From the start, I heard Joe Cocker, Ray Charles and a little Elvis in Taylor Hicks. I usually listen to the contestants with my eyes closed. After all, when one listens to a CD, you listen, you don't see McPhee's breasts(or her HUGE football player shoulders) or Elliotts bad teeth. And, having said that, one can hardly distinguish one voice from another if heard on the radio EXCEPT for Taylor Hicks.
When one attempts to analyze Hicks' popularity, think Elvis. He gyrated, he moved all over the stage and he drove the older generation mad. Hicks is UNIQUE. The rest are more of the same-old-same-old...
Black chicks who all sound the same...
Rock star wannabees who always end up screaming at some point in a song...
Pathetic white guys who can can't hit a note dead-on, thus invoking the " a little pitchy" comment from Randi...
And all the rest who feel the need to imitate last year's Idol winner...
Remember, Blacks invented rock n' roll. Elvis spread the sound across the races and Hicks, I believe, has that same appeal. I want to hear Hicks do some Southern Gospel.