'American Idol' Taylor Hicks signs record deal
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Taylor Hicks , who last week became the latest winner of Fox-TV's "American Idol" talent competition, has signed a recording contract with "Idol" creator Simon Fuller's 19 Recordings Limited and Arista Records.
The 29-year-old Alabama native won't dish his debut album until "later this year," according to a press release, but he plans to tide over fans with the June 13 commercial release of his first single, "Do I Make You Proud," which he sang during the final two episodes of this season's "American Idol."
"Do I Make You Proud" will be available at retail outlets and via digital-music services, according to J Records. The song's B-side will be Hicks' rendition of the Doobie Brothers classic "Takin' It to the Streets," which also appears on the recently released "American Idol Season 5 Encores" album.
Hicks was crowned the newest "American Idol" last Wednesday (5/24) after beating out fellow contestant Katharine McPhee. Following the pair's final face-off last Tuesday (5/23), viewers cast more than 63 million votes to determine the winner.
Previous "Idol" winners and runners up have sold a combined total of 33 million records, according to a press release. That figure includes music from Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, Ruben Studdard and Bo Bice. Clarkson, who was the first-ever "Idol" winner, bears the additional distinction of winning two Grammy awards earlier this year.
Hicks, McPhee and this year's other Top 10 finalists will join forces for a 60-date summer tour that gets underway July 5.
'American Idols Live' tour
July 2006
5, 6 - Manchester, NH - Verizon Wireless Arena
7, 8 - Worcester, MA - DCU Center
9 - Hartford, CT - Hartford Civic Center
11 - Albany, NY - Pepsi Arena
12 - Hershey, PA - Giant Center
13, 14 - East Rutherford, NJ - Continental Airlines Arena
15, 16 - Uniondale, NY - Nassau Coliseum
18 - Wilkes-Barre, PA - Wachovia Arena
19 - Cleveland, OH - Wolstein Center
21 - Rochester, NY - BlueCross Arena
22 - Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center
23 - Atlantic City, NJ - Boardwalk Hall
25 - Bridgeport, CT - Arena at Harbor Yard
27 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mellon Arena
28 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center
29 - Richmond, VA - Richmond Coliseum
30 - Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Coliseum
August 2006
1 - Charlotte, NC - Charlotte Bobcats Arena
2 - Columbia, SC - Colonial Center
3 - Duluth, GA - Arena at Gwinnett Center
5 - Sunrise, FL - BankAtlantic Center
6 - Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times Forum
8 - Birmingham, AL - BJCC Arena
10 - Nashville, TN - Gaylord Entertainment Center
11 - Columbus, OH - Value City Arena
12 - Milwaukee, WI - Bradley Center
13 - Saint Louis, MO - Savvis Center
15 - Grand Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena
16 - Detroit, MI - Joe Louis Arena
17 - Indianapolis, IN - Indiana State Fairgrounds
18 - Louisville, KY - Freedom Hall
19 - Rosemont, IL - Allstate Arena
20 - Peoria, IL - Civic Center
22 - Saint Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center
25 - San Diego, CA - Sports Arena
26 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
27 - Anaheim, CA - Arrowhead Pond
29 - Sacramento, CA - ARCO Arena
30 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion At San Jose
September 2006
1 - Portland, OR - Rose Garden
2 - Tacoma, WA - Tacoma Dome
5 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
7, 8 - Grand Prairie, TX - Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie
9 - Houston, TX - Reliant Arena
10 - Austin, TX - Frank Erwin Center
12 - Duluth, GA - The Arena at Gwinnett Center
14 - Huntington, WV - Big Sandy Superstore Arena
15 - Norfolk, VA - Constant Convocation Center
16 - Reading, PA - Sovereign Center
17 - Syracuse, NY - War Memorial at OnCenter
19 - Hershey, PA - GIANT Center
21 - Portland, ME - Cumberland County Civic Center
22 - Providence, RI - Dunkin Donuts Center
23 - Bridgeport, CT - Arena at Harbor Yard
24 - Wilkes-Barre, PA - Wachovia Center
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