul performer who recorded the hit "When a Man Loves a Woman" in 1966.-Early career:...
to record a three-track demo but was unable to find a label that would sign him. He left Nashville after a year due to what he called the "oversaturation of the market". Hicks returned to Alabama and launched a professional music career, performing at various venues and parties mostly around the Southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
, including The War Eagle Supper Club (a popular college bar) in Auburn, Alabama
Auburn, Alabama
Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama with a 2010 population of 53,380. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area...
. Hicks has performed with the likes of Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring...
, James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
, Tom Petty
Tom Petty
Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
, Jackson Browne
Jackson Browne
Jackson Browne is an American singer-songwriter and musician who has sold over 17 million albums in the United States alone....
, Drive-By Truckers
Drive-By Truckers
Drive-By Truckers are an alternative country/Southern rock band based in Athens, Georgia, though three out of six members are originally from The Shoals region of Northern Alabama, and the band strongly identifies with Alabama. Their music uses three guitars as well as bass, drums, and now...
, Robert Randolph, Snoop Dogg, and Keb Mo. He also performed in the huge infield of Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
in 2004 during a NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
race weekend.
He recorded, produced, and released a second album, Under the Radar, in 2005. Despite releasing two albums prior to appearing on American Idol, he did not violate their requirements for contestants, as he had never held a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
.
Hicks has allowed audience members to record his concerts for personal, non-commercial use, and has authorized the Internet Archive
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
to create a section for fans to upload and share their recordings. The Archive does not accept the upload of concerts recorded after January 1, 2006 due to the terms of his "American Idol" contract.
American Idol 2006
Hicks auditioned for American Idol in Las Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, on October 10, 2005. Hicks passed the audition with the approval of judges Randy Jackson
Randy Jackson
Randall Darius "Randy" Jackson is an American bassist, singer, record producer, music manager, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is best known as a judge on American Idol and executive producer for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew...
and Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul
Paula Julie Abdul is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality.In the 1980s, Abdul rose from cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers to highly sought-after choreographer at the height of the music video era before scoring a string of pop music-R&B hits...
, but not Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
, who said that Hicks would never make it to the final round. On Hicks' first performance for the voting public, Cowell called back to this quote, admitting he was wrong.
On the May 10, 2006, results show, Hicks along with Katharine McPhee
Katharine McPhee
Katharine Hope McPhee is an American pop singer, songwriter, actress, model, and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol in 2006, eventually finishing as the runner-up.Her self-titled debut album was released on RCA Records...
and Elliott Yamin
Elliott Yamin
Elliott Yamin , born Efraym Elliott Yamin, is an American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and placing third on the fifth season of American Idol....
, were announced as the Top 3 finalists. On May 12, Idol producers brought Hicks to Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
for a weekend of promotional events including television interviews for the local FOX affiliate
WBRC
WBRC, virtual channel 6, is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the Birmingham, Alabama designated market area. The station is owned by Raycom Media, and its transmitter is located atop Red Mountain in Birmingham...
, a downtown parade, concerts, and an audience with Governor Bob Riley
Bob Riley (Alabama)
Robert Renfroe "Bob" Riley is an American politician in the Republican Party. He was the 52nd Governor of Alabama, first elected in 2002, and re-elected in 2006.-Early life:...
. May 12 was proclaimed "Taylor Hicks Day" and Hicks was given the key to the city. Also on May 12, Gov. Riley issued a proclamation making May 16 "Taylor Hicks Day".
Hicks was named the new American Idol on May 24, 2006, winning the title over McPhee, with over 63.4 million votes cast in total. The proclamation was aired to a worldwide audience of 200 million television viewers. With his win at age 29, Hicks became the oldest contestant to win American Idol. He was the first male contestant to win American Idol without ending up in the bottom two or three.
In June 2006, Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, the show's major sponsor, signed Hicks to promote Ford's "Drive on Us" year-end sales event. He was also named Hottest Bachelor by People magazine
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
for 2006, appearing on the magazine's cover.
