Taylor Hicks

Taylor Reuben Hicks (born October 6, 1976) is an American soul singer, songwriter, and musician. He is the winner of the fifth season of American Idol, beating out Katharine McPhee for the title. He is known for his sometimes energetic performances on stage. His fans are most commonly known as the "Soul Patrol".

Taylor Hicks Early life

Taylor Hicks as a child
Taylor Hicks was born in the Saint Vincent's Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. As an infant, he had blond hair. His hair color turned dark brown/black as an adolescent, and started turning gray by the time he was 15. He and his family moved to suburban Hoover when he was 8 years old. His parents divorced when he was 8, and his father Brad, a dentist, and stepmother Linda shared custody until he became of age. His half-brother, Sean, is a student at Georgia Tech and plays trumpet in the school's jazz band.

Growing up in Hoover, Hicks played Little League baseball, golf, and varsity basketball. According to his grandmother Jonie, Hicks never had formal music lessons. He came running up to her when he was about twelve years old saying, "Grandma, you've got to hear this!" Then he sang Otis Redding's "Try A Little Tenderness" for her. According to his father, when he was 5 years old he sang to random strangers the music of Kenny Rogers or Michael Jackson, to name a few. He plays guitar as well as blues harp and writes most of his own songs. Hicks bought his first harmonica when he was 16.

Hicks was a former student of Berry High School and graduated from Hoover High School in 1995. He attended Auburn University, majoring in business, communications and marketing for a year, but lost interest and dropped out. He moved to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a music career and has worked with Nashville veterans Billy Earle McClelland and Percy Sledge. Later, he graduated from University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Taylor Hicks Career

Hicks' professional music career began with performances at various venues, including the Playboy Mansion. He released two independent albums, In Your Time (1997) and Under the Radar (2005), prior to appearing on Idol though he never held a recording contract so he did not violate their requirements for contestants. Hicks has also spoken on Tapestry, a radio program on National Public Radio affiliate WBHM in Birmingham, in December 2005. Hicks has also performed with James Brown, Tom Petty, Jackson Browne, Drive by Truckers, and Robert Randolph. Hicks is currently collaborating with contemporary blues legend Keb Mo.

American Idol

Hicks auditioned for American Idol in Las Vegas, Nevada. He originally wanted to try out in Memphis but the site was cancelled due to Hurricane Katrina. Also, he was touring in New Orleans with his band, the Little Memphis Blues Orchestra, on the night Hurricane Katrina hit and used a ticket voucher to fly to Las Vegas. Hicks passed the audition by the approval of judges Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul, but not Simon Cowell, who said that Hicks would never make it to the final round. Cowell called back to this quote in a later episode and admitted he was wrong. After advancing to the final three contestants, Hicks gave a short concert and promotional appearance before several thousand fans at the Riverchase Galleria.

On the May 10, 2006 results, Hicks was in the top 2 along with Katharine McPhee, and they made the Top 3 with Elliott Yamin, who became his best friend on the show. 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 and mini-concert, another concert at the Riverchase Galleria, a mall in his hometown, an evening appearance at the Birmingham Museum of Art, and a campaign appearance with Governor Bob Riley and Mayor Bernard Kincaid. May 12 was proclaimed "Taylor Hicks Day" and Hicks was given the key to the city.

Hicks was named the new American Idol on May 24, competing against Katharine McPhee. Over 63.4 million votes were cast in total, with Hicks receiving more than any previous Idol winner. With his win, Hicks (at 29) became the oldest person to win American Idol, only the second male to win the contest (after Ruben Studdard), and is the only man to win the contest against a woman in the finale. He is also the first and only white man to win American Idol and the fifth Southerner to win American Idol. He is the second American Idol from Alabama after season 2 winner Ruben Studdard, but is the third finalist from Alabama along with Studdard and Season 4 runner-up Bo Bice. He is the third person to win the competition without ever being in the bottom two or three (after Kelly Clarkson & Carrie Underwood) and the only man (as of Season 5) to attain such a feat (although Clay Aiken was never in the bottom 2 or 3, he did not win the Idol competition).

