Taylor Hicks

S5 · Winner

Latest documented update, June 16, 2023

Taylor Hicks made his Grand Ole Opry debut on June 16, 2023, after releasing the single Porch Swing in February 2023. He has released music on Modern Whomp since 2008, after Arista and 19 Recordings from 2006 to 2008.⁠[1][2]

Career

Before the show

  1. 1997While in college he was in a band called Passing Through, which he later quit. In 1997 he independently recorded In Your Time, an album that included studio and live tracks.⁠[1][7]
  2. May 9, 2005He recorded, produced, and released Under the Radar independently on May 9, 2005. He had not held a recording contract before American Idol.⁠[1][7]

During or around the show

  1. May 2006–September 2006He signed with 19 Recordings/Arista in May 2006, and a press release on May 31, 2006, announced the deal. He joined the Top 10 on the American Idols Live tour, which ran from July to September.⁠[1]

After the show

  1. June 13, 2006Do I Make You Proud was released as a single on June 13, 2006, on Arista and 19. It was later certified gold by the RIAA.⁠[1][9]
  2. July 1, 2006Do I Make You Proud debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for the issue dated July 1, 2006, with first-week sales of 190,000 physical singles and 38,000 downloads.⁠[9]
  3. December 12, 2006The album Taylor Hicks was released on December 12, 2006, by Arista with 19 Recordings. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, sold 298,000 copies in its first week, and was certified platinum by the RIAA on January 17, 2007.⁠[1][10]
  4. January 2008In January 2008, Arista confirmed that it had dropped him from its roster. He was with Arista and 19 from 2006 to 2008.⁠[1]
  5. August 12, 2008In 2008 he signed a distribution deal with Vanguard/Welk to distribute the compilation Early Works, released on August 12, 2008, on Modern Whomp.⁠[1][7]
  6. March 10, 2009The Distance was released on March 10, 2009, on his own label, Modern Whomp Records, and peaked at number 58 on the Billboard 200. What's Right Is Right reached number 24 on Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks.⁠[1][7]
  7. June 2012He began a residency at Bally's Las Vegas in June 2012 and moved to Paris Las Vegas in January 2013.⁠[1]
  8. February 20, 2023–June 16, 2023He released the single Porch Swing on February 20, 2023, and made his Grand Ole Opry debut on June 16, 2023.⁠[1][2]

Discography

TitleTypeYearLabelRIAA certificationU.S. sales
In Your Time⁠[7][11]Live album1997Independent1,500⁠[7][12]date not given
Under the Radar⁠[7][11]Album2005Independent17,000⁠[7]November 2006
Do I Make You Proud⁠[9][11]Single2006Arista RecordsGold⁠[1]
Taylor Hicks⁠[10][11]Album2006Arista RecordsPlatinum⁠[1][7][8]705,000⁠[13][14]May 23, 2011
Early Works⁠[1][7]Compilation2008Modern Whomp4,400⁠[7][15]December 31, 2008
The Distance⁠[7][11]Album2009Modern Whomp52,000⁠[7][16]December 2010

Awards

Checked October 7, 2026; none found.

Other activity

  • July 2007Heart Full of Soul: An Inspirational Memoir About Finding Your Voice and Finding Your Way was released in July 2007 by Random House. David Wild ghostwrote the book.⁠[1]
  • June 6, 2008On June 6, 2008, he joined the Broadway cast of Grease at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre as Teen Angel. The lead says he performed on Broadway in 2008 and on the national tour in 2009.⁠[1]
  • May 2011In May 2011 he opened Ore Drink and Dine in Birmingham, Alabama. It re-opened as Saw's Juke Joint, a barbecue and live-music bar, on October 30, 2012.⁠[1]
  • 2016He hosted State Plate on the INSP channel for three seasons from 2016 to 2018.⁠[1]

