NC Idol finalists touted for their success

November 23, 1:56 PMNorth Carolina TV Talent ExaminerJulia Hardy

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Chris Daughtry with his son Griffin, along with members of his band, arriving at the 37th Annual American Music Awards on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Former American Idol contestants dominated the American Music Awards performances last night, which ended with a controversial number by 2009 runner-up Adam Lambert.  CNN marked the occasion today with a slide show featuring successful finalists who didn't win the show entitled, "It pays to be an 'Idol' loser."  Of the seven who are featured, four are from North Carolina.

Of Kellie Pickler, CNN says that her three CMT awards, along with her "BFF relationship" with Taylor Swift, have "cemented her status as an 'It Girl' in country music."  Another country music success, Bucky Covington, launched his first album after his season on American Idol with "the best first week sales of any male country singer in fifteen years."

Of Raleigh's Clay Aiken, who has recorded four albums and an EP, toured eight times, written a NY Times bestseller, and starred on Broadway in "Spamalot" since coming in second in 2003, CNN says he "took his reality show loss and turned it into pop stardom."

Chris Daughtry, the final NC Idol featured, performed his current hit "Life After You" at the AMAs with his band, "Daughtry."  After a surprise elimination from Idol in fourth place in 2006, CNN notes that "later that year there wasn't a top 40 station in the country that wasn't intimately familiar with the North Carolina rocker."

In addition to these Idols, NC has one American Idol winner, Fantasia, who won the show's third season, and a finalist from the most recent season, Chapel Hill's Anoop Desai, currently in LA penning songs and working on a career as an R&B singer.  What is it about North Carolina and American Idol success?  Why do you think so many NC contestants, regardless of whether they win or lose, have gone on to such success following the show?