When reigning American Idol champion Taylor Hicks returns home to Birmingham, Alabama to headline his own show for the first time since being crowned winner of the series' fifth season, he'll be giving back to the community. Hicks is partnering with the American Red Cross to raise funds for victims of the violent tornado that struck Enterprise, Alabama, on March 2, killing eight students and destroying the local high school.

Hicks, a native of Birmingham, is currently headlining his first national tour, with dates scheduled through May 12, when he plays Seattle, Washington. He was already scheduled to perform March 10 and 11 in his hometown at the Alabama Theater. The venue has a capacity of 2,166 and both shows sold out immediately upon being announced, prior to the tragic events of March 2. Hicks has transformed both shows into benefits by inviting the Red Cross to collect money on site and educate concert-goers on what they can do to help those affected by the tornado.

"This tragedy affected me very personally," says Hicks. "I know Enterprise, and have friends from there. When I heard the news, I wanted to be able to do something concrete to help all of the folks affected by the tornado. And I wanted to do it sooner rather than later, as these people need our help now."

This is not the first time Hicks has teamed up with the Red Cross. A portion of the proceeds from his first single, "Do I Make You Proud," goes to the charity, a campaign that continues with the sale of every single and paid digital download. "Do I Make You Proud" hit No. 1 on The Billboard Hot 100 and was the magazine's best-selling single of 2006, with over 460,000
sold to date.

"The American Red Cross is so grateful to Taylor Hicks for his compassion and generosity to those affected by the recent tornadoes in Alabama," said Kathleen Loehr, Senior Vice President for Development at the American Red Cross. "Donations collected at the concert will help provide food, shelter, counseling and other assistance to those affected by the
deadly storm."

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