by Davina Lennon

Created on: August 03, 2010   Last Updated: August 26, 2010

Crystal Bowersox’s courage and self-belief, has seen her rise from a spirited six year old to a happy, hard working adult enjoying the fruits of her labors. She clearly is an American Idol success story.

Born to parents, Bill and Kelly, in Elliston Ohio, Crystal and her fraternal twin brother Carl, had a modest home life. By the time the twins were two their parent’s marriage was over. Spending her early years being shuttled from one parent to the other caused her much frustration. Enduring hardships and constant in-fighting at home she focused her unhappiness into learning to sing and play guitar and harmonica. Still only a pre-teen, she hung out at local bars where her talent for singing was recognized.

By the time she was twelve years old Crystal was getting her own gigs, handing out business cards and making calls to people telling them she wanted to play. Despite the family split, both parents gave their support, her dad acting as roadie, driving from gig to gig.

Her school principal, Dan Kalo, predicted that she would one day make it big. “She was just so good,” he quoted. He said that she was just a small town girl, shy, never bringing attention to herself, but when she sang, we all paid attention.

By the time Crystal had turned twenty one, she realized that her ambitions might not reach fruition, so she made the decision to get a full- time job to give herself an alternative career should her music come to nothing. She has said that her job at a real estate office was miserable and she was dressing up and acting like someone she was not. Once Crystal started dreading her hair, her misery was short lived. She was asked to leave.

This was a turning point in her life, one that saw her hired as a cocktail waitress in a blues club, enabling her to go on stage and sing with different bands, when things were quite. “I had the best time, and I felt like I was where I belonged,” she said of the time.

The birth of her son, Tony, at twenty two, gave Crystal an appreciation of her own parents. Having spent a chaotic childhood living between her parents homes, as well as being sick with juvenile diabetes, made her understand children need to be surrounded by love, kindness and support. Something she has vowed  her son will always have.

Crystal continued doing gigs around the Chicago area, and persuaded by both friends and listeners of her performances, she agreed to audition for American Idol. She had no expectations of

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