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Stevie Wonder | Safe |
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Ray LaMontagne Ray LaMontagne Raymond "Ray" Charles Jack LaMontagne is a Grammy-award winning American singer-songwriter. LaMontagne has released four studio albums, Trouble, Till the Sun Turns Black, Gossip in the Grain and God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise. He was born in New Hampshire and was inspired to create music after... |
Safe |
| Top 9 | Country Music | "Take Me Home, Country Roads Take Me Home, Country Roads "Take Me Home, Country Roads" is a song written by John Denver, Taffy Nivert, and Bill Danoff and initially recorded by John Denver. It was included on his 1971 breakout album Poems, Prayers and Promises; the single went to #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100... " |
John Denver John Denver Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success... |
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| Top 8 | Songs of Queen Queen (band) Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor... |
"Crazy Little Thing Called Love Crazy Little Thing Called Love "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" is a song by the rock band Queen. Written by Freddie Mercury in 1979, the track featured on their 1980 album The Game, and also appears on the band's compilation album, Greatest Hits... " |
Queen | Safe |
| Top 7 | Great American Songbook | "You Send Me You Send Me -Background:Cooke made a demo recording of "You Send Me" featuring only his own guitar accompaniment in the winter of 1955. The first recording of the track was made in New Orleans in December 1956 in the same sessions which produced "Lovable", the first release outside the gospel field for Cooke... " |
Sam Cooke Sam Cooke Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and... |
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| Top 6 | Love Songs | "Just Once" | James Ingram James Ingram James Ingram is an American soul musician. He is best known as a vocalist. He is also a self-taught musician who plays piano, guitar, bass, drums and keyboards... |
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| Top 5 | Year They Were Born Current Billboard Top 10 |
"Play That Funky Music Play That Funky Music "Play That Funky Music" is a funk song written by Robert Parissi and recorded by the band Wild Cherry. The performers on the classic recording included the members of the band at the time: lead singer Parissi, guitarist Bryan Bassett, bassist Allen Wentz, and drummer Ron Beitle, with session horn... " "Something Something "Something" is a song by The Beatles, written by lead guitarist George Harrison in 1969. It was featured on the album Abbey Road, and was also the first song written by Harrison to appear on the A-side of a Beatles' single... " |
Wild Cherry Wild Cherry (band) Wild Cherry was a funk/rock band best known for their funk song "Play That Funky Music".-History:Rob Parissi was raised in the steel mill town of Mingo Junction, Ohio. Parissi graduated from Mingo High School in 1968. Rob formed the band Wild Cherry in 1970 in Steubenville, Ohio, one mile north of... The Beatles The Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr... |
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| Top 4 | Songs of Elvis Presley Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".... |
"Jailhouse Rock Jailhouse Rock (song) "Jailhouse Rock" is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller that first became a hit for Elvis Presley. The song was released as a 45rpm single on September 24, 1957, to coincide with the release of Presley's motion picture, Jailhouse Rock... " "In the Ghetto In the Ghetto "In the Ghetto" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music in 1969. It was written by Mac Davis and made famous by Elvis Presley who had a major comeback hit with the song in 1969. It was released in 1969 as a 45 rpm single with "Any Day Now" as the flip side... " |
Elvis Presley | Top 2 |
| Top 3 | Clive Davis Clive Davis Clive Davis is an American record producer and music industry executive. He has won five Grammy Awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. From 1967 to 1973 he was the President of Columbia Records. He was the founder and president of Arista Records from 1975... 's Choice Judges' Choice Idol's Choice |
"Dancing in the Dark Dancing in the Dark (Bruce Springsteen song) "Dancing in the Dark" is a 1984 song, written and performed by American rock singer Bruce Springsteen. Adding up-tempo synthesizer riffs and some syncopation to his sound for the first time, it became his biggest hit and, as the first single released from Born in the U.S.A., started it off to... " "You Are So Beautiful You Are So Beautiful "You Are So Beautiful" is a song written by Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher and Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys. It was first recorded by Preston and made popular in a version by Joe Cocker.... " "Try a Little Tenderness Try a Little Tenderness "Try a Little Tenderness" is a love song written by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly and Harry M. Woods, and recorded initially on December 8, 1932 by the Ray Noble Orchestra followed by both Ruth Etting and Bing Crosby in 1933... " |
Bruce Springsteen Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band... Joe Cocker Joe Cocker John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles... Otis Redding Otis Redding Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B... |
Top 2 |
| Top 2 | Finale | "Living for the City" "Levon" "Do I Make You Proud?" |
Stevie Wonder Elton John Taylor Hicks |
Winner |
Post-Idol career
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
, managed by American Idol creator Simon Fuller
Simon Fuller
Simon Fuller is a British artist manager, television producer and creator of the Idol franchise, first seen as Pop Idol in the UK. Fuller is also the co-creator and executive producer of the Fox TV reality show So You Think You Can Dance and other U.S...
