American Idol has been bringing new talented singers from all walks of life to the forefront for many years. One of the most memorable seasons to date took place in 2011 when country singer Scotty McCreery took home the top prize.
At the time, McCreery was only 17 years old and competed against a myriad of aspiring stars, including his then 16-year-old buddy, Lauren Alaina. Unlike seasons prior, McCreery wasn’t required to deliver three solo performances during the star-studded, two-hour finale. But, he did duet with Tim McGraw on “Live Like You Were Dying.”
When it was time to crown the champion, host Ryan Seacrest requested producers to dim the lights for more effect. He then announced that McCreery would be taking home the title.
“I’ve got to thank the Lord first. He got me here,” an emotional McCreery told Seacrest and the panel of judges, which included Jennifer Lopez, Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler.
McCreery then flaunted his deep set of baritone vocals, which bring to mind Josh Turner, on a performance of his debut single, “I Love You This Big.”
Ever since winning season 10 of American Idol, McCreery, who is one of the youngest singers to win in the history of the show, has been climbing up the country ladder. His latest album, Seasons Change, produced massive hits like “This is It,” “Five More Minutes” and “In Between.”
As for Alaina, she too has made a career of her own in country music. She scored her first No. 1 in 2017 with “Road Less Traveled.” She later topped the charts with “What Ifs” – her duet with former classmate Kane Brown.
