When I looked at a list of some of the incredible people who auditioned for American Idol but failed to make it to the winners circle, I was amazed. What an impressive group! Maybe the cards didn't fall just right for them in the show, but they kept singing and recording anyway. Idol is about to return for a new season on Sunday, March 9. With that in mind, we thought you would enjoy looking back at a few of the singers who did not make the cut yet have great careers anyway. Hillary Scott, Kane Brown, Mickey Guyton, and Colbie Caillat are stars today not only because of their ability, but also their perseverance and ironclad determination.
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Hillary Scott
Scott. 38, truly made her name singing with Lady A (formerly Lady Antebellum) as co-lead vocalist. The group has had so many hits like "Need You Now" and "Just A Kiss." Unfortunately, though, Scott's stint on Idol was less than stellar. Per People, she auditioned for the show two times without success. According to the outlet via HLN's A.J. Hammer, Scott admitted she had a pretty bad case of the jitters. She evidently felt that negatively impacted her performance. "I think I remember shedding a few tears just knowing that I hadn't performed at my best because I was so nervous." Scott is doing fantastic now, with Idol firmly in her rear-view mirror.
Kane Brown
Spurred on by how well his high school chum Lauren Alaina did on Idol (she was season 10's runner-up), Kane Brown, 31, thought he would try for the big prize, too. He did not fare very well on the show, however. Per American Songwriter via Billboard, Brown said nine years ago that the Idol judges claimed "they didn't need another Scotty McCreery, referring to the season 10 victor. Brown also shared with Billboard that his tryout for X Factor went better although the judges "tried to put me in a boy band, so I quit...." Didn't stop him, though, did it?
Mickey Guyton
Guyton, 41, tried out for season 7 of American Idol. The singer was upfront about how she felt about that ended up when she was a guest on Watch What Happens Live. She sounded disillusioned and disappointed with the outcome. Per Wide Open Country via Watch What Happens Live, Guyton said, "They threw me away." She did have some positive things to say about the Idol judges. Guyton went on to other musical triumphs and now has a burgeoning career.
Colbie Caillat
Caillat, 39, has done very well for herself in the music industry. Per her web site, she "has been honored with two Grammy Awards and five nominations and has accumulated more than 15 billion streams." Yet she struck out twice on Idol. Per People via Yahoo Entertainment, she said, "I wasn't ready at all. I had a lot of stage fright and I realized I had a lot of work to do with myself." She evidently did that work and soared as a result.
