Thread: Before American Idol title, they were hopefuls just like everyone else

Before American Idol title, they were hopefuls just like everyone else

By ERIN PATTERSON, The Times-Union

Once upon a time the seven previous winners of American Idol started in the same place: mere hopefuls looking to get a break. They were everything from cocktail waitresses to bar singers. Some lived paycheck to paycheck. Now, thousands of people are expected to line up outside Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena on Wednesday with the same dreams of making it big. Here's a look at the past seven who did.

SEASON 7
Winner: David Cook
Birthday: Dec. 20, 1982
Hometown: Blue Springs, Mo.
Audition song: Livin' on a Prayer (Bon Jovi)
Before Idol: Cook grew up loving music and began playing the guitar when he was 13. He participated in high school musical theater and attended the University of Central Missouri. After graduating in 2006 with a degree in graphic design, Cook moved to Tulsa, Okla., to pursue a music career. Later that year, he released a solo album called Analog Heart. He originally attended American Idol auditions in Omaha, Neb., to support his younger brother, Andrew, but he ended up trying out himself after being approached by a producer.
After Idol: Cook is on the American Idols Live tour, which is scheduled to end in September. He is also working on his new album, which is expected to drop in November.
Other season notables: It's a little early to tell, but David Archuleta and Kristy Lee Cook are both working on albums expected to drop later this year.
Sources: Billboard.com, The Reading Eagle, Entertainment Weekly

SEASON 6
Winner: Jordin Sparks
Birthday: Dec. 22, 1989
Hometown: Glendale, Ariz.
Audition song: Because You Loved Me (Celine Dion)
Before Idol: Sparks had a good amount of stage experience before even auditioning for the show. As a young teenager, she sang at a variety of Christian venues, as well as pro-life events. In 2003, she recorded a demo album. She also did plus-size modeling for the Torrid clothing line in 2006. Sparks first auditioned for Idol in Los Angeles, where she did not make it through to Hollywood. After winning a singing contest affiliated with Idol, she got the opportunity to try out again in Seattle. This time she was successful and at 17 went on to become the youngest winner in Idol history.
After Idol: Sparks released her self-titled album in November 2007. It peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard chart. She sang the Star-Spangled Banner at the Super Bowl in February and toured with Alicia Keys earlier this summer .
Other season notables: Blake Lewis and Phil Stacey
Sources: World Magazine, Billboard.com, People.com

SEASON 5
Winner: Taylor Hicks
Birthday: Oct. 7, 1976
Hometown: Birmingham, Ala.
Audition song: A Change Is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke) and Swanee River Rock (Ray Charles)
Before Idol: As a child, Hicks loved soul music. He bought his first harmonica at a flea market and taught himself to play at 16. After high school, Hicks attended Auburn for three years but dropped out to pursue music full time. He played in bars and clubs in the Southeast and recorded two self-released albums, In Your Time and Under the Radar. In 2005, friends and family convinced him to audition for Idol.
After Idol: His first single after the show, Do I Make You Proud, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Hicks' first studio-recorded album, Taylor Hicks, was released in 2006. Earlier this year, he was dropped by his record label, J Records. He is playing Teen Angel in Grease on Broadway.
Other season notables: Elliott Yamin, Kellie Pickler, and -- oh yeah -- Chris Daughtry.
Sources: The Commercial Appeal, South Bend Tribune, Broadway.com

SEASON 4
Winner: Carrie Underwood
Birthday: March 10, 1983
Hometown: Checotah, Okla.
Audition song: I Can't Make You Love Me (Bonnie Raitt)
Before Idol: Underwood grew up on a farm and caught heat in the community for being a vegetarian. She sang her first notes in vacation Bible school at about age 3, performed in local and regional talent contests and had an artist development deal with Capitol Records at 15. The deal fell through during a change in leadership. She became a journalism major and sorority sister at Northeastern State, but left three credits shy of her bachelor's degree for Idol. Friends encouraged her to try out in St. Louis in fall 2004.
After Idol: Her disc Some Hearts became the fastest-selling debut album in country history, and she's won several awards, including three Grammys; she went back to school and graduated magna cum laude; her love life is frequent tabloid fare.
Other season notables: Bo Bice (above).
Sources: The Tennessean, AmericanIdol.com, The Associated Press, pbskids.org, Grand Rapid Press, NNDB.com, Grammy.com

SEASON 3
Winner: Fantasia Barrino
Birthday: June 30, 1984
Hometown: High Point, N.C.
Audition song: Proud Mary (Tina Turner)
Before Idol: She grew up in a poor part of town, and says in her memoir, Life is Not a Fairy Tale, that she was raped in the ninth grade. She had a baby at 17 and dropped out of school. Barrino could barely read or write as of 2005.
After Idol: The single I Believe, from her first album, debuted at No. 1 in 2005, and she was nominated for four Grammys in 2006. She also starred on Broadway as Celie in The Color Purple.
Other season notables: Diana DeGarmo.
Sources:ABCnews.go.com, Grand Rapid Press, NNDB.com, Broadway.com

SEASON 2
Winner: Ruben Studdard
Birthday: Sept. 12, 1978
Hometown: Birmingham, Ala.
Audition song: Ribbon in the Sky (Stevie Wonder)
Before Idol: At the age of 3, Studdard started singing in a choir at Rising Star Baptist Church. He kept it up through school, inspired by Luther Vandross and Donny Hathaway, and added piano and tuba. The offensive lineman gave up sports after going to Alabama A&M on a scholarship. He gave himself five years to make it after leaving college in 2000; he cut demos and sang in a gospel group and a jazz/R&B band. He went to support a background singer in the latter group and decided to audition himself.
After Idol: His debut album, Soulful in 2003, went double platinum; he also cut a gospel album and a soulful disc.
Other season notables: Clay Aiken.
Sources: The Philadelphia Tribune, Asbury Park Press, NNDB.com

SEASON 1
Winner: Kelly Clarkson
Birthday: April 24, 1982
Hometown: Burleson, Texas
Audition song: At Last (Etta James)
Before Idol: The youngest of three, she turned to music at the age of 6 when her parents divorced. The tomboy didn't realize she wanted to be a singer until someone told her that her high school show performance of Vision of Love proved she was destined to sing. She had full rides to Texas, North Texas and Berklee but turned them down to go right into the business. She worked at Starbucks, in door-to-door vacuum sales and as a cocktail waitress before making it on Idol.
After Idol: Her album Breakaway was the third-best selling album of 2005; she won two Grammys in 2006 but had to cancel the tour for her most recent album because of lackluster results.
Other season notables: Justin Guarini.
Sources: Reader's Digest, Toledo Blade, Grand Rapid Press, NNDB.com

Jacksonville.com