TELEVISION: Hicks captures 'Idol' crown

Alabama edges Katharine McPhee

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - Taylor Hicks, the mop-topped manic dancer who wooed TV audiences with his raw singing style and boisterous personality, was named the new "American Idol" on Wednesday in a pop star-filled finale that included Prince and Mary J. Blige.

Hicks, 29, of Birmingham, Ala., became the latest in a string of Southerners and Midwesterners to win the Fox talent contest after collecting more viewer votes than runner-up Katharine McPhee, 22, of Los Angeles.

Hicks leaned over, overcome by host Ryan Seacrest's announcement.

"Soul Patrol!" he shouted, acknowledging his fans by their nickname. "I'm living the American dream," he added as he closed out the show with "Do I Make You Proud."

It was Katharine vs. Taylor, McPheever vs. the Soul Patrol, with a recording contract and the fifth "Idol" title up for grabs.

More than 63 million votes were cast, "more than any president in the history of our country has received," Seacrest said.

Fans picked the raw sound and footloose moves of Hicks, who made his mark on Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City" on Tuesday's show. The sultry McPhee's well-trained voice was shown to perfection on the standard "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."