Taylor Hicks Gives Young Musician a Chance to Shine
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"Do you have one on you?" Hicks replied back.
"Yeah, I do," said Bobby Whiten, a recent high school graduate, pointing to the black bag strapped across his shoulder.
"Okay, we'll fit you in somewhere [tonight]; we'll talk with our sax player," Hicks said. And just like that, Whiten landed his first gig and was scheduled to perform onstage with Hicks at the House of Blues. An ecstatic Whiten, who plans on attending music school, told PEOPLE "It's so dope! But I'm so nervous. I'm freaking out right now. But this is such a great opportunity."
That night Whiten played his trumpet during the song "The Runaround" from Hicks' self-titled album and then performed a short solo that he learned just hours before hitting the stage with the Idol.
Hicks spoke with PEOPLE about who may follow in his footsteps, his upcoming book and his celebrity crushes.
Who do you think will win this season of American Idol?
"I think a girl is going to win this season. I think Jordin [Sparks]... can possibly win it."
Do you have any advice for the final four?
Stay off your cell phone! Stay off of it because you can run your voice out if you stay on it too long. Right now you just have to really pick your songs well. Pick and choose the right songs for the right week
How did you deal with your nerves?
I got nervous [during the show] but I did a lot of stretching just getting prepared. A lot of breathing exercises, too. It's like the Superbowl everweek. That's how I felt, like being in the Superbowl every week. But you have to just believe it's your time to shine. That's what you got to do.
Tell us about your new book Heart Full of Soul that's coming out in July.
It's [about] my journey in beating the odds, my journey up until this point – what I've learned. Anybody can apply the lessons that I've learned, not just about music but everyday life. The odds were against me and I think a lot of it is about beating the odds, learning to beat them and moving forward in life.
Who would you like to work with one day?
I would love to work with Paul Simon, Van Morrison, Aretha Franklin or Beck. I just love [Beck's] music. It's soulful, he's a real artist with soul."
Do you have any celebrity crushes?
I think Jennifer Love Hewitt is hot. There's so many... Jessica Biel is hot too. They're all hot in my book. They're all beautiful.
What's your idea of an ideal date?
My ideal date would be a drive-in movie or something different and great food. I like Italian food and good wine.
