Taylor Hicks

Thanks to his high-powered stage performances of classic rock, blues, and R&B music, Taylor Hicks captured the highly coveted title of "American Idol" (Fox, 2002-16) during season five of the reality competition series. Taylor Reuben Hicks was born on Oct. 7, 1976 in Birmingham, AL. In elementary school, Hicks often performed and played the harmonica during class. By the time he was 14, his hair gradually started to turn gray.

The future "Idol" winner wrote his first song when he was 18, and learned to play the guitar a year later. After graduating from high school, Hicks enrolled in his home state's Auburn University to major in business and journalism, but dropped out after three years to pursue a music career. He first tried his luck in Nashville, TN, but because he was unable to land a recording contract, Hicks returned to Alabama, where he found steady work at various parties and events. By this time, he had already released two albums, In Your Time (1997) and Under the Radar (2005).

In 2005, Hicks auditioned for the fifth season of "American Idol" in Las Vegas, NV. In spite of judge Simon Cowell's objections, Hicks received a "golden ticket" to advance to the semi-final round in Hollywood. Throughout the competition, the gray-haired rhythm & blues singer gained a loyal fan following who called themselves the "Soul Patrol."

Week after week, Hicks roused the audience with his somewhat cheesy renditions of classics such as Sam Cooke's "You Send Me" (1957), Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful" (1974), and Otis Redding's "Try a Little Tenderness" (1966) - the latter of which helped him push through to the finals. In May 2006, an exuberant Hicks was named the new American Idol. He was 29 at the time, making him one of the oldest contestants to score the title and one of the more controversial winners, as many believed rocker Chris Daughtry or runner-up Katherine McPhee were more talented, marketable singers.

Boosted by his "Idol" win, Hicks' first single "Do I Make You Proud?" (2006) debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. The song was featured on Hicks' first major label, self-titled album (2006), which reportedly sold a respectable 702,000 copies. In May 2008, Hicks made his Broadway debut in a revival of the 1971 musical "Grease," as Teen Angel.

His sophomore album, The Distance, was released in March 2009 and received mostly negative reviews from music critics. Unlike previous winners and even runners-up, Hicks seemed to have won based on a temporary affection for his goofy onstage persona, versus sustaining that win with serious musical chops.