Taylor Hicks Fans

Fans of Hicks have been dubbed the "Soul Patrol". Hicks frequently mentions the Soul Patrol after performances and in subsequent appearances by exclaiming, "Soul Patrol! Soul Patrol! Soul Patrol!". After winning Idol, for example, Ryan Seacrest asked if he had any parting words and Hicks yelled, "Soul Patrol!". Hicks became the subject of two Weekend Update lampoons on NBC's Saturday Night Live on April 15 and May 20, 2006, portrayed by cast member Jason Sudeikis. In an allusion to Hicks' quirkiness and disposition, Sudeikis mocked playing Hicks' trademark blues harmonica and repeatedly shouted out "Soul Patrol!". Hicks, when interviewed by Ryan Seacrest on the subsequent episode of American Idol on April 18, 2006, as to whether or not he saw the imitation, admitted that he had and that the impression made him "fall out on the floor" with laughter. During a promotional event for Idol in Alabama, Hicks "inducted" Governor Bob Riley and his wife into the Soul Patrol. Hicks also has two goldfish, named Lamont and Ray, around whom fans have created and maintain a blog.[

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American Idol Season five winner

Taylor Hicks, the winner of season five of American Idol.

The fifth season of American Idol began on January 17, 2006. Auditions were in Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver and San Francisco, with Greensboro, North Carolina and Las Vegas, Nevada included after the cancellation of the Memphis auditions due to Hurricane Katrina. The season used the same rules as Season 4. Contestants had to be between the ages of 16 and 28 on August 15, 2005, being born on or between August 16, 1976 and August 15, 1989.

Although this season had little controversy in comparison to the four prior seasons, various troubles have emerged. Derrell and Terrell Brittenum were twins who auditioned together in Chicago. Derrell had threatened to, and did quit when he had mistakenly heard his brother was cut. After realizing his error, Derrell pleaded to the judges to let him reclaim his spot in the competition, much to their consternation. They gave Derrell and his brother another chance, but the twins were later disqualified in January of 2006 due to a prior arrest in relations to identity theft.

Finalist Bucky Covington also had prior troubles with the law. Coincidentally, Covington's crimes involved himself and his twin brother, Rocky. The two had allegedly switched spots in 1998 to avoid the other getting into troubles with the law, thus confusing the police. However, this prior crime had no effect on Covington's time spent on American Idol, and he was voted off on April 12.

The winner of the season was Taylor Hicks with runner up Katharine McPhee. Taylor Hicks joined Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood as the only winners of American Idol to never be in the bottom three or two. Taylor was named American Idol on May 24, 2006 at 9:56 PM (EDT). Taylor Hicks is the second American Idol winner from the city of Birmingham, AL, and the fourth finalist with close ties to the city.

American Idol winner kept viewers entertained

Taylor Hicks even overcame the blandness of show's original song

He’s 29 years old and looks like he’s Ryan Seacrest’s father. He throws himself around onstage like a marionette being manipulated by drunk puppeteers. The closest comparison to his vocal range are guys like Michael McDonald and Joe Cocker, neither of whom have been on the pop charts in at least two decades.

He’s Taylor Hicks, and he’s the new “American Idol.”

Hicks was announced as the Season 5 winner on Wednesday night, beating out Katharine McPhee in a result about as surprising as former finalist Kellie Pickler mispronouncing a three-syllable word. The Birmingham native was a fan favorite from his first audition, and stayed above the fray throughout the season as the rest of the early leaders faltered. With a distinctive style and memorable voice, he was an easy choice to win the title.

That’s interesting, because the man behind “Soul Patrol” was the one finalist who totally defied convention. In searching for the next star to cast atop the pop-music landscape, the voters picked a winner with a style that’s hasn’t been found in the Top 40 in years.

It was easy to see how the rest of the 12 finalists could find a niche on the airwaves: Pickler and Bucky Covington on country stations, Mandisa belting out gospel, Kevin Covais performing educational videos for the preschoolers watching Noggin, and so on. Hicks’ sound is more classic soul and R&B, which isn’t among the current priorities of the ClearChannel empire. That means it’s not heard on the radio very often.

Perhaps that’s the point. The 63.4 million votes that led to his victory could be read as a signal that maybe not everyone is in the market for cookie-cutter pop music. Maybe the viewers are asking for some variety in their radio diet, rather than just another manufactured Jessica Simpson/Britney Spears clone.

Or it could mean that millions of Americans just like a goofy guy with a Southern accent.

Bloated finale

Hicks was anointed the winner after a bloated two-hour results show that was part music festival, part reunion show, and part really bad comedy routine. The “Idol” talent bookers worked overtime, getting artists like Mary J. Blige, Prince, Live and Toni Braxton to perform in the finale. Amazing what millions of viewers will do to entice musicians looking to sell a CD or two.

