MUMBAI: The 2006 winner of American Idol Taylor Hicks has signed a recording deal with Simon Fuller and 19 Recordings Limited, in conjunction with legendary music man Clive Davis, chairman of BMG US and Arista Records.

The finale on 24 May was the most successful season of American Idol with over 35 million viewers tuning into the finale.
The 29 year old Alabama native, joins the ranks of other idols that have gone on to have outstanding music careers under the guidance of Davis. Previous Idol winners and runner ups have sold a staggering 33 million records, which includes music from Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, Ruben Studdard and Bo Bice.

The first single from Hicks includes the original Idol composition, "Do I Make You Proud," sung during the final round of voting and again during the finale. The single also includes his rendition of the Doobie Brothers classic, "Takin' It To The Streets," from the American Idol season five encores CD. The single will be available in-stores and through digital outlets on 13 June.

Hicks' legion of loyal followers dubbed the "soul patrol" and fans all across the country can expect a full length album from Hicks later this year.