Spread over three nights this week, American Idol fans finally got the chance to see the best of the best take to the stage. As usual, the wannabes were split by gender, with the boys performing one night and the girls the other. Then on Thursday it was time to lower the lights and key up the overly-dramatic music as host Ryan Seacrest and the judges: Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler revealed the Top 10, then bumped it to a Top 13, thanks to this year'sWild Card round.

Among the Top 13 are two Nashvillians, Ashthon Jones, 24 and Paul McDonald, 26. Paul secured his spot in the Top 13 by encoring Maggie May, the song he first performed during this year's initial auditions. 

Ashthon didn't have it so easy. For herTop 24 performance, she sang Love All Over Me. During her critique, Randy told her she needed more of a "Diva song". When she was given a second chance during the Wild Card round, she gave Randy and the rest of the judges exactly what they asked for by belting out And I Am Telling You, (I'm Not Going), the song that had landed her in the Top 24 just a week ago.

Rounding out the Top 13 are: Casey Abrams, 20, of Idyllwild, Calif.; Haley Reinhart, 20, Wheeling, Ill.; Jacob Lusk, 23, Compton, Calif.; James Durbin, 22, Santa Cruz, Calif.;  Karen Rodriguez, 21, New York; Lauren Alaina, 16, Rossville, Ga.; Naima Adedapo, 26, Milwaukee, Wisc.; Pia Toscano, 22, Howard Beach, N.Y.; Scotty McCreery, 17, Garner, N.C.; Stefano Langone, 21, Kent, Wash. and Thia Megia, 15, Mountain House, CA

All 13 hopefuls will take to the stage on Wednesday, March 9 with elimination taking place Thursday, March 10. Idol alum, Adam Lambert will be on-hand during next Thursday's elimination to perform an acoustic version of his latest single, Aftermath.

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