Of course, Dionne Warwick performed a couple of songs as well, and Burt Bacharach returned to the program to watch the “12 “Idol” finalists, which shows that somebody’s grandfather still has a big say in who the guest stars are. Still, it offers hope that next season might offer some contemporary musical guest stars, rather than simply going with whatever old-timer feels like stopping by on that particular week.

In between performances from the established stars, the 12 “Idol” finalists, and alums Carrie Underwood and Clay Aiken (Ruben Studdard must have had a prior engagement), there were the usual comedy bits and video montages that serve to stretch out the show so the network can sell more advertising and so the producers can hype the forthcoming “Idol” concert tour.

But while it was nice to see some of the long-departed contestants return (Hey, look! It’s Melissa McGhee!), odds are small that they’re the ones that people are going to shell out their hard-earned money to see. Chris Daughtry has a strong and passionate fan base, judging from all the hubbub and Internet conspiracy rumors that followed his departure. Elliott Yamin, Paris Bennett, and Kellie Pickler will probably sell a few tickets as well. But neither of the two finalists got this far by sheer random chance.

It all came down to Hicks and McPhee, and Hicks was clearly the more natural fit to join the established stars on stage. His central appeal is his ability to entertain, which is far more developed than any of the other contestants in “Idol” history. There have been numerous contestants in the five seasons of “American Idol” with more talent than Hicks, but nobody has come close to being as fun to watch.

That’s more than a gimmick, however, as Hicks proved in Tuesday’s final sing-off. Because he can move an audience, he can overcome obstacles like an original song that sounds like it was written in 1947. (“Do I Make You Proud?” Is the show getting its music ideas from the Self-Help section of Barnes & Noble?) That ability displayed the star potential that McPhee lacked, and it proved to be the difference.

In an earlier show, Rebecca Romijn, the supermodel-turned-movie-actress whose posters have hung in a generation of college men’s dorm rooms, requested nothing other than a Taylor Hicks encore. When a supermodel drags her fiancé (actor Jerry O’Connell) to a concert to hear you sing, that’s a clear sign that you’ve made it.

Now that Hicks has got the million-dollar record deal and the coveted “Idol” crown, Romijn is likely only the first high-profile Hicks fan. Not bad for a harmonica player from Alabama.

American Idol Hicks celebrates big win

LOS ANGELES -- Taylor Hicks, the mop-topped manic dancer who wooed TV audiences with his raw singing style and boisterous personality, was named the new winner of the "American Idol" singing contest.

The 29-year-old from Birmingham, Alabama, with his unlikely mop of prematurely gray hair, said he wanted to travel back home to his legions of "Soul Patrol" fans, whom he thanked onstage the moment he won Wednesday night.

Then, he added, he wants to record a "really good" album, "with soul."

"I'm heading to the studio as quickly as I can," he said. "But I'll take a few days off to clear my head."

And he would love to tour with younger R&B and rock artists such as John Legend and John Mayer, said Hicks, whose victory earned him a recording contract and a new car.

Hicks, who beat out sultry brunette Katharine McPhee, 22, of Los Angeles, credited his win in part to "a love for music."

It also helped, he said, that he sang after McPhee did during Tuesday night's head-to-head competition.

The show's fifth and best-rated edition yet took a leap in stature Wednesday when Prince, Mary J. Blige and other big names performed during the finale. The series has given big boosts to the album sales of pop stars who have appeared on it.

Hicks, the latest in a string of Southern and Midwestern contestants to win the contest, leaned over in an emotional reaction when host Ryan Seacrest announced his victory.

"I was just telling myself, `Don't fall to the floor. Don't let my knees buckle,"' he said backstage.

More than 63 million votes were cast, "more than any president in the history of our country has received," Seacrest said. Specific tallies for Hicks and McPhee were not immediately announced.

Fans picked the soulful sound and footloose moves of Hicks, who made his mark on Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City" on Tuesday's show, although McPhee's well-trained voice was shown to perfection on the standard "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."

After Wednesday's show, runner-up McPhee said she hadn't expected to win and didn't have any regrets.

"It would really just be silly to feel bad for me at this point. I got a record deal, a new car," she said backstage.

McPhee said she planned to take a week off to see friends in New York and "go somewhere tropical" before embarking on the "American Idol" tour with Hicks and the other finalists.

As for the future, she said she wanted to model her career after Julia Roberts, and eventually go into movies and back to her musical-theater roots.

Last season's victor, Carrie Underwood, opened the finale, joining Hicks and McPhee on "I Made It Through the Rain" and later soloing on "Don't Forget to Remember Me."

