Taylor Hicks: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 02:39, 25 May 2006

Revision as of 02:39, 25 May 2006

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[[Image:Taylorhickschild.PNG|thumb|150px|left|Taylor Hicks as a child]]

Growing up in Hoover, Hicks played Little League baseball, golf, and varsity basketball.<ref name="bio" /> According to his grandmother Jonie, Hicks never had formal music lessons. He came running up to her when he was about twelve years old saying, "Grandma, you've got to hear this!" Then he sang Otis Redding's "[[Try A Little Tenderness]]" for her. According to his father, when he was 5 years old he sang to random strangers the music of Kenny Rogers or Michael Jackson, to name a few.<ref name="bio" /> Hicks' music reflects his favorites from that era: the classic songs of Redding, [[Sam Cooke]], and [[Ray Charles]]. He plays [[guitar]] as well as [[Blues-harp|blues harp]] and iteswrites most of his own songs. <ref>[http://www.al.com/search/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/114051737735020.xml?mobileregister?etv&coll=3 Mobile Register article on Hicks]</ref> He bought a $2 harmonica at a local [[flea market]] when he was 16 and has been playing harmonica ever since.

Hicks was a former student of Berry High School and graduated from Hoover High School in [[1995]]. He attended [[Auburn University]] ("WAR EAGLE!!!"), majoring in business, communications and [[marketing]] for a year, lost interest and dropped out. He moved to [[Nashville, Tennessee]] to pursue a music career and has worked with Nashville veterans [[Billy Earle McClelland]] and [[Percy Sledge]]. <ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20010805101728/taylorhicks.com/bio3.jpg Promotional flier scan from Taylorhicks.com]</ref> Later he graduated from [[University of Alabama at Birmingham]]. Hicks had a small following in the state of Alabama for his performances at dive [[nightclub]]s and other local venues. His trademark was [[Hawaiian shirt]]s, and slacks that didn't quite match. He released two independent albums, ''In Your Time'' ([[1997 in music|1997]]) and ''Under the Radar'' ([[2005 in music|2005]]), prior to appearing on ''Idol''; the latter was made available at local music outlets in the Birmingham area. Hicks has also spoken on ''Tapestry'', a radio program on [[National Public Radio]] affiliate [[WBHM]] in Birmingham, in December 2005. <ref>[http://wbhm.org/Tapestry/bands/TaylorHicks.html ''Tapestry'' interview]</ref>