Taylor Hicks is back with new music, and it is full of star power. The Season 5 winner of American Idol just dropped a new song, “Porch Swing,” marking his first new single officially released in 14 years. Hicks co-wrote the song with Runaway June‘s Jennifer Wayne and Jason Deere, recording the tune at Zac Brown Band‘s Southern Ground Studio in Nashville.

“Jason Deere and Jennifer Wayne and I wrote it probably about eight or nine years ago,” HIcks recalls on The Bobby Bones Show. “We just thought about this really iconic centerpiece of someone’s household, all over the country, and I was like, ‘porch swing.’ I grew up on a porch swing. So there’s just a lot of things that happen around that particular centerpiece, and this one’s about love and a porch swing.”

Hicks is quick to praise Wayne for her part in helping make “Porch Swing” come to life.

“She’s a great writer,” Hicks gushed to Celeb Secrets Country. “She’s always been a staple in Nashville as far as being in writing circles. She’s a good guitar player and a good singer. It was just really sweet and great songwriting session. Writing a groovy song like that, especially lyrically, is a strong start. Those are the easiest and quickest to write.”

The Alabama native had a built-in fanbase, thanks to his time on the reality TV talent show, which has allowed him to keep touring and performing in the years since his 2006 win.

“During the time that I was on Idol, it was such a big show. Having that launching pad allowed me to truly be in show business, going on about 15 years now,” Hicks shared. He also had wise words of advice for the contestants on American Idol, especially as Season 21 is officially underway.

“Patience is a virtue. You have to be patient and understand that this business is based on peaks and valleys,” Hicks says, reflecting on the highs and lows that inevitably come with being on a hit TV show.

“It’s not necessarily what you do at your peak, but it’s how you handled the valley,” he explained. “I think you just have to find things that you intuitively enjoy. You have to work extremely hard. If you want longevity in the business, you’ve got to be able to never say no and work as much as you can.”

Hicks is working on a full-length album. Find “Porch Swing” and all of his music, as well as a list of his upcoming shows, at TaylorHicks.com.