Sources

16 sources

  1. Taylor Hicks (Wikipedia revision 1364623378) — Wikipedia, updated July 17, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 7, 2026.
    Cited parts (8)
    • 2009–present: “Hicks made his Grand Ole Opry debut on June 16, 2023.”
    • Infobox label: “Modern Whomp (2008–present)”
    • Lead sentence: “born October 7, 1976”
    • Infobox, Born line (birth_date): {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1976|10|7}}
    • 2006–2008 section: “certified as a platinum album by the RIAA on January 17, 2007”
    • Post-Idol career: “was subsequently certified gold by the RIAA”
    • Post-Idol career and 2006–2008 section: “Arista Records confirmed in January 2008 that it had dropped Hicks from its roster.”
    • Lead: “he was signed to Arista Records”
  2. Taylor Hicks Delivers Romantic Soul in Porch Swing — Taste of Country, published February 26, 2023. News report. Retrieved October 7, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • Article opening: “the release of his newest single, "Porch Swing,"”
    • Byline and opening: “Published: February 26, 2023”
  3. American Idol season 5 — Wikipedia, updated May 18, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • Elimination chart row Taylor Hicks: Pl. 1, Winner in the Finale column (5/24); ratings table episode 'Season 5 Finale', May 24, 2006
    • Lead section: “Taylor Hicks was named the winner, while Katharine McPhee was the runner-up.”
  4. List of American Idol finalists — Wikipedia, updated June 10, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Contestants table, row Taylor Hicks: season 5, place finish Winner
  5. Hicks takes 'American Idol' crown — Lawrence Journal-World (Associated Press), published May 25, 2006. News report. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Article text: “Taylor Hicks, the mop-topped manic dancer who wooed TV audiences with his raw singing style and boisterous personality, was named the new “American Idol” Wednesday”
  6. TV singing shows fail to create stars — USA Today, published January 14, 2014. News report. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (3)
    • Table header: “Artist (Year on American Idol) | downloads | album sales”
    • Artist row, album-sales column: “Taylor Hicks (Winner, 2006) | 387,000 | 768,000”
    • Table caption: “Top-selling singing-competition artists ranked by career sales in single-track downloads and albums (physical and digital). Source: Nielsen SoundScan”
  7. Taylor Hicks discography (Wikipedia revision 1300940922) — Wikipedia, updated July 17, 2025. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 7, 2026.
    Cited parts (8)
    • Studio albums, Taylor Hicks certifications: “US: Platinum”
    • Live albums, In Your Time: “Release date: 1997”
    • Studio albums, Under the Radar: “Release date: May 9, 2005”
    • Studio albums, Under the Radar: “Label: Independent”
    • Compilation albums, Early Works: “Release date: August 12, 2008”
    • Studio albums, The Distance: “Release date: March 10, 2009”
    • Live albums, In Your Time sales: “US: 1,500”
    • Studio albums, Under the Radar sales: “US: 17,000”
  8. RIAA Search – Taylor Hicks — RIAA. Official record. Cited by another source; not opened by our researchers.
  9. Do I Make You Proud (Wikipedia revision 1347315401) — Wikipedia, updated April 6, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 7, 2026.
    Cited parts (4)
    • Infobox and lead: “released = June 13, 2006”
    • Chart performance: “prompting a number-one debut on the Hot 100 for the issue dated July 1, 2006”
    • Chart performance, first week: “sold 190,000 physical singles and 38,000 digital downloads during its first week”
    • Infobox: “released = June 13, 2006”
  10. Taylor Hicks (album) (Wikipedia revision 1366564264) — Wikipedia, updated July 28, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 7, 2026.
    Cited parts (3)
    • Lead: “The album was released on December 12, 2006, in the United States by Arista Records”
    • Lead, chart and first week: “debuted at the number two spot on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 298,000 copies in its first week”
    • Infobox: “released = December 12, 2006”
  11. MusicBrainz release groups for Taylor Hicks — MusicBrainz. Release database. Retrieved October 7, 2026.
    Cited parts (5)
    • Release group In Your Time: "first-release-date":"1997"
    • Release group Under the Radar: "title":"Under the Radar"
    • Release group Do I Make You Proud: "first-release-date":"2006-06-13"
    • Release group Taylor Hicks: "first-release-date":"2006-12-12"
    • Release group The Distance: "first-release-date":"2009-03-10"
  12. Hicks plans to stick with his own style — USA Today. News report. Cited by another source; not opened by our researchers.
  13. List of American Idol alumni album sales in the United States — Wikipedia, updated September 21, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Artists with sales of 500,000 or more, Taylor Hicks row, Taylor Hicks album: “Taylor Hicks (December 12, 2006) Arista 705,000”
  14. American Idol finale: After 10 years, the beat goes on — The Washington Post, published May 23, 2011. News report. Cited by another source; not opened by our researchers.
  15. Idol sales: Cook returns to top 10 at year's end — USA Today (Idol Chatter), published December 31, 2008. News report. Cited by another source; not opened by our researchers.
  16. Idols maintain chart presence with guest appearances, compilations (USA Today Idol Chatter) — USA Today, published December 8, 2010. News report. Cited by another source; not opened by our researchers.

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