Hicks Credits Katrina For 'Idol' Win
Singer's Canceled Flight Got Him Free Ticket To Vegas For Audition
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Play CBS Video Video Backstage With 'Idol' Winners Only On The Web: Hattie Kauffman goes backstage to chat with the new "American Idol," Taylor Hicks. Kauffman also speaks with runner-up Katharine McPhee.
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Video Taylor Hicks: 'American Idol' After a season of speculation and more than 63 million votes, 29-year-old Alabama native Taylor Hicks is the new "American Idol." Hattie Kauffman visited Hicks to discuss his victory.
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Taylor Hicks thanks his lucky stars as he gets the news that he is the winner of "American Idol," May 24, 2006, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
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Taylor Hicks reacts after being announced the winner of season five of American Idol on Wednesday, May 24, 2006, in Los Angeles. At left is runner-up Katharine McPhee. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
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Katharine McPhee, left, and Taylor Hicks celebrate after they each were given a new car during the season finale of American Idol, May 24, 2006, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
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Taylor Hicks performs as judge Paula Abdul watches during the season finale of "American Idol," May 24, 2006 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
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Friendly competition: Taylor Hicks, left, and Katharine McPhee pose after making it to finalist status on "American Idol." (AP Photo/FOX, Ray Mickshaw,file)
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Photo Essay 'American Idol' Grand Finale See the special surprise guests who came out to perform with the finalists.
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Photo Essay American Idol's Final 12 Meet the 12 American Idol finalists and track their progress.
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Photo Essay 'Idol' Worship Faces and voices made famous on "American Idol."
He said that after a 15-hour ride he ended up at the airport in West Monroe, La. Hicks said his airline offered him a free ticket anywhere in the U.S.
Hicks chose Las Vegas on a whim, because he had never been there before. It was in Vegas that Taylor auditioned for Idol. He says it was fate that took him there.
Earlier, Hicks told The Early Show national correspondent Hattie Kauffman he hasn't been able to sleep yet.
"This is a dream, the American dream," he told Kauffman. And he says he would love to tour with younger R&B and rock artists such as John Legend and John Mayer. Hicks' victory earned him a recording contract and a new car.
The announcement came after a grand finale Wednesday night that included two hours of performances by this year's finalists, past contestants and several surprise celebrity guests.
The results show took place at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles. Fans of local favorite Katharine McPhee were gathered in nearby Universal City and Taylor's fans were rooting for him in his hometown of Birmingham, Ala. Both groups were shown on the Kodak's big screen live via satellite.
McPhee tells CBS News she wasn't sad about taking second place.
"It wasn't sadness, it was more like bittersweet feeling of graduating from high school," she said. McPhee also told Kauffman that she had the time of her life at the contest. She said "doors are starting to open."
The show's fifth and best-rated edition took a leap in stature Wednesday when Prince, Mary J. Blige and other big names performed during the finale. The series has given big boosts to the album sales of pop stars who have appeared on it.
More than 63 million votes were cast, "more than any president in the history of our country has received," Seacrest said.
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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