Lee DeWyze

With his rough-hewn voice and laid-back Midwestern charm, Lee DeWyze won over millions of viewers as a contestant and eventual winner of the of American Idol Season 9. An accomplished singer, guitarist, and songwriter who had already built a following on the Chicago club scene by the time he auditioned for Idol, DeWyze displayed his true nature as an artist on his major-label debut the following year, "Live It Up". The title track captures the easy-going spirit of the album — a breezy blend of rootsy pop, rock, and folk, anchored by DeWyze's soulful, husky voice and bright-sounding acoustic guitar.

"I love guys like Cat Stevens, Kris Kristofferson, Dave Matthews, and Ray LaMontagne," DeWyze says. "I'm a sucker for hard-edged vocals over pretty melodies and catchy grooves, so that's what I wanted to do on my album debut. It shows the flip-side of what I was able to present on Idol because it's 100 percent me. I'm so proud of it."