Taylor Hicks

American Idol Taylor Hicks to Star in Grease on Broadway

Mandi Illuzzi — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:55:46 -0400

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The fifth season winner debuts on June 6

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American Idol season five winner Taylor Hicks has found himself a new role: “Teen Angel” on Broadway's Grease.

Hicks, 31, will join the cast on June 6.

“I am incredibly excited to be a part of one of my favorite musicals,” Hicks said in a press release. “The Soul Patrol’s gonna invade Broadway!”

(Soul Patrol was his fans' nickname for Hicks during the show. See what other Idols are up to.)

The Birmingham, Alabama native's single "Do I Make You Proud" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was certified gold shortly after his Idol win. His 2006 album "Taylor Hicks" went platinum and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 charts.

Hicks isn't the only Hollywood star to hit the Great White Way. Katie Holmes will make her debut in Arthur Miller's "All My Sons" and Nicole Richie was offered a lead role in Chicago.

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Taylor Hicks attends the Bud Select Official Kentucky Derby Eve Party at The In Touch Weekly Parlor on April 2, 2008 in Louisville, Kentucky.

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Katharine McPhee, Taylor Hicks Dropped from Labels

Lindsay Powers — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 19:27:53 -0500

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ALSO: A Rolling Stone critic explains why the American Idol singers are facing career lulls

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Fallen idols, indeed.

Katharine McPhee — whose self-titled disc debuted at No. 2 (which hasn’t gone gold yet despite being released nearly a year ago) — has been dropped by her label, a rep for RCA has confirmed to Usmagazine.com.

Two days before: Taylor Hicks — who beat out McPhee on season five — was dropped by his label, J Records.

Late last year, ex-champ Ruben Studdard of season 2 also exited his contract with J Records.

What gives?

“I think the industry has seen that unless these artists can churn out strong enough original material, they don’t really have that much traction once we don’t see them on television week after week singing songs we already know and love,” Rollingstone.com editor Caryn Ganz tells Usmagazine.com.

“The majority of major-label artists fail to make a splash — the Idols may have gotten these record deals through less conventional means, but they're falling victim to the same woes now that they're playing the same game as everyone else,” she adds.

The seventh season of Idol premieres Tuesday.

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Katherine McPhee arrives at the 3rd annual Pink Party at the Viceroy Hotel on September 8th in Santa Monica, CA.

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Katharine McPhee Took Scientology Courses to Impress Some Guy

jhwang — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 19:00:23 -0500

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Is it possible that getting beaten by golden-voiced gray-haired Taylor Hicks in last season's American Idol has made Katharine McPhee so insecure that she would consider joining Hollywood's religion of the moment just to impress a man?

That's what she told Salon.com recently in an interview where she admitted she looked into Scientology just for some dude (John Travolta? Beck? ).

"I took a couple of courses. It was really all about a guy." McPhee, 22, said. "It was a guy that I was totally obsessed with -- not obsessed with but totally into and, you know, guys and girls can do that to our lives and make us think we're into something that we're not."

Of course love can make you do crazy things, like, I don't know, scream, jump up and down on a couch, scare a beloved talk show host, but is that what's really going on? Is there a chance that she is actually drinking the Scientology kool-aid?

"I'm not a Scientologist," McPhee claims. "I've clarified this rumor over and over again, but people will keep saying that I am, but whatever."

Hmm, sounds like something a Scientologist would say.

What about her supposed friendship with the most famous Scientologists around, TomKat?

"I actually just did meet them the other day and they were the nicest people I think I've probably ever met," McPhee said before denying that she sang to them at their wedding.

Maybe more clues will be revealed when she releases her up-coming oft-delayed debut album, Katharine McPhee, which will showcase her powerful voice while being backed by funky thetan rhythms.

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Us Poll: Idols We Still Love

jhwang — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 17:28:01 -0500

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Who is your favorite past Idol?

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Who is your favorite past Idol? Ryan Seacrest dishes to US:

On Clay Aiken...
"Clay Aiken was the the ultimate Idol makeover story. He had a great voice
from day one but his look and confidence grew out the success he had each
week."

On Carrie Underwood....
"I believe Carrie Underwood has the potential to be our biggest music star
yet. She is beautiful and non-threatening. Her choices post Idol have been
very wise. She is a superstar."

On Kelly Clarkson...
"Idol is a brand and so is Kelly Clarkson. She owns female pop music."

On Taylor Hicks...
"Taylor was important for our show because he was not a typical Idol
contestant."

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Seacrest with Underwood in Hollywood, May 25, 2005.