On Tuesday, Underwood won two trophies at the Academy of Country Music Awards, underscoring how much an "Idol" victory can mean. She was named top new female artist and won best single for "Jesus Take the Wheel."

Other pairings of contestants and stars on the "Idol" finale included Paris Bennett and Al Jarreau; McPhee and Meat Loaf; Chris Daughtry and Live; Elliott Yamin and Blige; Hicks and Toni Braxton, and the dozen finalists with Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick.

Prince was a surprise final performer, taking the stage for two songs, including "Satisfied" -- and without an "Idol" contestant alongside.

Asked backstage if he had any advice for contestants, Meat Loaf replied: "If you want to do this, you're gonna go up and down, and up and down, and people are going to love you and hate you ... Just stick with it," he said. (AP)

Soul singer Taylor Hicks wins "American Idol"

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.

American Idol Katharine McPhee

Katharine made it to the final 2.

Katharine McPhee's (32342) mother is a vocal coach. At the time she auditioned in San Francisco, Randy said her audition was the best he'd heard yet this season. At the end of the first semi-final round, Simon Cowell said that he had heard four very good singers that evening and that Katharine was the best among them. She is from Sherman Oaks, California. Katharine made the final two on May 17th.

• Since I Fell for You (Barbra Streisand)
  
• All in Love Is Fair (Stevie Wonder)
  
• Think (Aretha Franklin)
  
• Until You Come Back to Me (Stevie Wonder)
  
• Come Rain or Come Shine (Ella Fitzgerald)
  
• The Voice Within (Christina Aguilera) - Bottom 2 03/29/06
  
• Bringing Out the Elvis (Faith Hill)
  
• Who Wants to Live Forever (Queen)
  
• Someone to Watch Over Me (Frank Sinatra)
  
• I Have Nothing (Whitney Houston) - Top 2 04/26/06
  
• Against All Odds (Phil Collins)
  
• Black Horse and the Cherry Tree (KT Tunstall)
  
• Hound Dog / All Shook Up (Elvis Presley) - Bottom 2 05/10/06
  
• Can't Help Falling in Love (Elvis Presley) - Bottom 2 05/10/06
  
• I Believe I Can Fly (R. Kelly)- Top 2 5/17/06
  
• Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Judy Garland) - Top 2 5/17/06
  
• I Ain't Got Nothing But the Blues (Ella Fitzgerald) - Top 2 5/17/06
  

American Idol Taylor Hicks

Taylor made it to the final 2.

Taylor Hicks (74094) is from Birmingham, Alabama. He is gray-haired, performed "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke at his original audition in Las Vegas. He is the only contestant of the season to have never been in the bottom 2 or 3 throughout the competition. He was submitted into the final two on May 17th.

1. Levon (Elton John)
   
2. Easy (The Commodores)
   
3. Takin' It to the Streets (The Doobie Brothers)
   
4. Living for the City (Stevie Wonder)
   
5. Not Fade Away (Buddy Holly)
   
6. Trouble (Ray LaMontagne)
   
7. Take Me Home, Country Roads (John Denver)
   
8. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Queen)
   
9. You Send Me (Sam Cooke)
   
10. Just Once (James Ingram)
    
11. Play That Funky Music (Wild Cherry)
    
12. Something (The Beatles)
    
13. Jailhouse Rock (Elvis Presley) - Top 2 05/10/06
    
14. In the Ghetto (Elvis Presley) - Top 2 05/10/06
    
15. Dancing in the Dark (Bruce Springsteen) - Top 2 5/17/06
    
16. You Are So Beautiful (Joe Cocker) - Top 2 5/17/06
    
17. Try A Little Tenderness (Otis Redding) - Top 2 5/17/06
    

American Idols LIVE! Tour 2006

American Idols Live! Tour 2006' is a summer concert tour featuring all of the winning contestants of the fifth season of American Idol (the overall winner and 9 runner-ups), which occurred in 2006. It is sponsored by Kellogg Pop-Tarts. It starts on July 6 and ends on September 2.