, in May 2006. Hicks' debut single "Do I Make You Proud
Do I Make You Proud
"Do I Make You Proud" is a soul-pop song written for American Idol season five winner Taylor Hicks by Tracy Ackerman, Andy Watkins, and Paul Wilson of the Absolute production team, and co-produced by Dave Way...
" debuted on the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and was subsequently certified gold by the RIAA.
Hicks made guest appearances in concerts by Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring...
, and Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
, among others. Hicks also joined his fellow Top 10 Idol finalists on the American Idols LIVE! Tour
American Idols LIVE! Tour 2006
American Idols Live! Tour 2006 was a summer concert tour in the United States featuring the top 10 contestants of the fifth season of American Idol, which aired in 2006. It was sponsored by Kellogg Pop-Tarts. The tour started on July 5 and ended on September 24 covering 60 dates, the biggest tour...
which ran from July to September. The members of the former Taylor Hicks Band, formed by Hicks two years prior, regrouped as the Little Memphis Blues Orchestra
Little Memphis Blues Orchestra
Little Memphis Blues Orchestra is the band formerly known as the Taylor Hicks Band. Taylor Hicks had assembled the band about two years before he won American Idol in 2006. The band was initially formed in Alabama, but has since based themselves throughout the Southern United States, and later ,...
and shadowed the Idols' tour route. Hicks occasionally appeared as a "special guest" when circumstances permitted, and was even accompanied at times by the other Idols, such as Elliott Yamin
Elliott Yamin
Elliott Yamin , born Efraym Elliott Yamin, is an American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and placing third on the fifth season of American Idol....
, Chris Daughtry
Chris Daughtry
Christopher Adam "Chris" Daughtry is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Daughtry and as the fourth-place finalist on the fifth season of American Idol, from which he was eliminated on May 10, 2006...
, Ace Young
Ace Young
Brett Asa "Ace" Young is an American singer, songwriter and actor. He came to national recognition upon appearing on the fifth season of the reality television talent show, American Idol, although he was eliminated from the competition on April 19, 2006, finishing in seventh place.-Early...
, and Bucky Covington
Bucky Covington
William Joel "Bucky" Covington III is an American country music singer. He placed eighth on the 5th season of the Fox Network's talent competition series American Idol. In December 2006, he signed a recording contract with Lyric Street Records...
.
In August 2006, Hicks' lawyers sued a producer with whom he worked in Nashville, for redistributing without permission songs that Hicks had copyrighted in 1997. The lawsuit was dropped when the masters were handed over to Hicks.
In the same month, it was announced that Hicks received a $750,000 (USD) deal to write a memoir of his life. Titled Heart Full of Soul: An Inspirational Memoir About Finding Your Voice and Finding Your Way
Heart Full of Soul: An Inspirational Memoir About Finding Your Voice and Finding Your Way
Heart Full of Soul: An Inspirational Memoir About Finding Your Voice and Finding Your Way is an autobiography of American Idol 2006 winner Taylor Hicks....
and ghostwritten by Rolling Stone writer David Wild, the book was released in July 2007 by Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
.
