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Taylor Hicks wins 'American Idol' crown |
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Written by asap
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Wednesday, 24 May 2006 |
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Click here for video
LOS ANGELES — Taylor Hicks, thanks to his Soul Patrol sound, was named the "American Idol" winner on Wednesday.
Hicks, 29, of Birmingham, Ala., bested competitor Katharine McPhee, 22, of Los Angeles in viewer voting. He made a mark on this year's competition with his signature gray hair and he seemed a longshot winner until recently. Hicks is the latest in a string of Midwestern and Southern singers to win the competition.
Hicks leaned over, overcome by host Ryan Seacrest's announcement, then shouted, "Soul Patrol!"
"I'm living the American dream," he added before he closed out the show with a performance of "Do I Make You Proud."
More than 63 million votes were cast, "more than any president in the history of our country has received," host Ryan Seacrest noted.
IDOL/SUPERSTAR PAIRINGS
Stars from the show's fifth season joined with music superstars on Wednesday.
A few interesting pairings:
- Elliott Yamin and Mary J. Blige
- Taylor Hicks and Toni Braxton
- Katharine McPhee and Meat Loaf
- Hicks and McPhee with last year's winner Carrie Underwood
- Paris Bennett and Al Jarreau
- Chris Daughtry and Live
- The dozen finalists with Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick.
- Another cameo: Idol favorite Clay Aiken
- Final surprise guest: Prince, who sang two songs.
NO MORE DRAMA
Breaking tradition from past years, there was little offstage drama in this year's competiton. Last year there were technical glitches, annoyingly bad singers and accusations that judge Paula Abdul had an affair with a competitor. None of that transpired this year.
BIG RATINGS
This edition of "American Idol" was the most-watched yet. The show was up 14 percent in total viewers this time around with an average weekly audience of 30.3 million.
BIRMINGHAM A.K.A IDOLTOWN?
It was Hicks-teria in the winner's hometown of Birmingham, where more than 1,500 people gathered at the local convention center, screaming wildly and waving "Soul Patrol" signs when Hicks was announced the winner.
"I love Taylor!" squealed Kristin Spears, 20, of Trussville as "Idol" played on six huge video screens. A few yards away, Alabama first lady Patsy Riley jumped up and down in the front row.
Hicks' grandmother attended a watch party on the Alabama coast, where a restaurant owned by the sister of singer Jimmy Buffett hosted about 3,000 people. Joni Hicks arrived in a limousine.
Fun fact: Birmingham might call itself "Idoltown" — in four of the five "Idol" seasons, the victor or runner-up has had Birmingham ties.
- Hicks is from the Birmingham suburb of Hoover
- 2003 winner Ruben Studdard wore the region's area code "205" on shirts
- Bo Bice of the Birmingham suburb of Helena was a finalist last year.
- Diana DeGarmo, the runner-up in 2004, was born in Birmingham.
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