Venues

City	Venue
Birmingham, Alabama	BJCC Arena
Anaheim, California	Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim
Los Angeles, California	Staples Center
Sacramento, California	ARCO Arena
San Diego, California	ipayOne Center
San Jose, California	HP Pavilion at San Jose
Bridgeport, Connecticut	Arena at Harbor Yard
Hartford, Connecticut	Hartford Civic Center
Sunrise, Florida	BankAtlantic Center
Tampa, Florida	St. Pete Times Forum
Duluth, Georgia	Arena at Gwinnett Center
Chicago, Illinois	Allstate Arena
Peoria, Illinois	Peoria Civic Center
Indianapolis, Indiana	Indiana State Fairgrounds
Louisville, Kentucky	Freedom Hall
Worcester, Massachusetts	DCU Center
Grand Rapids, Michigan	Van Andel Arena
Detroit, Michigan	Joe Louis Arena
St. Paul, Minnesota	Xcel Energy Center
St. Louis, Missouri	Savvis Center
Manchester, New Hampshire	Verizon Wireless Arena
Atlantic City, New Jersey	Boardwalk Hall
East Rutherford, New Jersey	Continental Airlines Arena
Albany, New York	Pepsi Arena
Long Island, New York	Nassau Coliseum
Rochester, New York	BlueCross Arena
Charlotte, North Carolina	Charlotte Bobcats Arena
Greensboro, North Carolina	Greensboro Coliseum
Cleveland, Ohio	Wolstein Arena
Columbus, Ohio	Value City Arena
Portland, Oregon	Rose Garden
Hershey, Pennsylvania	GIANT Arena
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	Melon Arena
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Wachovia Center
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania	Wachovia Arena
Columbia, South Carolina	Colonial Center
Nashville, Tennessee	Gaylord Entertainment Center
Richmond, Virginia	Richmond Coliseum
Tacoma, Washington	Tacoma Dome
Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Bradley Center
Washington, D.C.	Verizon Center

Top 12 finalists

American Idol Semi-finals

The semi-finals began on February 21, with the names announced on February 15. There were three shows each week for the three weeks of the semi-finals.

There were no format changes from season 4; it will feature 12 male singers and 12 female singers (24 total), with two of each being eliminated each week.

The 24 semi-finalists, announced February 15, 2006, along with their songs performed on the show, were:

Women-eliminated

Ayla Brown (14336) (born February 27, 1988) is an American singer and was fourteenth place on American Idol.
She is from Wrentham, Massachusetts. Her father, Scott Brown, is a Massachusetts state senator, and her mother, Gail Huff, is a local television personality at WCVB-TV. She has a college basketball scholarship at Boston College. She originally auditioned in Boston, singing Ain't No Mountain High Enough.

• Ayla Brown Official Website
  
• American Idol - Contestants: Ayla Brown
  
• Myspace Page
  
  
  
  1. Reflection (Christina Aguilera)
     
  2. I Want You To Need Me (Celine Dion)
     
  3. Unwritten (Natasha Bedingfield) - Eliminated 03/09/06
     
  
  

Kinnik Sky (63995) is from Duluth, Georgia. She auditioned in Greensboro.

1. Get Here (Oleta Adams)
   
2. Here For the Party (Gretchen Wilson) - Bottom 3 03/02/06
   
3. If I Ain't Got You (Alicia Keys) - Eliminated 03/09/06
   

Heather Heather Cox (36338) is from Jonesville, North Carolina. She auditioned in Denver.

1. When You Tell Me That You Love Me (Diana Ross)
   
2. Hero (Mariah Carey) - Eliminated 03/02/06
   

Brenna Gethers (14289) is from Mount Vernon, New York. She auditioned in Boston.

1. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life (Stevie Wonder)
   
2. Last Dance (Donna Summer) - Eliminated 03/02/06
   

Stevie Scott (36600) (born May 22, 1986 in Fair Oaks, California). She auditioned in Denver. She sang "Emotions" with Hannah Freeman and finalist Paris Bennett during their group performance in Hollywood. She was eliminated from American Idol (Season 5) on February 23, 2006 along with Becky O'Donohue, Bobby Bennett, and Patrick Hall. She made a cameo appearance on the Top 6 performance show of American Idol on April 25, 2006.

• Stevie Scott Website
  
• American Idol - Stevie Scott
  
  
  
  1. To Where You Are (Josh Groban) - Eliminated 02/23/06
     
  
  

Becky Becky O'Donohue (11588) is from Dobbs Ferry, New York. Her original audition was in Boston with her twin sister (who didn't sing due to recent throat surgery). Simon praised her looks, but said no to her voice. She was let through to Hollywood by Randy and Paula.

