Taylor Hicks To Receive Award From Alabama Music Hall of Fame

Mary Colurso wrote a nice article today in al.com about Taylor's performance at the Alabama Music Awards that is being held this Friday, February 22 in Montgomery. He will also receive one of the two American Music Awards that will be handed out. Well deserved Taylor! The article reads:

Give Taylor Hicks a plate of Birmingham barbecue and he's a happy man. Give Hicks, 31, an award from the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, and he's happy about that, too.

The Hoover-born singer, foodie and 2006 "American Idol" winner will receive the America's Music Award on Friday in Montgomery, at the hall of fame's annual induction and awards ceremony. Hicks will share that accolade with Angela Hacker of LaGrange, the 2007 winner of the "Nashville Star" TV show.

"I'm very honored," Hicks said today. "I think the last award I received was for being tardy the most in high school. This will be a step up."

Hicks plans to perform "Soul Thing" at the 7 p.m. ceremony, held at the Montgomery Renaissance Hotel. Other performers will include Kris Kristofferson, Percy Sledge, Tommy Shaw, Beth Nielsen Chapman and the Commodores.

The hall of fame will induct five Alabama natives that evening, including jazz bassist Cleve Eaton, 68, of Fairfield. Eaton, a veteran on Birmingham's music scene, has done stints with the Ramsey Lewis Trio, toured with the Count Basie Orchestra and collaborated with many other jazz luminaries.

Hicks has performed with Eaton in the past, and sat in with his band at the Open Door Cafe in Mountain Brook. Eaton is known for his intense focus and flamboyant musicianship during concerts.

"When Cleve plays, he's one of those musicians who's in another world," Hicks said. "While we're listening to him on Earth, he's playing the bass in Mars. I think that has to do with talent. He's that talented, and knows the instrument that well. It was an honor to play with a guy like that."

The hall of fame will distribute four awards at Friday's ceremony, aside from the one given to Hicks and Hacker. Recipients will include songwriter Chris Tompkins of Greenhill, who recently won a Grammy Award as the cowriter of Carrie Underwood's hit "Before He Cheats."

Alabama musicians, producers and other achievers are commemorated with memorabilia in the hall of fame's museum in Tuscumbia. Hicks said he donated his "infamous purple jacket," which drew applause and criticism from "Idol" viewers, for his display case at the museum.

Hicks said the last time he wore the purple jacket, he was headlining the "Idol" tour at the BJCC Arena in August 2006.

"I wore it in Birmingham and retired it," he said, laughing.