LIKE ANY "American Idol" winner, Taylor Hicks has seen his life and career change in monumental ways in just a few months.

For more than a decade, he was just trying to carve out a career as a working musician. He had enjoyed some successes before "Idol," but nothing resembling a big break.

Now Hicks is one of America's best- known new artists, with a CD that has sold more than a million copies, appearances on magazine covers and even had the designation from People magazine as America's "hottest" bachelor of 2006 to his credit.

Yet Hicks seems to have had a smooth transition into the spotlight, and he gives his years as a struggling musician much of the credit for enabling him to deal with his newfound fame.

Those years gave Hicks the time he needed to map out his responses to the demands and pressures of stardom.

"When you go 20 years of your life dreaming about this, those mini van rides at night on the back roads of Alabama allow you to implement the vision you've always had when it actually materializes," Hicks said. "For me it's really been a blessing. I'm very thankful for the opportunity to be able to implement my vision as a child, and it's allowed me to handle this situation a whole lot easier. I dreamed early and often."

Born in Birmingham, Ala., in 1976, Hicks' parents divorced when he was 8. He found some solace in the soul music of artists like Ray Charles, Otis Redding and Sam Cooke and as a youth discovered his voice had the true pitch to sing.

From that point on, music became a focal point of Hicks' life. He learned to play guitar and harmonica and played in a band during high school. While studying business and journalism at Auburn University, Hicks found time to record and release his first CD, "In Your Time," while playing shows in the area.

Along the way, he got the chance to open shows for Tom Petty, James Brown, Keb' Mo' and Jackson Browne. But most of the time, Hicks scratched out a living playing bars, beach clubs, VFWs, and other venues around Alabama and the Southeast.

In 2005, Hicks released his second independent CD, "Under the Radar," and it was that year that a twist of fate sent him to "American Idol."

He was in New Orleans for a wedding the day before Hurricane Katrina hit. With the storm approaching, his flight out had been canceled, and Hicks was given a voucher for a free trip.

Hicks said he had thought about auditioning for "American Idol" in Memphis earlier that year, but that casting call had been canceled. So he used his voucher to fly to Las Vegas, where another audition was being held.

Some eight months later, he was voted the "American Idol" winner - thanks in part to his "Soul Patrol" fan club members who voted early and often for Hicks throughout the "Idol" season.

Well, it would be hard to get a bigger break than winning "American Idol."

He recorded his first single, "Do I Make You Proud," which debuted at No. 1 on several key radio formats upon its release in June. Then Hicks joined the other finalists for the 2006 "American Idol" tour, which continued into the fall.

At the end of the tour, Hicks went right into the studio to make his recently released self-titled CD. Having been signed by RCA/Arista, he said he was looking forward to being able to record in a professional studio for the first time.

"This is a journey. For me, this isn't the end. This is just the beginning. This is also the beginning of me learning how to become a recording artist and learning about production value and when to use it and when not to use it."

The producer was Matt Serletic, who is known for his work with the hit group Matchbox Twenty and on the solo CD by Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas.

Circumstances, though, were less than ideal for the project. Because of Hicks' busy post-"Idol" schedule and the need to get the CD in stores in time for the holiday shopping season, Hicks had only five weeks to finish it. Taylor accepted the tight deadline.

"This album needed to be done in a timely fashion to really get it out there and strike while the iron's hot. That's definitely the broke musician's mentality."

The lack of time meant that Hicks was able to co-write only one song for the CD - although he did pull a pair of originals from his "Under the Radar." Instead, RCA/Arista President Clive Davis and Serletic helped pull together material from outside writers.

Hicks said he made the best of a challenging situation with the CD.

"I never lost my musical integrity on it. This next album, you know, I'll have five months. This was cut in five weeks."

Hicks is now on the road with an eight-piece band and is performing songs not only from the "Taylor Hicks" CD, but from his two earlier CDs.

He is also excited to have taken a step up to nicer venues because of his "American Idol" success.

"I've been doing it for a long time, and I'm very excited about the opportunity to get out here and really tour these musical venues."