On June 6, 2008, Hicks joined the cast of the Broadway musical Grease in the Brooks Atkinson Theatre
Brooks Atkinson Theatre
The Brooks Atkinson Theatre is a Broadway theater located at 256 West 47th Street in Manhattan.Designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp, it was constructed as the Mansfield Theatre by the Chanin brothers in 1926. After 1933, the theatre fell into relative disuse until 1945, when Michael Myerberg...
. He played the role of "Teen Angel." Once his 18 month tour in the traveling Broadway show 'Grease' ended, Hicks performed in over 20 live shows. He has recently appeared on TV in Don't Forget the Lyrics and appeared on Celebrity Ghost Stories
Celebrity Ghost Stories
Celebrity Ghost Stories is a television show on BIO & A&E Network. It is a reality show that interviews various celebrities who have witnessed paranormal events at certain points in their lives.-Season 1 - ::...
in December 2010.
2006–2008: Taylor Hicks and Early Works
Studio recording sessions for the eponymous major label debut Taylor HicksTaylor Hicks (album)
Taylor Hicks is the eponymous major label debut album by the American Idol fifth-season winner of the same name. The album was released on December 12, 2006 in the United States by Arista Records in association with 19 Recordings Limited, nearly seven months after Hicks won the reality-talent...
ran in Calabasas, California
Calabasas, California
Calabasas is an affluent city in Los Angeles County, California in the western United States. It is located in the hills in the southwestern San Fernando Valley and the Santa Monica Mountains between Woodland Hills, Agoura Hills, West Hills, and Malibu, California. As of the 2010 census, the city...
between October and November 2006, and took six weeks in total. The album was released on December 12, 2006 and debuted at the number two spot on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
charts. It was certified as a platinum album by the RIAA on January 17, 2007. Hicks embarked on a three-month US promotional tour for his album that started on February 21 in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, and ended in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
on May 12.
December 16, 2007, Hicks performed "Do I Make You Proud
Do I Make You Proud
"Do I Make You Proud" is a soul-pop song written for American Idol season five winner Taylor Hicks by Tracy Ackerman, Andy Watkins, and Paul Wilson of the Absolute production team, and co-produced by Dave Way...
" live together with six Asian Idol
Asian Idol
Asian Idol is a reality singing competition, which featured winners of Idol competitions from six Southeast and South Asian countries consisting of India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam...
finalists in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. Hicks also performed on the American Idol (season 6)
American Idol (Season 6)
The sixth season of American Idol premiered on the Fox Broadcasting Company as a two-night, four-hour premiere special on January 16 and January 17, and ran until May 23, 2007. Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson returned to judge once again, and Ryan Seacrest returned as host...
finale at the Kodak Theatre
Kodak Theatre
The Kodak Theatre is a live theatre in the Hollywood and Highland shopping mall and entertainment complex on Hollywood Boulevard and North Highland Avenue in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles...
on May 23, 2007.
In July 2007, Hicks released his autobiography, Heart Full of Soul: An Inspirational Memoir About Finding Your Voice and Finding Your Way
Heart Full of Soul: An Inspirational Memoir About Finding Your Voice and Finding Your Way
Heart Full of Soul: An Inspirational Memoir About Finding Your Voice and Finding Your Way is an autobiography of American Idol 2006 winner Taylor Hicks....
.
Despite winning American Idol 2006, Hicks' post-Idol career had its ups and downs. Arista Records confirmed in January 2008 that it had dropped Hicks from its roster. Hicks had, at that stage, the lowest selling American Idol winner's album.
