HOOVER'S OWN AMERICAN IDOL

As Season five of the mega-hit TV show American Idol began in January 2006, little did anyone in Hoover expect that the next winner would be one of their own. But by mid-season, it had become clear that Hoover native Taylor Hicks, with his prematurely gray hair, soulful singing style and quirky way of dancing, had a real shot at the title. During the spectacular May 24 finale at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Hicks edged out Katharine McPhee, a dark-haired beauty from Sherman Oaks, California, to capture the crown. He was the fourth person on American Idol to never be in the bottom two or three in vote totals.

The Idol Experience
With the win, Hicks became the second American Idol from the Birmingham-Hoover area and the fourth finalist with area connections. In 2003, Ruben Studdard of Birmingham captured the title with his "Velvet Teddy Bear" ?style of rhythm and blues. The first runner-up in 2004, Diana DeGarmo, grew up in Snellville, Georgia, but was born in Birmingham. The runner-up in 2005, Bo Bice, hails from Helena.

Once the 2006 American Idol field had been narrowed to three, Hicks and fellow contestants McPhee and ?Elliott Yamin returned to their respective hometowns for promotional events related to the show. Among several whirlwind appearances in Birmingham, Hoover and Montgomery, Hicks gave a mini-concert at the Riverchase Galleria that drew 15,000 screaming spectators. In Montgomery, Governor Bob Riley issued a proclamation declaring May 12, 2006, "Taylor Hicks Day." Hicks returned the compliment by inducting Gov. Riley and his ?wife, Patsy, into the Soul Patrol, Hicks' name for his fan following.

During his time on Idol, Hicks also caught the attention of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who was born and raised in Birmingham. According to Time magazine, Rice, one of the highest-ranking officials in the United States government "took time out from diplomacy to join the millions of Americans awaiting the results of the singing competition."

Becoming the fifth American Idol guaranteed Hicks a level of success and fame he may otherwise never have achieved. In addition to a thorough round of the talk show circuit immediately following Idol, Hicks signed a record contract with music mogul Clive Davis and filmed a TV commercial for Ford Motor Company. He has also been the subject of two "Weekend Update" skits on NBC's Saturday Night Live and in July 2006, was named "hottest bachelor" by People magazine.


The Road to Idol
Taylor Hicks was born on October 6, 1976, at St. Vincent's Hospital in Birmingham to Brad Hicks and Pamela Dickinson Hicks. His parents divorced when he was eight years old. Ultimately, his father and stepmother, Linda, shared custody of young Taylor with his mother until he became of age. Hicks is said to have later incorporated the pain he felt as the child of divorce into his music.

Unlike other kids of his generation, Hicks spent his childhood listening to music by artists such as Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and Van Morrison. At age 16, he bought a harmonica for two dollars at a Bessemer flea market and taught himself how to play it. Hicks started graying as a teen. The color of his hair along with his love for the music of Ray Charles prompted the nickname "Gray Charles."

Hicks graduated from Hoover High School in 1995 and attended Auburn University before dropping out to pursue his musical dream. Hicks' early career included performances at bars, weddings, festivals and other local venues. He later performed with the likes of James Brown, Tom Petty, Jackson Browne, Percy Sledge and others name performers.In 2004, Hicks performed at the Talladega Superspeedway during race weekend. In December 2005, he performed on Tapestry, a program on Birmingham's National Public Radio affiliate, WBHM. Prior to American Idol, Hicks released two independent albums, In Your Time (1997) and Under the Radar (2005).