1. Because The Night (Patti Smith) - Eliminated 02/23/06
   

Men-eliminated

Gedeon Gedeon McKinney (4460) (born October 1, 1988) was the 13th place semi-finalist in the fifth season of American Idol. He comes from Memphis, Tennessee, but the Memphis auditions had to be canceled due to relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina that were taking place in Memphis. He was so poor that his school let him administer a concert, and the students paid USD$2.00 to get in, so he could enter the contest in another city. He auditioned in Chicago, and made it through the first rounds and eventually was one of the top 24 contestants. He was not given enough votes to enter the top 12, and was voted off. During the course of the show, Gedeon was famed for his almost permanent wide smile.
Gedeon McKinney's father Tony McKinney, an R&B singer who made an album "Love Me Right." died in December, 2005. "Hollywood is a place he always dreamed of going and I am living out my father's legacy, and I really thank God for that". Gedeon has three sisters and three brothers.

• Article, February 17, 2006 An 'Idol' dream is real for Yo! teen at commercialappeal.com
  
• March 11, 2006 Reality TV Magazine, article
  
• Unofficial Gedeon McKinney Fan Site
  
• American Idol - Contestants: Gedeon McKinney
  
• Gedeon McKinney - TWoP Forums
  
• Article, "McKinney honored by City Council" (March 22, 2006)
  
  
  
  1. Shout (The Isley Brothers)
     
  2. A Change Is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke)
     
  3. When A Man Loves a Woman (Percy Sledge) - Eliminated 03/09/06
     
  
  

Will Will Makar (58581) (born March 2, 1989 in The Woodlands, Texas) is an American singer and was fifteenth-place on the fifth season of American Idol. He is of Ukrainian origin and studies Japanese. Will is currently a sophomore at The Woodlands College Park High School in The Woodlands, TX. He was held back a year in elementary school by request of his parents. In school, Will has starred in several musical productions. In 1999 Will sang with the Houston Children’s Chorus for President Clinton, and again in 2002 for President Bush. After five years as a member of the Houston Children’s Chorus, Will decided he had grown too old, and "retired." In 2003, Will, along with his three friends Louis, Bobby, and Aaron, formed a band called Last Born, of which Will held the position of the lead vocals until 2005, when he decided to pursue a solo career. Will auditioned for American Idol (Season 5)] in Austin, TX.
He was eliminated on March 9, 2006, which was the same week that the Top 12 was announced. He finished in 15th place. During the show, Will developed a friendship with David Radford and Kevin Covais. They had performed together during the group performance in Hollywood week.[citation needed]

• American Idol - Contestants: Will Makar
  
• Will Makar's Official Website
  
• Will Makar at TV.com
  
• Will Makar's Fansite
  
• Will Makar Central
  
  
  
  1. I Want You Back (The Jackson 5)
     
  2. Lady (Kenny Rogers)
     
  3. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) (James Taylor) - Eliminated 03/09/06
     
  
  

José José "Sway" Penala (32613) (born October 27, 1977) is from South San Francisco, and he auditioned in San Francisco. Jose began writing lyrics and continued to perfect his voice through the years. In 1996, he partnered with his good friend, Darrell to form the group “DnH” - short for Drop n Harmony. Friends, Jerome and Lionel, joined the group within the next three years. The four self-starters worked hard on their craft, practicing constantly to blend their voices into the perfect mix of breathtaking harmonies. This San Francisco based group, was a favorite in the Bay Area and were likened to a Filipino Boyz II Men. At the end of 2001, Jose began a compilation with members of other Asian-American singing groups. During this initial collaboration, the four singers: Jose, Errol, Drey, and Cyrus, realized that they shared the same passion for music and similar visions of success. This led to the creation of a new group, “6th Day”. He sports a Fedora hat, overcoat and a dogtag to suit his RNB style of music when performing on-stage.

• American Idol - Contestants: Jose 'Sway" Penala
  
• Jose Penala's Fansite
  
• 6th Day Website
  
  
  
  1. Reasons (Earth Wind & Fire)
     
  2. Overjoyed (Stevie Wonder) - Eliminated 03/02/06
     
  
  

David David Radford (2436) (born March 22, 1988 in Crystal Lake, Illinois) is a high school senior at Crystal Lake Central High School. David has also been popular in singing with many students in his high school.He has been singing "his way" since he can remember. As a child, whenever there was a spotlight, David somehow found a way to its center. In addition to singing, David plays the trumpet as well as a mean game of Ping-Pong. He originally auditioned in Chicago. He was eliminated from American Idol on March 2, 2006 along with José (Sway) Penala, Brenna Gethers and Heather Cox.
David also became best friends and roommates with semi-finalists, Will Makar, and Ayla Brown and finalists, Kevin Covais, Paris Bennett, Lisa Tucker, Katharine McPhee, and Kellie Pickler.

