Hicks got his start as a professional musician in his late teens and performed around the Southeastern United States for well over the span of a decade, during which he also released two independent albums.

Upon winning Idol, he was signed to Arista Records, under which his self-titled major label debut was released on December 12, 2006.

His energetic stage performances and influences derived from classic rock, blues, and R&B music had earned him a following of devout fans dubbed the "Soul Patrol".

[2] Hicks performed on Broadway in 2008 and on national tour in 2009 in Grease playing Teen Angel, the role originated by Alan Paul.

In 2016, Hicks began hosting the INSP original series State Plate, and released a single, "Six Strings and Diamond Rings", in 2017.

Despite releasing two albums prior to appearing on American Idol, he did not violate their requirements for contestants, as he had never held a recording contract.

The Archive does not accept the upload of concerts recorded after January 1, 2006, due to the terms of his American Idol contract.

On May 12, Idol producers brought Hicks to Birmingham for a weekend of promotional events including television interviews for the local Fox affiliate, a downtown parade, concerts, and an audience with Governor Bob Riley.

[23] Hicks was named the new American Idol on May 24, 2006,[2] winning the title over McPhee, with over 63.4 million votes cast in total.

Hicks occasionally appeared as a "special guest" when circumstances permitted, and was accompanied at times by the other Idols, such as Elliott Yamin, Chris Daughtry, Ace Young, and Bucky Covington.

Studio recording sessions for the eponymous major label debut Taylor Hicks ran in Calabasas, California, between October and November 2006, and took six weeks in total.

[36] Hicks embarked on a three-month US promotional tour for his album that started on February 21 in Jacksonville, Florida, and ended in Seattle, Washington on May 12.

[42] ORE Drink and Dine re-opened as Saw's Juke Joint, a barbecue and live music bar, on October 30, 2012.

[43] On June 14, 2011, Taylor Hicks performed at Bama Rising: A Benefit Concert For Alabama Tornado Recovery at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center.

According to Billboard, the Bama Rising benefit concert raised an estimated $2.2 million for Alabama tornado relief efforts.

[44] On April 19, 2012, Hicks appeared on American Idol and announced he would begin a one-year residency at Bally's in Las Vegas on June 26[45] that has been extended until December 2013.

[citation needed] Entertainment Weekly magazine revealed that Hicks would be a celebrity contestant on Fox's dating show The Choice.

[48] In July 2013, Hicks attended the Evolution 2013 fighting game tournament[49] as a competitor for Super Smash Bros. Melee.