American Idol Winner Taylor Hicks - at the Broadway Theatre of Pitman

April 5, 2011 - PRLog -- On May 24, 2006, Taylor Hicks, Alabama's favorite son, made television history when audiences made that evening's American Idol finale one of the most watched television progams of the decade. It was an emotionally uplifting night when 36.4 million viewers tuned in and 63 million votes were cast to name Hicks the Season 5 winner of American Idol. It was Hicks' stage that evening and the applause has continued since, with his loyal following of fans cementing Hicks as one of America's favorite artists.

Since winning American Idol, Hicks debut album went RIAA certified platinum; he has performed with the likes of Willie Nelson, Snoop Dog, Gladys Knight, Earth Wind and Fire and The Allman Brothers; appeared in concerts worldwide and penned a brisk-selling Random House autobiography; "Heart Full of Soul".

2009 was a turning point in Hicks' career, when through his own record company, Modern Whomp Records, his first independent album, "The Distance", was released, which includes the popular roadhouse single "Seven Mile Breakdown" and the soulful "What's Right is Right". In addition to the album, the company released the DVD, Whomp at the Warfield, which offers fans exhilarating live performances by Hicks and his band at the historic Warfield Theater in San Francisco. With "The Distance", produced by Simon Climie, the most credible of musicians like Abe Laboriel, Jr. and Doyle Bramhall II, approached Hicks' about collaborating on the album and Hicks' realized then this musical validation was a sign on the road to artistic independence.

With numerous Broadway offers at his heels, Hicks' embarked upon New York City the same year in the hit musical, Grease. When his fans around urged him to visit their hometowns with the show, he eagerly agreed to the national tour, which just completed its run. For eighteen months, cities across America and Canada saw Hicks as Teen Angel, singing "Beauty School Dropout," and as an extra bonus, enjoyed him singing a song at each finale. The loyal audiences who cheered for him on Idol were once again close at hand applauding him at venues all across the country.

Hicks, who hails from Birmingham, Alabama was destined for the musical stage from an early childhood. Focusing on music full-time, Taylor then became a fixture around the southeast, playing concerts and club dates with visiting stars like, James Brown, Tom Petty, Jackson Browne, Robert Randolph, Keb' Mo' and Widespread Panic among others and released two independent albums "In Your Time" and "Under The Radar". These albums were compiled and released by Vanguard Records as "Early Works".

His personal twist of fate came when he was in New Orleans, the night before Hurricane Katrina hit on August 29, 2005. With his flight cancelled, he was given a free airplane voucher. Taylor quickly used the ticket to travel to Las Vegas, where coincidentally American Idol auditions were being held. The rest they say is history.

Chosen as an Idol contestant, from the start, Taylor's material set him apart, with a unique take on southern soul, R & B, country and blues. Less than three weeks after Hicks' Idol win, his debut single, "Do I Make You Proud," entered at # 1 on Billboard's Hot 100, Pop 100 and Single Sales charts, with first-week sales over 190,000 units. Coinciding with the single release, a cover story named Hicks as People Magazine's "Hottest Bachelor of the Year."

His self-titled album, Taylor Hicks (Arista), was released on December 12, 2006, and debuted #2 on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 298,000 copies and was quickly certified RIAA platinum.

Taylor Hicks is busy in rehearsals, fielding new TV and Film opportunities, and Taylor is excited to bring his raucous and moving live shows back to intimate venues where his fans will experience the true force of each performance.

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The Broadway Theatre of Pitman is dedicated to breathing life into exciting theater productions written for a diverse audience. Through various outreach and educational programs, The Broadway Theatre of Pitman will be a performing arts beacon in S Jersey.