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Katharine McPhee: She Be Illinâ€™

Noelle Hancock — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 17:36:12 -0400

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"American Idols Live" kicked off their U.S. tour Wednesday without sultry runner-up Katharine McPhee, whoâ€™s been struck down with severe bronchitis and laryngitis, according to the Associated Press. McPhee, 23, whose doctor has ordered â€œtotal voice rest,â€ will not be performing at the concerts Wednesday and Thursday night.

"That's the most difficult part, not talking!" McPhee â€œsaidâ€ in a released statement. She also wrote that she was disappointed she wouldnâ€™t be performing, but "I need to follow my doctor's orders to recuperate and reunite with the rest of the idols."

Meanwhile, Taylor Hicks, 29, is excited about working on his right arm tan on the AI tour bus. "I've always wanted to be on a bus,â€ the ashy-maned Birmingham native told AP Radio. "You would see buses on the road in Alabama going to their next destination, and I would always dream about being on one and now I have the opportunity."

"So a tour bus with some good, cold iceberg lettuce is probably where I'm gonna stay," Hicks said.

Talk to Us: Who would you rather see in concert: Taylor Hicks or Katharine McPhee?

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Noelle Hancock — Thu, 25 May 2006 08:54:24 -0400

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Taylor Hicks and Jay Leno

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Taylor Hicks Wins American Idol

Noelle Hancock — Wed, 24 May 2006 22:17:59 -0400

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Ashen-haired Taylor Hicks won the 2006 American Idol crown Wednesday night, beating out fellow contestant Katharine McPhee. Over 63 million votes were cast to determine the winner, "more than any president in the history of our country has received," AI host Ryan Seacrest said.

The show featured guest performances by Prince, Dionne Warwick, Mary J. Blige, Burt Bacharach, Toni Braxton, Meat Loaf, and a host of American Idol contestants from the current and past seasons.

McPhee, 22, a gifted vocalist (her mom is a vocal coach) who attended the prestigious Boston Conservatory for a semester, was pronounced one of the best vocal talents in the show's history, by the judges.

Yet it was Hicks, 29, who has spent years singing in local honkey-tonk bars trying to make a name for himself, who captured audiences with his Joe Cocker-by-way-of-Ray-Charles voice. He will release his first single "Do I Make You Proud" next week.

â€œThank you America! Iâ€™m living the American dream!â€ shouted Hicks as he closed out the show.

Discuss: Did the best Idol win?

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American Idol: And the Winner Is...

Noelle Hancock — Wed, 24 May 2006 13:56:42 -0400

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Fox

The votes are in, the songs are done...itâ€™s all over but the coronation, tonight at 8 p.m. EST on Fox. So whoâ€™s the next American Idol? Katherine McPhee and Taylor Hicks belted out three songs each last night, and Simon Cowell, for one, thought it was anybodyâ€™s game going into the final song.

But Hicksâ€™ closer, "Do I Make You Proud?" impressed Cowell so much that he predicted the Alabama native would win the competition. "Assuming that I was right - the show was tied - then you have just won American Idol," he declared.

Discuss: Do you think it was fair of Simon to declare a winner before the votes were tallied?

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American Idol Finale: Spoiler Alert!

Noelle Hancock — Tue, 23 May 2006 18:19:06 -0400

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American Idol will burp up some former contestants for Wednesdayâ€™s finale, according to tmz.com, which has uncovered some details on the final show.

Bucky Covington will reportedly come back to sing "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head," and Kevin â€œChicken Littleâ€ Covais will have a go at "What's New Pussycat." Meanwhile, 17-year-old Paris Bennett is scheduled to duet with Grammy-winner Al Jarreau. Last year's Idol winner Carrie Underwood and 2003's runner-up, Clay Aiken, are also scheduled to perform on Wednesday.

Some of this season's female contestants will bang you over the head with a medley of grrrl-power songs like â€œI'm Every Woman,â€ â€œNatural Womanâ€' and Shania Twain's â€œI Feel Like a Woman.â€

Finally, Dionne Warwick will also be on hand to perform her group-prom-sway hit, â€œThat's What Friends Are For.â€

Discuss: So who's it going to be...Taylor or Katharine?

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American Idol Spoiler: Kat With a Side of Meat Loaf

Noelle Hancock — Fri, 19 May 2006 14:40:59 -0400

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Katharine McPhee and Taylor Hicks will sing duets as part of the season finale of American Idol on May 24. McPhee is being paired up with the singer Meatloaf. He will reportedly release a new Bat Out of Hell cd by the end of the year, and is considering asking McPhee to sing on it. Who should Hicks pair up with on the final show? Leave your suggestions below!

Taylor Hicks

American Idol Taylor Hicks to Star in Grease on Broadway

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Katharine McPhee: She Be Illinâ€™

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