Personnel: Taylor Hicks (harmonica, drums, background vocals); Chris Bruce, James Harrah, Rusty Anderson (guitar); Greg Leisz (lap steel guitar, pedal steel guitar); Stevie Blacke (lap steel guitar, cello, strings); Johnny Bamont, Mark Hollingsworth (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Eric Marienthal (tenor saxophone); Greg Adams , Lee Thornburg (trumpet); Nick Lane (trombone); Kevin Kadish (organ); Patrick Warren (keyboards); Leland Sklar (bass instrument); Reggie Hamilton (upright bass, electric bass); Weekend Warrior's Drum Corps (drums); John OBrien, Alexander Richbourg, Pete Davis (programming); Judith Hill, Almost Exhausted Tabernacle Choir, Matt Tryggestad, Nikisha Grier, Jason Migas Morales, Joseph Powell, Kara DioGuardi, Louis Price, Oren Waters, Terry Young, Tom Leonard (background vocals); Jamie Muhoberac (piano, organ, Wurlitzer organ, keyboards); Matt Serletic (Wurlitzer organ, keyboards, background vocals); Curt Bisquera (drums); Lenny Castro (percussion).
For the legion of adoring fans (dubbed the "Soul Patrol") that singer Taylor Hicks won over on the fifth season of AMERICAN IDOL, the months that went by between his May 2006 victory and this album's December release must have seemed like an eternity. The Alabama-born vocalist's self-titled major-label debut, however, proved to be worth the wait, with Hicks confidently presenting a well-crafted and pleasantly varied set of blues/soul-tinged pop tunes.
From its rousing, horn-laden opener, "The Runaround," to the slow, pensive closer, "The Right Place," the record showcases Hicks's smoky, impassioned Everyman voice, occasionally pointing to his notable Michael McDonald influence but never overstating that case. In addition to self-penned songs, the disc features writing contributions by Diane Warren, Bryan Adams, and Rob Thomas, the latter being responsible for the soaring anthem (and album high point) "Dream Myself Awake." Although TAYLOR HICKS was issued within weeks of offerings by other IDOL alumni, including Chris Daughtry and Fantasia Barrino, with its energetic and dynamic performances, it easily stands apart from the crowd.
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