Alabama PSA

Here's a peek at what Taylor Hicks will look like in his TV spots for the Alabama Tourism Department. The Hoover native, 33, is part of an ad campaign that encourages people to visit the Gulf Coast this summer, despite the aftermath of the oil spill.
Taylor Hicks performs on the beach during a shoot for the Alabama Tourism Department. (Special / Tad Denson)
TV commercials featuring Hicks are in the works, and should be completed this month, according to a release from the tourism department. A similar spot, featuring chef and Gulf Coast advocate Lucy Buffett, sister of singer Jimmy Buffett, was released today.
Hicks has a long history of performing at Alabama beach spots, including Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, and has often expressed his fondness for the area. As a fledgling singer, he learned his craft at nightclubs such as the Flora-Bama Lounge & Package Store at Perdido Key.
During his successful run on "American Idol" in 2006, Hicks often mentioned the Gulf Cost as an ideal training ground. "When I hit that ('Idol') stage ... it's not any different from the Mullet Toss at the Flora-Bama," Hicks said.


Hicks owns property on the Gulf Coast and his grandmother lives there, so the fate of the area -- and the ravages of the oil spill -- have personal resonance for him.
TAYLOR HICKS' BLOG POST ABOUT THE OIL SPILL ON 'LARRY KING LIVE'


MORE DETAILS ON THE GULF COAST TOURISM CAMPAIGN