Early January, Taylor Hicks made this statement on his MySpace page:
"To all my fans and The Soul Patrol, I want to take a moment to talk about the recent news that my label and I have mutually parted ways. The important thing for all of you to remember is that I've been a working musician my whole life. This is turning the page on a new chapter of my career. Artistic freedom and control is an exciting prospect. The things that are most important to me is creating my art, performing it, and my fans. With the momentum that all of you have created over the years, Taylor Hicks is not going to stop anytime soon. I've started working on the new album, writing and scheduling exciting collaborations. The DVD, Whomp at the Warfield, is in its final stages, and will be released soon. So as one door closes, a new one opens for 2008 with more excitement for all my fans than ever before. Sit tight, because the best is yet to come!"
As of June 2008, Hicks has signed a distribution deal with Vanguard/Welk records to distribute a compilation album Early Works. He also starred in Grease
Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
in the national tour as the Teen Angel after playing the role on Broadway. Early Works
Early Works
Early Works is a compilation album by the American Idol fifth-season winner Taylor Hicks. The album was released on August 12, 2008 in the United States by Modern Whomp Records. The album was available exclusively at Target Stores until November 24, 2008, when it was released to iTunes and other...
was released on August 12, 2008.
Hicks has also been part of the concert series that airs on HDNET.
2009–present: The Distance
In 2009 Hicks released his second album, The DistanceThe Distance (Taylor Hicks album)
-Singles:*"What's Right Is Right" – peaked at No.24 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks.*"Seven Mile Breakdown" - released May 4, 2009 to country radio.-Chart performance:...
, on his own label, Modern Whomp Records, on March 10, 2009. The first single, "What's Right Is Right
What's Right Is Right
"What's Right Is Right" is the first single from Taylor Hicks' second studio album The Distance.-Single release:The single was released to Adult Contemporary radio adds and digital outlets on January 27, 2009. A music video for the song was filmed on January 12, 2009 in Chicago by director Jake Davis...
", was added to AC adds on January 27, 2009. So far the single reached #24 on Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks. It was produced by Simon Climie
Simon Climie
Simon Climie is a songwriter/producer and the former lead singer of the UK pop duo Climie Fisher, who had hits with "Love Changes " and "Rise to the Occasion"....
and Dennis Morgan
Dennis Morgan
Dennis Morgan was an American actor-singer. Born as Earl Stanley Morner, he used the acting pseudonym Richard Stanley before adopting his professional name....
. On the day of the album's release, Hicks wrote on his MySpace,
"Well the day is finally here release day of "The Distance". I am writing you all to express how excited I am for everyone to really get a chance to listen to the record!! I also want to send a BIG THANK YOU to all of the fans, friends and family and staff who have worked so hard on this record. I really am in a comfortable place with where I want to be as an entertainer.. I wanted to record songs that can really come to life from a live standpoint as well..There is a wonderful and savvy plan in place for working this record for an extended amount of time. We are still holding some exciting things for the second single as well!! I'm also excited about touring with the Broadway show "Grease" because it allows me to really be with new and old fans all across the country again and I get to sing the single every night as well... I will tour this record. I believe that people have to also understand that the business of tour production is challenging to say the least. Also I just want to pass along that I will be overhauling the HQ site soon with a brand new look and a lot more insight to what's happening out here on the road. If u haven't noticed I'm starting to warm up to those blogs!! Thanks for being fans..This year plans to be a lot of FUN. So enjoy The Distance..I will..Best..Taylor
Hicks returned to the American Idol stage on April 29, 2009 during Season 8 and performed the second single from The Distance
The Distance (Taylor Hicks album)
-Singles:*"What's Right Is Right" – peaked at No.24 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks.*"Seven Mile Breakdown" - released May 4, 2009 to country radio.-Chart performance:...
, "Seven Mile Breakdown", which was re-released in a country format.
Both "What's Right is Right" and "Seven Mile Breakdown" were made into music videos.
