American Idol 2006 winner Taylor Hicks rocked through Atlanta Thursday night. He hit the Southern Star Stage at Six Flags performing before hundreds of fans.

WSB TV reports that the gray haired Hicks has been touring since February promoting his most recent

Of course, the road is nothing new for the Alabama native. Long before American Idol fame came calling, he was hitting the roads all across the southeast, playing in bands since he was 19 years old. He adds that touring back then has prepared him for the lifestyle now, a lifestyle that includes performing at night, sleeping during the day from time to time, and plenty of time of the open road.

While some past contestants of American Idol have been quick to abandon their ties to the show, this isn't the case for Hicks. He says he understands what a great opportunity performing on American Idol in front of millions was - and he continues to learn more and more about it each day.

From here, Hicks continues the tour, a tour he describes as high impact soul aerobics, a modern day approach to soul. Next month, Hicks the artist turns into Hicks the author. He's got a new book coming out called 'Heart Full Of Soul'. In it, he tells how a gray haired guy beat the odds, finding his own voice and seizing the opportunity when it came his way.

He'll be back in Atlanta on July 24th at the Barnes & Noble on Cobb Parkway to promote it.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.