American Idol winner Taylor Hicks talks to Woodlands Online

THE WOODLANDS, TX – It may be hard to believe that American Idol is actually nearly a quarter of a century old. Arguably the country’s first music competition series of its type that has spawned dozens of offshoots and ripoffs.

In the early days of Fox in 2002, the American Idol phenomenon swept the nation by storm and dominated the aughts for fifteen seasons before taking a hiatus and moving to another network.

Over the years, the format, singers, and judges have evolved, but for a certain generation, those early years of Paula, Randy, and Simon judging countless thousands of hopefuls will forever remain part of the Gen-X and Millennial zeitgeist.

It was in 2006, the halcyon days of the show in its fifth season, when Alabama native Taylor Hicks found himself in the top three, alongside Katharine McPhee and Elliott Yamin. The 29-year-old Hicks, with his distinctive blues-driven voice and style and prematurely grey hair (which started changing at age 14), won the competition in a night of voting where more than 63 million ballots were cast by the American public.

For the two decades since then, Hicks has been keeping busy out of his base of operations in Nashville. With two albums and multiple singles, a ‘Hottest Bachelor’ spread in People magazine, a performance at a Republican National Convention, a national tour of Grease where he was featured as ‘Teen Angel,’ and practically nonstop performances throughout the nation, he is finally hitting Dosey Doe - The Big Barn on Friday, July 11. Taylor took a few moments to sit down with Woodlands Online to answer some questions.

I can’t imagine you haven’t played Texas before, but is this your first time to perform in the area?

I haven’t played Dosey Doe’s Big Barn before, but I’m excited about it; I’ve heard all about it and what a great venue it is. I played just a few years ago, I think, not too far away and love performing in Texas, but this is my first time [in The Woodlands area].

You were active in the music industry for years before you auditioned for American Idol. Has being a performer always been in your cards?

I’ve always dreamt of being an entertainer. I knew it was a long road – it’s a marathon, certainly not a sprint. I’ve spent my entire career knowing that, to keep performing and growing. [Editor’s note: Hicks taught himself harmonica, guitar, and organ as a teenager.]

It’s been about twenty years since the ‘Soul Patrol’ days of American Idol; has that audience grown with you, or have you been able to break into the playlists of newer generations?

It’s nice to have that annual ‘billboard’ to solidify and keep relevant the performers who have been on American Idol for the past twenty-five years. It’s a great mix of the original audiences and new ones.

Do you prefer studio work or performing live?

I’ve grown up as a live performer. Over all these years I’ve adapted and grown into it, and it’s what I love to do; I’m definitely a live performer. It helps that I have a great band with me. And I love Texas; my country / soul vibe seems to be incredibly popular here, and I love it.

At Dosey Doe, Taylor will perform some of Bob Seger’s hits and more, including performing his recent singles ‘Porch Swing,’ which debuted on The Bobby Bones Show, and ‘Teach Me to Dance,’ which he performed on The Kelly Clarkson Show and the Grand Ole Opry.

A versatile artist, actor and activist, Taylor’s acting credits include appearing on Law & Order: SVU and hosting the INSP series State Plate. He also co-owns Saw’s Juke Joint in his hometown of Birmingham, crowned one of the ‘25 Best Barbecue Spots in America’ by Men’s Journal and the ‘Top Barbecue Joint’ in Alabama by Southern Living.