'Idol' champ Hicks to cover songs on album

NEW YORK, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- U.S. singer Taylor Hicks, who won the last incarnation of TV's "American Idol," will feature numerous cover songs on his upcoming new album.

Billboard.com reported the Alabama native will offer his own renditions of hits written by singers Bryan Adams and Marvin Gaye on his self-titled album due out next Tuesday.

Hicks, who took home top honors during the fifth season of "Idol," will cover Gaye's "Wherever I Lay My Hat" and "The Right Place," originally written by Adams and Jim Vallance for Ray Charles.

In addition to songs written by the likes of Smokey Robinson and Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty, Hicks will offer some of his own musical creations on his first album since winning "Idol."

Hicks has added his own original songs, "The Deal" and "Soul Thing," two songs Billboard.com said the singer already released on his aptly titled pre-"Idol" album, "Under the Radar."