In May 2009, Taylor Hicks made Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
"Top Ten earning American Idol stars" list, coming in at number 10, with over $300,000 earned from album sales and from his role as "Teen Angel
Teen Angel
Teen Angel may refer to:*Teen Angel , the 1959 song performed by Mark Dinning*Teen Angel, a one-scene character in the musical Grease*Teen Angel , the 1989, short-lived drama starring Jason Priestley...
" in the national tour of Grease
Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
.
Soul Patrol
Hicks's fanbase has been dubbed the "Soul Patrol". The phrase started among his Internet fanbase after the episode of Hicks's Idol auditions aired, but it is difficult to trace its exact origin. Hicks frequently mentioned the Soul Patrol after performances on Idol, which was best shown after winning the competition—Ryan SeacrestRyan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, network producer and voice actor. He is the host of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show that airs on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Canada on Premiere Radio Networks,...
asked if he had any parting words and Hicks yelled, "Soul Patrol!".
During a promotional event for Idol in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Hicks "inducted" Governor Bob Riley
Bob Riley (Alabama)
Robert Renfroe "Bob" Riley is an American politician in the Republican Party. He was the 52nd Governor of Alabama, first elected in 2002, and re-elected in 2006.-Early life:...
and his wife into the Soul Patrol.
In addition to zealously following the musical career of Taylor Hicks and related artists, the Soul Patrol is also known for its charity work on behalf of various organizations such as Studio By The Tracks, Kid One Transport, Habitat for Humanity, and American Red Cross among others.
Popular culture
Hicks became the subject of two Weekend UpdateWeekend Update
Weekend Update is a Saturday Night Live sketch that comments on and parodies current events. It is the show's longest running recurring sketch, having been on since the show's first broadcast, and is typically presented in the middle of the show immediately after the first musical performance...
skits on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
on April 15 and May 20, 2006, portrayed by cast member Jason Sudeikis
Jason Sudeikis
Daniel Jason Sudeikis is an American actor and comedian currently starring as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:Sudeikis was born Daniel Jason Sudeikis in Fairfax, Virginia, the son of Kathryn , a travel agent who was president of the American Society of Travel Agents, and Dan...
. In a reference to Hicks's quirkiness and disposition, Sudeikis mocked playing Hicks's trademark harmonica and repeatedly shouted out "Soul Patrol!" Hicks, when interviewed by Ryan Seacrest
Ryan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, network producer and voice actor. He is the host of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show that airs on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Canada on Premiere Radio Networks,...
on the subsequent episode of American Idol on April 18, 2006, as to whether or not he saw the imitation, admitted that he had and that the impression made him "fall out on the floor" with laughter.
"Weird Al" Yankovic
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
parodied
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
Hicks on his 2006 album, Straight Outta Lynwood
Straight Outta Lynwood
Straight Outta Lynwood is the 12th studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It was released on September 26, 2006 in the U.S. by Volcano, on September 30, 2006 in Australia, on October 3 in Canada, on October 6, 2006 in New Zealand, November 13, 2006 in the United Kingdom, and November 24, 2006 in...
, on a track called "Do I Creep You Out
Do I Creep You Out
"Do I Creep You Out" is a parody by "Weird Al" Yankovic of Taylor Hicks' "Do I Make You Proud". It tells the story of a stalker who is singing to his object of affection.-Music video:...
", which is set against the melody of "Do I Make You Proud
Do I Make You Proud
"Do I Make You Proud" is a soul-pop song written for American Idol season five winner Taylor Hicks by Tracy Ackerman, Andy Watkins, and Paul Wilson of the Absolute production team, and co-produced by Dave Way...
". In the music video of the song, an animated Yankovic, dressed as Hicks, is portrayed as the stalker. The video can be seen on JibJab
JibJab
JibJab is a digital entertainment studio based in Venice, California. Founded in 1999 by Evan and Gregg Spiridellis, it was noticed during the 2004 US presidential election when their video of George W. Bush and John Kerry singing "This Land is Your Land" became a hit. The company creates,...
. Hicks is also known to perform Yankovic's version during soundchecks.
