Do you still remember the amazing audition of Scotty McCreery on 'American Idol'? It was clear right from the start that he had a great chance of winning Season 10 of the show. The audition was aired on Jan. 26, 2011, and it remains one of the most unforgettable moments in the long history of the popular singing competition.
At the time of his audition for the Idol judges, McCreery was only 16 years old. The judges on the panel included Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, and Steven Tyler from Aerosmith. Despite his young age and somewhat awkward appearance with a buzzcut hairstyle, McCreery impressed everyone with his deep and mature baritone voice, which would later help him become the standout contestant of his season on Idol.
Before he even started singing, the contestant from Garner, North Carolina impressed the judges with his charm. Jennifer Lopez, in particular, seemed to take a liking to him right away and engaged in playful banter with him. She expressed her hope that he could actually sing.
During his audition, McCreery chose to perform "Your Man" by Josh Turner, displaying his impressive ability to sing in a deep register. In order to further assess his vocal range, Tyler requested that McCreery showcase his higher range as well. In response, McCreery confidently sang "Put Some Drive in Your Country" by Travis Tritt.
"Wow, that's unexpected! Let's ignite some matches and witness the surprising outcome," Tyler exclaimed in disbelief.
After that, chaos ensued in the room as the other judges, technicians, and producers were taken aback by the unexpected comment. However, the composed young man calmly stated, "It's nothing I haven't heard in high school, my friend."
All the judges were unanimous in their decision to advance McCreery to the competition, and he consistently delivered impressive performances throughout the weeks. At the young age of 17, he emerged as the winner of Season 10 of American Idol on May 25, 2011, making him one of the program's youngest champions to date.
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