In 15 seasons “American Idol” launched the careers of numerous performers; and while it has brought a good deal of success to a number of finalists, ony two of the 15 winners have had massive breakout success – Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood.
But not every winner was seeking the fame and fortune of the stage.
On season nine Lee DeWyze won the title of “American Idol” for that season. A songwriter, DeWyze had to rely on the music of others to woo voters; but eight years later, DeWyze has his original music scattered all over television including “Elementary”, “Suits”, “The Fosters”, “Nashville”, “The Walking Dead”, and “Shameless”.
DeWyze noted that, “it was always about the songwriting for me. It’s what I loved. That’s why I did all of that in the first place.” He adds that he wasn’t looking for the fame or “any of that stuff.”
A singing competition, DeWyze notes that Idol didn’t cater to songwriters. He broke away from his Idol contract in 2010 and shortly thereafter had his first song placement, “Blackbird Song” on “The Walking Dead” – a song he had written specifically for the show.