Taylor Hicks Biography

Taylor Reuben Hicks (born October 7, 1976) is an American soul singer, songwriter, and musician. He was an independent artist for the span of a decade before rising to prominence as the winner of the fifth season of American Idol. Upon winning American Idol, Hicks was immediately signed to Arista Records. His debut single "Do I Make You Proud" opened at the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold by the RIAA. His major-label debut is slated for release on December 5, 2006. His energetic stage performances and throwback to classic soul music have earned him a following of devout fans, who have dubbed themselves the "Soul Patrol".

Fans of Hicks have been dubbed the "Soul Patrol." Hicks frequently mentions the Soul Patrol after performances, best shown after winning Idol, Ryan Seacrest 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. Hicks also has two goldfish, named Lamont and Ray, around whom fans have created and maintain a blog.

Hicks also became the interest of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. The Secretary of State, according to a Time Magazine report, "took time out from diplomacy to join the millions of Americans awaiting the results of the singing competition." The report also notes that a State Department official "tells Time Magazine that Rice is an unabashed fan of the show and plans to send Hicks her congratulations." Hicks has also won the respect of President George W. Bush.

Hicks became the subject of two Weekend Update skits 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 harp 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. This is the first time an American Idol contestant has been parodied on the show repeatedly, although Maya Rudolph once made a brief cameo as Season 1 runner-up Justin Guarini during a monologue by Matt Damon, and a one-off sketch involving the top-three finalists Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken and Kimberley Locke (played by then-cast members) appeared the week before the much-anticipated Season 2 final.

"Weird Al" Yankovic parodied Hicks on his 2006 album, Straight Outta Lynwood, with a parody of "Do I Make You Proud" called "Do I Creep You Out?".