Talk show host Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
frequently refers to Hicks as "his son" due to their striking gray-haired resemblance. Seacrest has also mentioned on American Idol that Hicks resembles Leno, Phil Donahue
Phil Donahue
Phillip John "Phil" Donahue is an American media personality, writer, and film producer best known as the creator and host of The Phil Donahue Show. The television program, also known as Donahue, was the first to use a talk show format. The show had a 26-year run on U.S...
and George Clooney
George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney is an American actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. For his work as an actor, he has received two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award...
.
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
, host of The Colbert Report, had also promised to give political pundit Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (commentator)
William James "Bill" O'Reilly, Jr. is an American television host, author, syndicated columnist and political commentator. He is the host of the political commentary program The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, which is the most watched cable news television program on American television...
a copy of "Do I Make You Proud" upon O'Reilly's appearance on the show on January 18, 2007.
On the television sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine
The New Adventures of Old Christine
The New Adventures of Old Christine is an American comedy series starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus which ran for five seasons on CBS from March 13, 2006, to May 12, 2010...
, in the episode titled "The Real Thing", Christine, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Scarlett Elizabeth Louis-Dreyfus is an American actress and comedienne, widely known for her sitcom roles in Seinfeld and The New Adventures of Old Christine....
, mentions that she has an imaginary relationship with Taylor Hicks.
On April 1, 2011, Hicks made a surprise appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
during a cover of Rebecca Black
Rebecca Black
Rebecca Renee Black is an American pop singer who gained extensive media attention with the 2011 single "Friday". Her mother paid $4,000 to have the single and an accompanying music video put out as a vanity release through the record label ARK Music Factory. The song was co-written and produced...
's "Friday
Friday (Rebecca Black song)
"Friday" is a song by American recording artist Rebecca Black, written and produced by Clarence Jey and Patrice Wilson. It was released as a single on March 14, 2011, by Ark Music Factory as Black's debut single. The music video for the song became a viral hit due to criticism of the song's lyrics,...
," which was being sung by Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
. Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Fallon
James Thomas "Jimmy" Fallon, Jr. is an American actor, comedian, singer, musician and television host. He currently hosts Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, a late-night talk show that airs Monday through Friday on NBC...
hinted at his upcoming appearance by wearing a sweater with the label 'Soul Patrol' when appearing on stage.
Discography
Albums- 2006: Taylor HicksTaylor Hicks (album)Taylor Hicks is the eponymous major label debut album by the American Idol fifth-season winner of the same name. The album was released on December 12, 2006 in the United States by Arista Records in association with 19 Recordings Limited, nearly seven months after Hicks won the reality-talent...
- 2008: Early WorksEarly WorksEarly Works is a compilation album by the American Idol fifth-season winner Taylor Hicks. The album was released on August 12, 2008 in the United States by Modern Whomp Records. The album was available exclusively at Target Stores until November 24, 2008, when it was released to iTunes and other...
- 2009: The DistanceThe Distance (Taylor Hicks album)-Singles:*"What's Right Is Right" – peaked at No.24 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks.*"Seven Mile Breakdown" - released May 4, 2009 to country radio.-Chart performance:...
See also
- List of number-one hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
- List of Hot 100 (U.S.) chart achievements and trivia
External links
- Taylor Hicks' Official Website
- Official Taylor Hicks Fan Club
- Taylor Hicks at GoFishGoFishGoFish was a free video sharing website, headquartered in San Francisco, California, allowing visitors to watch and upload video clips, similar to websites like YouTube and Google Video. It was started in May 2005 and ended in, or about, December 2008 when it was taken over by the GoFish...
- "Taylor made: Idol's soul man hits the Paramount" article/interview in the Hook weeklyThe Hook weeklyThe Hook is a weekly newspaper published in Charlottesville, Virginia and distributed throughout Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. It was founded in 2002 by a number of former employees of another Charlottesville weekly, C-ville Weekly, including its co-founder and editor Hawes Spencer.In...