• David Radford's Unofficial Website
  
• American Idol - Contestants: David Radford
  
  
  
  1. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Queen)
     
  2. The Way You Look Tonight (Frank Sinatra) - Eliminated 03/02/06
     
  
  

Patrick Patrick Hall (79857) is from Gravette, Arkansas and was seen for the first time in Hollywood.

• Come to My Window (Melissa Etheridge) - Eliminated 02/23/06
  

Bobby Bobby Bennett (36477) is from Denver and also auditioned there. He made an appearance in the March 21 episode wherein Barry Manilow performed that night.

• Copacabana (Barry Manilow) - Eliminated 02/23/06
  

American Idol Final cutdown

On January 23, 2006, after a considerable time lapse from Hollywood Week, and after the audition shows began to air on January 17, the judges reviewed tapes and considered early audience reaction to the contestants. Without any additional performances from the contestants, the judges then reduced the the remaining 44 contestants to 24 semi-finalists in a Pasadena, California hotel. Among those eliminated at this point were:

David Avram #4929
Brooke Barrettsmith #9719, one of the two sisters who auditioned together in Chicago and were profiled as "small town" girls.
Megan Bobo #37340, one of the last two girls to be told if they were in the final 24 or not, lost the place to Kinnik Sky.
Jessica Jo Santos #78151
Antonio Bridges #75320
Derrell and Terrell Brittenum #7958, #7959, older set of twins that auditioned together in Chicago. In Hollywood, Derrell quit after mistakenly thinking his brother had been cut. After an apology, the judges allowed both brothers to stay in the competition. They made it to the final 44, but they were disqualified in January 2006 after being arrested.
Murcelia "Marcy" Smith #35871 was in the same group as Brenna Gethers and was visibly irritated by Brenna's obnoxious nature and unreliability in turning up for practice. Brenna, however, made a great show of being friendly with her on stage when Simon remarked on this after the group performance.
Bobby Bullard #35990
Bobby Dillard #31701
Syd James Harcourt #10300 and Will Makar were the final two men to be called into the room where the final selection for the top 24 was to take place.
Eugenia Littlejohn #35660 cried and said her dreams of ever making it as a singer were destroyed when she wasn't selected for the final 24, provoking surprised reactions from all three judges.
Mark Adam Locklear #63998
William McCoy #60242
Nicole Ortiz #13677
Crystal Stark #1140, sang I Have Nothing by Whitney Houston in Chicago.
Brianna Taylor #11142, sang the song If I Ain't Got You by Alicia Keys in Boston.
April Walsh #37870, sang the song It's Oh So Quiet by Bjork in Denver.
Stephanie White #11425
Nick Whitten #61919

American Idol Hollywood rounds two and three

The remaining 99 hopefuls competed in Round Two, which was three- or four-person groups singing one of six or so pre-selected songs. Cuts were made (of individuals, not whole groups) after this round.

Approximately 60 contestants went on to Round Three, which was a solo a capella performance of one of 95 possible songs. After this, cuts were made by segregating performers into different rooms, with everyone in a given room either moving on or being cut.

Across both rounds, 55 were cut, including:

Meredith Bandas
Leah Barrettsmith, one of the two sisters who auditioned together in Chicago and were profiled as "small town" girls, sang the song "Blessed" during Chicago auditions
Matthew Buckstein
Rochelle-Elaine Dye came to her Denver audition with several friends and family who had her name spelled out in t-shirts. She said she was about to be evicted.
Sarah Enouen
Michael Evans
Hannah Freeman
Gina Glocksen was profiled as a dental assistant and the lead singer in an all-girl band, auditioned in Chicago.
Anthony Hansen
Rickey Hayes was a music major, auditioned in Austin
Jason Horn, Funeral director, auditioned in Austin with "You Raise Me Up".
Ashley Jackson, "fit model", sang with her mouth closed, auditioned in Austin.
Josh Jordan, sang during the group performance together with semi-finalists, David Radford and Will Makar, and finalist, Kevin Covais
Garet Layne Johnson, profiled as the "Wyoming Cowboy," auditioned in Denver, was advised to get voice lessons before going to Hollywood. He was featured as part of a Brokeback Mountain parody called "Brokenote Mountain".
Mecca Madison was an 18-year-old high-school senior and belly-dancer. Auditioned in Las Vegas.
Celeste Scalone was a former contestant on Making the Band.
Tyra Juliette Schwartz came from New York and was dumped by her boyfriend shortly before auditioning in Greensboro. She was a former contestant on Making the Band.
Jennifer Sieminski later gave a very detailed interview describing behind-the-scenes practices of American Idol
Jordan Southerland auditioned in Greensboro and was profiled wearing a fireman outfit on the show. He received complimentary reviews in his audition and wore the firesuit in honor of all the firemen who assisted in Hurricane Katrina and in honor of his father who was very sick and had been a fireman for 20 years. In Hollywood he performed the song "Bless the Broken Road".
Halicia Thompson sang the theme from A Different World and kissed Simon. She auditioned in Greensboro.
Nicole Turk
Tatiana Ward auditoned in Boston. Simon compared her to his pet poodle, and complained that her singing was too "old fashioned." Randy and Paula let her through.
Lauren Weckerly
Megan Zieger was first seen in Hollywood, where she had a bad case of laryngitis, but managed to sustain her voice.

