I gave up on this show about three years ago and didn't think I would ever watch it again. Probably would not have if not for reading an article on the train about one of this season's leading contestants. She is in the final two, the winner to be determined tomorrow and Wednesday.

Her name is Crystal Bowersox and she comes from a tiny town near Toledo. (Sound familiar, Foxheads?) I'm not sure how to describe her musical style. A bit of a folkie, I guess. She has a sincerity that immediately pulls you in. She has also been performing onstage since age 16 (she's 25 or so now) and it shows. She is very comfortable on stage in front of the microphone.

Maybe part of what I like about her is that she comes from such a scruffy background. I spent the first six years of my life in a small town like that, where nobody except the guy who owns the mill has much and everyone has each other's back. One of the nicest moments in the newspaper article was about the owner of the bar where she got her start, playing once a week, passed a jar around and raised $500 for her as spending money when she qualified for the Hollywood portion of the show.

To me she is not the typical contestant. She doesn't try to blow the roof off with every note. In fact a couple of weeks ago Simon Cowell, the judge we love to hate (but respect), advised her to be a more typical contestant. He wasn't happy with her performance that night -- a cover of an obscure Sinatra song which Simon described as too jazzy for him -- and said, paraphrased, Crystal, at this point in the contest you can't just be singing for yourself. You have to be in it to win it. Probably good advice in terms of winning the contest. Whether she wins it or not, she has already made her name and will have a recording career. I couldn't be happier for her.

One of my favorite parts of the Tribune article was about her raising money at gigs in Chicago to go back home for her son to be born. She is unmarried, possibly costing her some votes in some parts of the country. She put out a tip jar for this specific purpose. Now how can you not like someone like that?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-live-0428-crystal-bowersox-2-20100428,0,7817171.story