Taylor Hicks on American Idol

Name: Taylor Hicks. His Taylor Hicks Official Website was offline during American Idol competition. The Taylor Hicks Band is performing under the name "Little Memphis Blues Orchestra" or LiMBO while Taylor Hicks is performing on "American Idol."

Taylor Hicks Personal Information: Taylor Hicks was born October 6, 1976 (making him a Libra) at Saint Vincent's Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. His family moved to Hoover, Alabama when he was young. Taylor Hicks's parents are Brad and Linda Hicks. His birth mother is named Pamela. He has a younger half-brother, Sean, who attends Georgia Tech. Taylor's dad is a dentist. Taylor Hicks has never been married. In fact, Taylor Hicks was named by People Magazine as the No. 1 "hottest bachelor" for 2006.

Taylor Hicks Gray Hair: Taylor Hicks wasn't always gray--but it seems that way. He started turning gray at about 15 years old, according to his grandmother Jonie Hicks. Although he's been teased a lot about his hair, Hicks has never considered coloring it. One fan even has a website called Gray Charles - The Taylor Hicks Weblog that combines Taylor's love of Ray Charles and his premature graying hair.
Vote in poll: Should Taylor Hicks Color His Gray Hair?

Taylor Hicks Education: Taylor Hicks went to high school in Hoover, Alabama. He won a school talent contest but was not involved in any music program in school. He played varsity basketball, however.

Taylor went to Auburn University for a short time. He majored in business, communications and marketing. While at Auburn he met some musicians and formed the Passing Through Band.

Taylor Hicks Musical Background: According to his grandmother, Taylor has never had any 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.

Taylor's music reflect his favorite music: the old songs of Sam Cooke, Otis Redding and Ray Charles. In fact, Taylor used to always carry a tiny statute of Ray Charles on stage with him. It was lost or stolen recently and he's been looking for another one.

Taylor Hicks Music Career:
Taylor left college before graduating and went to Nashville for nine months to pursue a musical career. He has played for various venues around the United States, including a couple nights at the Playboy Mansion.

He tried to audition for "American Idol" at the Memphis audition but it was canceled because of Katrina, so he went to the Las Vegas one.

Taylor Hicks plays guitar and a "blues" harmonica or "harp." He writes most of his own songs. Taylor Hicks has a CD entitled: Under the Radar.

Taylor Hicks Likes & Dislikes: Taylor Hicks likes healthy food and was skinny as a child. His grandmother says that he won't eat junk food or fried food. She's tried to get him to eat a candy bar or chips until she can get something cooked for him, but he won't eat it. He prefers roasted meat, vegetables and potatoes.
On music: "It's music, man. If music is in your heart, you feel it, you play it, you sing it, you perform it, you bust your buns doing it. That’s what its all about!" - Taylor Hicks on American Idol.

Taylor Hicks' Personality: His grandmother, Jonie Hicks, says that Taylor is not pretentious. He feels "at home on the stage and opens up his heart and lets people in." He would never be rude to people or do anything to "stand out." In other words, he's a Southern gentleman.

During the 2006 American Idol Concert in Birmingham, Taylor Hicks' personality came alive onstage as he entertained the hometown crowd.

Taylor Hicks Links:
Interview with Taylor Hicks on WBHM Radio/singing "Soul Thing."
Taylor Hicks Video of "Levon" Performance on American Idol
Taylor Hicks 2006 website
Taylor Hicks Fans
Taylor Made Forum
Yahoo Group for Taylor Hicks: The Soul Patrol
Soul Patrol Map of Fans
Fan Art of Taylor Hicks by Gally
Taylor Hicks sings "Georgia on my Mind"
Vote 4 Idol Poll
Taylor Hicks Interview
SirLinksalot: Taylor Hicks
Taylortastic Forum
Taylor Hicks Fansite
American Idol Underground
Official American Idol Site

Alabama and "American Idol": So far, Alabama has done well on "American Idol": Season 2's winner was Birmingham native Ruben Studdard and Season 4's runner up was Helena's Bo Bice.

If you watched 2006 "American Idol," you saw Taylor Hicks win as the title of "American Idol" and how he found a place in America's music industry with his own brand of that special Alabama talent and Southern charm.

One Taylor Hicks fan got to see him in person on Fox's "American Idol" show and shares her behind-the-scenes experience. Another fan "chased" Taylor Hicks all over Birmingham during his return to Alabama and shares her Taylor Made Day.

Another Soul Patrol member shares her experience of meeting Taylor Hicks on The Today Show in her Diary of a Taylor Hicks Fan story.

Taylor's first single Do I Make You Proud?/Takin' It To the Streets was released on June 13, 2006.

Taylor's first CD (post-American Idol) Taylor Hicks was released on December 12, 2006.

Taylor Hicks will be in concert in Huntsville, Alabama on March 6, 2007 at the Von Braun Center Concert Hall. Tickets go on sale at Ticketmaster on December 16, 2006.

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Other Alabama Talent:
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Bo Bice is the Real Thing in Huntsville