Two Words – American Idol. This music reality competition show has been in our homes, on our television screens, on Wednesday and Thursday nights for the past fifteen years. If you’ve been a loyal watcher, like I have been through the years, I’m sure you experienced the same rollercoaster of emotions, when we said a final, bittersweet goodbye to the show last month, on April 7th.

While we’re all still trying to figure out what Ryan Seacrest’s “For Now” comment at the end of the show meant… I thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane and explore the impact that American Idol has had on country music, and revisit the 7 wonderful country artists who owe their careers to the show, its producers, and of course the countless fans who faithfully cast their votes.

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