American Idol Hollywood round one

The first round of Hollywood consisted of two days of solo performances of one of 12 pre-selected songs, to a piano and background vocal accompaniment, with each singer singing on one day and touring Los Angeles on the other day.

Of the 175 hopefuls who made it to Hollywood, 99 were selected to move on to the next round. Among those cut from at this time were:

Jeffrey "Ryan" Baysden auditioned in Greensboro. He was told by Simon, "finally, a Ryan with talent!"
Steven David, Jr. auditioned in his Air National Guard uniform in Greensboro, danced with Paula, and turned out to be married.
Ashley Guadamuz
David Hoover aka "Crazy Dave", sent through by Randy and Paula in Chicago. He is the first "bad" singer ever to be sent on to Hollywood.
Shelby Johnson
Linelle Kagawa
Kymyata Kelty
Eden Kentner
Ronnie "R.J." Norman was profiled as the "Cocky Guy" in Austin. He cried when he was eliminated in Hollywood.
Jayne Santayana auditioned in San Francisco, sang "Sweet Love" by Anita Baker.
Joshua and Jarrett Simmons are the younger set of male twins that auditioned together in Chicago.
Zachary Smits was a 17-year-old, auditioned in Chicago.
Jordan Southerland auditioned dressed as a firefighter in Greensboro.
Heather Ward was the African American woman who surprised the judges by singing Gretchen Wilson's country anthem "Redneck Woman" in Las Vegas.
Shawna White was 16 years old, wore pigtails that inspired yodeling from the judges, auditioned in San Francisco.
John Williams sang a Michael Jackson song and did a dance in San Francisco, Simon wasn't impressed with his "routine", but Randy and Paula put him through.
Kendra Winston was the mother of three children, grew up in 42 different foster care situations, auditioned in Greensboro.
Laura Wright auditioned in Greensboro. It showed her singing a little bit.

American Idol Eliminated contestants

Early auditions

Joshua David "Josh" Royse is an 18-year-old from Turpin, Oklahoma who auditioned in San Francisco. He sang Hoobastank's "The Reason". Royse is a Christian musician who writes about Christianity. On the show, he also performed an original song about the American Idol audition process (title "The Greatest Feeling Of All") with another contestant he met while they were in San Francisco. He did not make it past his initial audition. The judges praised his singing but said he was not what they were looking for. Later, he was chosen by the American Idol Underground A/R team and signed a recording contract with an independent record company in California. His American Idol song was made into a music video on the American Idol website. He also has an "Idol Alumni" testimonial on the website. In addition, he has spoken in radio interviews on a handlful of stations in the U.S., and has airplay for "The Greatest Feeling of All". (see also: Royse's official site)
Holly Corrente worked at a rehabilitation facility. Auditioned in Boston and eliminated there.
Rhonetta Johnson had a diva attitude, a potty mouth, and no underwear. Made negative comments, mostly about and directed to Paula Abdul after being rejected by the judges. Eliminated in Greensboro auditions. Rhonetta later appeared in a Rolling Stone (magazine) issue discussing the lives of various rejected American Idol 5 auditioners.

Rhonetta JohnsonChonna Clepper auditioned in Greensboro dressed in almost nothing.
Zachary Travis auditioned in Denver dressed in a woman's crop top, tight blue jeans with a studded belt and high heeled boots and sang the Whitney Houston song "Queen of the Night" which Simon described as atrocious and Travis as being confused.
Ryan Hart auditioned in Las Vegas singing a song in the style of screamo. He was not accepted and made fun of by Randy upon leaving, but Hart couldn't depart without screaming a few (censored) words to Simon.