American Idol Winner Taylor Hicks Plans Country Album

In season five of American Idol, Taylor Hicks beat out Kellie Pickler. Now, six years later, he is following Pickler into the country music world and is currently in the studio recording a new album. He has expectations of having a new single to radio sometime over the summer and an album later in 2012.

In June 2012, Hicks will begin a residency at Bally’s Las Vegas, becoming the first Idol in history to secure a residency in Las Vegas.

Watch Taylor Hicks New Country(ish) Music Video- Seven Mile Breakdown

"This record and the song really represent who I am as an artist- the country-rock and blues side of me," he tells Popeater.com. "I'm from Alabama, so there is definitely some country origins in my background, both musically and personally."

That’s the quote from American Idol winner Taylor Hicks about his new “country” single and music video "Seven Mile Breakdown" that you can watch below that has just hit the airwaves. (Email subscribers, hit the headline to watch the video.)

American Idol's Taylor Hicks Next Country Crossover Artist

A familiar face will returning to American Idol tonight with their season 5 champion Taylor Hicks returning to sing his latest single which will be hitting country music radio stations in May. His fifth single, “Seven Mile Breakown,” has a country southern-rock music flavor. This will be his first foray into country music as all of his previous singles were released on the Adult Contemporary format. You can listen to the song set to a photo montage here...