American Idol Taylor Hicks pics, Taylor Hicks pictures, photos, pictures, hot images, bio. photo gallery,
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American Idol Taylor Hicks pics, Taylor Hicks pictures, photos, pictures, hot images, bio. photo gallery,
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Taylor Hicks Background Early life Taylor Hicks was born in the Saint Vincent's Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. As an infant, he had blond hair. His hair color turned dark brown/black as an adolescent, and started turning gray by the time he was 15. He and his family moved to suburban Hoover when he was 8 years old. His parents divorced when he was 8, and his father Brad, a dentist, and stepmother Linda shared custody until he became of age. His half-brother, Sean, is a student at Georgia Tech and plays trumpet in the school's jazz band Growing up in Hoover, Hicks played Little League baseball, golf, and varsity basketball.[3] According to his grandmother Jonie, Hicks never had formal music lessons. He came running up to her when he was about twelve years old saying, "Grandma, you've got to hear this!" Then he sang Otis Redding's "Try A Little Tenderness" for her. According to his father, when he was 5 years old he sang to random strangers the music of Kenny Rogers or Michael Jackson, to name a few.[3] He plays guitar as well as blues harp and writes most of his own songs. [4] Hicks bought his first harmonica when he was 16. Hicks was a former student of Berry High School and graduated from Hoover High School in 1995. He attended Auburn University, majoring in business, communications and marketing for a year, but lost interest and dropped out. He moved to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a music career and has worked with Nashville veterans Billy Earle McClelland and Percy Sledge.Later, he graduated from University of Alabama at Birmingham. Taylor Hicks Career: Hicks' professional music career began with performances at various venues, including the Playboy Mansion. He released two independent albums, In Your Time (1997) and Under the Radar (2005), prior to appearing on Idol though he never held a recording contract so he did not violate their requirements for contestants. Hicks has also spoken on Tapestry, a radio program on National Public Radio affiliate WBHM in Birmingham, in December 2005. American Idol Hicks auditioned for American Idol in Las Vegas, Nevada. He originally wanted to try out in Memphis but the site was cancelled due to Hurricane Katrina. Also, he was touring in New Orleans with his band, the Little Memphis Blues Orchestra, on the night Hurricane Katrina hit and used a ticket voucher to fly to Las Vegas. Hicks passed the audition by 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. Cowell called back to this quote in a later episode and admitted he was wrong. After advancing to the final three contestants, Hicks gave a short concert and promotional appearance before several thousand fans at the Riverchase Galleria. On the May 10, 2006 results, Hicks was in the top 2 along with Katharine McPhee, and they made the Top 3 with Elliot Yamin. 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 and mini-concert, another concert at the Riverchase Galleria, a mall in his hometown, an evening appearance at the Birmingham Museum of Art, and a campaign appearance with Governor Bob Riley and Mayor Bernard Kincaid. May 12 was proclaimed "Taylor Hicks Day" and Hicks was given the key to the city. Hicks was named the new American Idol on May 24, competing against Katharine McPhee. A total of 63.4 million votes were cast, with Hicks receiving more than any previous Idol winner.[12] With his win, Hicks (at 29) became the oldest person to win American Idol, only the second male to win the contest (after Ruben Studdard), and is the only man to win the contest against a woman in the finale. He is also the first and only white man to win American Idol and the fifth Southerner to win American Idol. He is the second American Idol from Alabama after season 2 winner Ruben Studdard, but is the third finalist from Alabama along with Studdard and Season 4 runner-up Bo Bice. He is the third person to win the competition without ever being in the bottom two or three (after Kelly Clarkson & Carrie Underwood) and the only man (as of Season 5) to attain such a feat (although Clay Aiken was never in the bottom 2 or 3, he did not win the Idol competition). Taylor Hicks Fans Fans of Hicks have been dubbed the "Soul Patrol".Hicks frequently mentions the Soul Patrol after performances and in subsequent appearances by exclaiming, "Soul Patrol! Soul Patrol! Soul Patrol!". After winning Idol, for example, Ryan Seacrest asked if he had any parting words and Hicks yelled, "Soul Patrol!".[14] Hicks became the subject of two Weekend Update lampoons on NBC's Saturday Night Live on April 15 and May 20, 2006, portrayed by cast member Jason Sudeikis. In an allusion to Hicks' quirkiness and disposition, Sudeikis mocked playing Hicks' trademark blues 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. During a promotional event for Idol in Alabama Hicks "inducted" Governor Bob Riley and his wife into the Soul Patrol.[15] Hicks also has two goldfish, named Lamont and Ray, around whom fans have created and maintain a blog. Discography Taylor Hicks Albums:: * In Your Time (1997, Laser's Edge) 1. Son Of A Carpenter * Under the Radar (2005, Laser's Edge) 1. The Deal Singles * Do I Make You Proud (2006, RCA): ::Ads line:: |
American Idol 2006 Taylor Hicks 
