A household name for followers of American Idol, who could forget Mr. Salt and Pepper, Taylor Hicks? With that raspy voice and signature look, Hicks was a leader of the notorious "soul patrol." The 2006 American Idol winner is a rock and blues powerhouse who lent his pipes to artists including Widespread Panic, James Brown and Robert Randolph.

An Alabama native, Hicks is steeped in the blues and R&B tradition, a natural knack he brings to each performance. He's also the first and only Idol to land a residency in Vegas, where his soulful crooning and slight-offbeat personality is a hit with audiences.