GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The 2006 winner of American Idol made a quick trip to his home state Saturday. Taylor Hicks performed at the 11th annual Alabama Songwriters Festival in Guntersville. The Mountain Valley Arts Council hosts the free event every year.
Board member Linda Katz said she is thrilled they got the Birmingham-native to headline this year’s event.
“Afer watching him on American Idol and knowing he was true to what he was, an Alabama boy, I just wanted to bring him to Guntersville,” she said. Hicks started a 40 concert engagement at Bally’s in Las Vegas this past Tuesday, with performances five nights a week, but there was no Saturday show this week.
He kept a commitment to the Marshall County organization. “He’s a great Alabama boy, he wanted to come to Guntersville and he wants to sing here, so we got a contract signed with him and it was the endless many sleepless nights for me because I was so thrilled,” Katz said. The festival also had a songwriting competition, with winners announced in three categories: Country/Bluegrass, Pop/Rock, and Inspirational.