Taylor Hicks has a way of turning a milestone into a metaphor.
“I’ve punched all 50 buttons,” he says of recently celebrating his 50th birthday, “and I’m hoping I can punch 50 more.”
It is classic Taylor. Soulful, playful and always looking toward what comes next.
That spirit has carried him through two decades in show business, from American Idol and Broadway to Las Vegas, television, restaurants and the Grand Ole Opry. Now, as he enters a new decade, two of his latest projects reflect something deeper than another performance or destination. One uses the open road to raise money for charities across the country. The other honors the young Americans who answered the call to serve after September 11.
Both feel especially fitting for a November issue centered on giving, gratitude and those who serve.
This year, Taylor got behind the wheel for The Great American Road Rally, a celebrity-filled journey along Route 66 that combined classic cars, charitable challenges and a distinctly American sense of adventure.
The rally follows celebrity teams traveling 2,000+ miles from Chicago to Santa Monica during Route 66’s centennial year. Along the way, participants competed in challenges ranging from archery to go-karts, all while supporting charitable organizations across the country.
“I had a blast,” Taylor says. “I enjoyed riding with all the different celebrities, including people I grew up watching, like John Schneider and Erik Estrada."
Despite spending much of his career on the road, Taylor had never experienced Route 66.
“The people along the route, whether they owned diners or little mom-and-pop gas stations, were so warm and accommodating,” he says.
While the route reaches Arizona, Taylor’s touring schedule pulled him away before the rally arrived in Flagstaff, but his affection for our state is unmistakable.
“I love it out there.”
His Arizona memories include filming State Plate in Tucson, discovering fry bread, and finding an immediate connection to the funnel cakes of his Southern upbringing.
“I’m a prickly pear margarita person. Let’s not forget that.”
Naturally, no road trip with Taylor would be complete without a soundtrack. If he had to choose one song to play on repeat, it would be Canned Heat’s “On the Road Again.”
“It has a great harmonica in it. To me, it embodies the whole journey we were on.”
The harmonica has been part of Taylor’s own journey since he was a teenager in Alabama. He bought his first one at a flea market when he was a teen.
That instrument eventually became part of the sound that made Taylor instantly recognizable on American Idol. This year marks 20 years since he won Season 5.
“I’ve been quite busy these last two decades in show business, and that’s a blessing,” he says. “But going back to Idol was very nostalgic. I did have that moment of wondering, where did the time go?”
During his return to the show, Taylor encountered a producer who had served as the gatekeeper at his first audition in Las Vegas. Two decades later, they found themselves back where the story began.
He also remains connected to many members of the Idol family, including winners and contestants from his era. Taylor keeps in touch with Kellie Pickler, Chris Daughtry, Elliott Yamin and Katharine McPhee, among others.
“When you go through something like that, it truly becomes a little bit of a family.”
If he were auditioning today, Taylor already knows what he would sing: John Mayer’s “Waiting on the World to Change,” complete with a sizable harmonica solo.
“Up until my season, it was strictly a singing competition. We couldn’t use instruments. Being able to audition with an instrument probably would have helped me out a little more.”
And Simon Cowell?
“I think he’s become a softie in his older age. Yes, he was mean. It was his staunch music-business prowess versus my Southern, humble musical hospitality. That dynamic created interest from all different walks of life.”
Beneath the humor is an artist whose relationship with music began as something deeply personal. Growing up as a child of divorce, Taylor found comfort in Ray Charles, Otis Redding and the soul music that became his emotional education.
“Any child who goes through divorce has tough moments and very introspective moments. Music therapy is real.”
What would that younger version of Taylor think of the life he eventually built?
“He would be over the moon and very proud. But he would probably also tell me there’s unfinished business.”
That marathon has taken him far beyond the Idol stage. Taylor has performed on Broadway as Teen Angel in Grease, portrayed Charlie Anderson in Shenandoah, headlined in Las Vegas, hosted television and explored his love of food through State Plate.
“Theater has been my greatest professional challenge because I entered it without formal training.”
That willingness to step into unfamiliar territory is part of what gives “Nineteen” its weight.
The song tells the story of a young athlete who chooses military service after September 11. Taylor rereleased it during America’s 250th anniversary year, but its connection to his own life began much earlier. He grew up with teammates who later entered the military, including a close friend who joined the Marines, and he has family members and friends who have served.
“When I came across that song, it was one of those songs that spoke to me as an artist. You just have to run in and record it.”
The song has remained in his repertoire for years. Each time he performs it, Taylor sees the emotion it evokes in veterans, active-duty military families and those who have lost someone they love.
“We always need to take a pause and reflect on our veterans and what they mean to this country.”
That message gives the music meaning beyond the stage. In a season focused on giving, Taylor’s contribution is a reminder that honoring veterans begins with listening to their stories, recognizing their sacrifice, and refusing to let their service fade into the background.
Another release, “The Mirror,” moves from patriotism to heartbreak. Recorded in Memphis at Sam Phillips Recording with the Memphis Horns, the song examines a relationship from what Taylor calls “a narcissistic perspective.”
“Sometimes the narcissistic bite is one of the worst, so I decided to write about it.”
He later performed and released the song at the Grand Ole Opry.
At 50, Taylor sounds grateful, grounded and far from finished.
“The older I get, the less I care about people who don’t care about me,” he says. “And the more I care about myself and being good to the people around me.”
Twenty years after America first met him, what is Taylor Hicks still chasing?
“An Oscar,” he answers. “Duh.”
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