Soul singer Taylor Hicks wins “American Idol”

By Jill Serjeant

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Gray-haired soul singer Taylor
Hicks won the 2006 “American Idol” contest on Wednesday,
capturing the hearts and votes of millions of viewers in the
fifth edition of America’s top-rated TV show.

Hicks, 29, who was told in auditions that he was too gray
to be a pop star, beat balladeer Katharine McPhee in the climax
of a nationwide contest that attracted tens of thousands of
wannabe performers.

“Thank you America! I’m living the American Dream,”
screamed Hicks at the end of the show.

The winner was announced at the end of a star-studded
finale at Hollywood’s Kodak Theater featuring performances by
Prince, Dionne Warwick, Mary J. Blige, Burt Bacharach, Toni
Braxton and Meat Loaf.

Alabama native Hicks, beloved for his manic dancing, is the
oldest “American Idol” winner in the reality TV series that has
become a ratings juggernaut attracting some 30 million viewers
a week since January.

Once derided as a cheesy talent show, “Idol” has steadily
gained credibility in the industry, turning out a Grammy
winning performer in Kelly Clarkson while past winners and
runners-up have sold more than 33 million records.

At the Country Music Awards on Tuesday, former “American
Idol” champ Carrie Underwood was named top new female vocalist,
and also won the single record of the year honor for “Jesus
Take the Wheel.”

The fifth season of “American Idol” saw the wannabe stars
collaborating with icons like Stevie Wonder and Rod Stewart
while Prince gave a surprise performance.

Harmonica playing Hicks, who spent years singing in local
nightclubs, wins a coveted recording contract and will release
his first single in the next few days.

“I didn’t have any idea that Americans would embrace gray
hair as much as they have,” Hicks said backstage, thanking his
fans. He said he planned to make “an album with soul. It’s
going to have a lot of feeling.”

McPhee, 22, a sultry Los Angeles musical theater performer,
was deemed by the three-person judging panel to have one of the
best vocal talents in “American Idol” history.

But viewers chose the charismatic Hicks, whose fans call
themselves the “Soul Patrol.” Program officials said more than
63 million votes were sent in by phone or text but they did not
give a breakdown.

Backstage McPhee said she had not expected to win but would
be releasing a single anyway. “I don’t need sad faces or anyone
to feel bad for me. I have got a record deal, pretty much. It
wasn’t about winning the title, I just wanted to give the best
performance I could,” she said.

With a style that mixes Joe Cocker with Ray Charles, Hicks
was a consistent favorite with viewers despite some acerbic
comments from judge Simon Cowell, who said one of his
performances was like “a drunken father singing at a wedding.”

The fifth season of “American Idol” proved the most
successful ever, forcing rival TV networks to reschedule their
programs to avoid competition. The show returns for a sixth
series in January.

Reuters/VNU