Taylor Hicks People know Taylor Hicks as the 29-year-old, gray-haired, jazz-soul-pop singer with the funky dance moves who sings with gusto, and just won the competition in the fifth season of “American Idol,” beating out finalist Katharine McPhee. Becoming America’s newest “Idol” is his obvious claim to fame as many people hadn’t heard of him before that, although he has actually been in the music business since 1997. Taylor Hicks’ trademark—aside from his enthusiastic and very memorable performances—is his premature gray hair. Taylor Hicks, born October 6, 1976 in Birmingham Alabama, started “going gray” at age 15. However, “Coconut Head”—not “Grandpa” or “Old Man Hicks,” for example—was the nickname of choice on the playgrounds for his coconut head-like hairstyle. Parents Brad Hicks and Pamela Dickinson Hicks divorced when Taylor Hicks was only eight years old, and he lived with his father and new stepmom until he was old enough to leave home. After high school graduation in 1995 Taylor Hicks went on to Auburn University for a year to study business, communications and marketing. His boredom caused him to drop out after a year at the university.
Taylor Hicks, who also plays guitar, the blues harp and songwrites, displayed a love and talent for music since age five when he sang the tunes of musicians Michael Jackson and Kenny Rogers to complete strangers. This passion only grew with age, and after dropping out of university he moved to Nashville, Tennessee in the hopes of pursuing a music career. Hicks started off performing in several venues, sang regularly for weddings, and ended up working with musical experts Percy Sledge and Billy Earl Mcclelland. Taylor Hicks released two independent albums prior to his stint on “American Idol”—In Your Time, 1997; and Under the Radar, 2005—but never held a recording contract. Interestingly, Taylor Hicks has also performed with musical legends such as Tom Petty, James Brown, Drive-By-Truckers and Keb Mo. In his initial audition for “American Idol” in Las Vegas, Taylor Hicks was approved by judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson, but was disapproved by Simon Cowell—as is typical for the cynical judge—who claimed Hicks would never make it to the end. Taylor Hicks, Katharine McPhee and Elliot Yamin—who became best friends with Hicks on the show—were announced as the top three finalists in the May 10, 2006 results show. On May 12 Taylor Hicks went to his hometown Birmingham to do some promotional events, including a campaign appearance with Governor Bob Riley, and the day was pronounced “Taylor Hicks Day.”
Taylor Hicks was officially crowned the new American Idol on May 24, 2006. Taylor Hicks is the oldest winner of “American Idol”—which is fitting with his gray hair—and the second male to win, after second-season winner Ruben Studdard. And what’s a singing sensation without his loyal fans? Taylor Hicks, while competing in “American Idol,” had a large and very dedicated group of fans who called themselves the “Soul Patrol.” After his big win, Taylor Hicks signed a record deal with music genius Clive Davis. In 2006 Hicks’ recorded songs were released by Arista Records, and he also signed a commercial deal with Ford Motor Company. Taylor Hicks has never been married, and claims he hasn’t had the time for a love life. A June 2006 issue of People magazine ranked this swanky gray-haired superstar as the “hottest bachelor” around. He’s also quoted as looking for love—who might just be a mystery blond woman he exchanged glances and a wave with on an airline flight. |
