Taylor Hicks, the 29-year-old Birmingham, AL, native that captured the hearts and minds of more than 63.4 million people who voted him this year's American Idol is ready to seize the opportunity he's been working towards his entire life. After spending many years honing his talent, playing the bars of his native Alabama and Florida, recording a pair of indie albums, knocking on doors, giving up any kind of personal life to pursue his dream of making music, that moment is here.

And here's where the real work begins... more