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Crystal Bowersox

Crystal Lynn Bowersox (born August 4, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter and actress who was the runner-up on the ninth season of American Idol. She was the first female finalist in three years.

Crystal Bowersox

Crystal Lynn Bowersox

(1985-08-04) August 4, 1985
Elliston, Ohio, U.S.

  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • actress

2010–present

Bowersox's debut album, Farmer's Daughter, was released on December 14, 2010 by Jive Records. Bowersox released her second album, All That for This, on March 26, 2013.

Early life[edit]

Bowersox and her twin brother, Karl, were born in Elliston, Ohio[1] to Kelly Lynn Bowersox (née Bowlander) and William Lester Bowersox.[2] Her parents divorced when she was two years old.[3] At age six, Bowersox was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. She attended Oak Harbor High School in Oak Harbor, Ohio and later attended the Toledo School for the Arts in Toledo, Ohio.[1] She was in choir and played flute in the school marching band. Bowersox performed her first professional gig at the age of 10. She appeared at local bars in Toledo, most popularly Papa's Tavern, and The Village Idiot in Maumee, Ohio.


At the age of seventeen, she moved to Chicago, where she played music as a busker at train stations, including the Washington and Lake Redline stops. She frequented open mics, such as the In One Ear show at the Heartland Cafe, and Uncommon Ground Clark and Grace, and Devon locations. She also played extensively in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood.


In 2006, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs chose Bowersox to represent Chicago folk musicians in the Sister Cities program "Experience Chicago", held in Birmingham. In 2007, Bowersox traveled internationally on an independent small cafe tour, including Memphis, Oaxaca City, Ankara and Istanbul. She gave birth to a son, Anthony Levi Mason, in 2009;[3] according to Bowersox, his father left her six weeks into her pregnancy.

Due to the judges using their one 'save' for Michael Lynche, the Top 9 remained intact for another week.

^Note 1

Though Crystal Bowersox was the last contestant announced to be 'safe' and moving on to the Top 3, Ryan Seacrest stressed on the Top 4 Results Night that 'safe' contestants would be announced "in no particular order."[12] Thus, the audience has no way of knowing which of the Top 3 was the second-lowest vote-getter that night after Michael Lynche, who was eliminated.

^Note 2

Song selected by Ellen DeGeneres.

^Note 3

Personal life[edit]

Bowersox and musician Brian Walker were married on October 10, 2010, at Uncommon Ground Café in Chicago, the restaurant where the couple had met six years earlier while both were performing at Open Mic Night.[25] It was announced on May 6, 2013, that they were ending their marriage.[26]


While appearing on Good Day L.A. to promote her Christmas album on November 26, 2013, Bowersox came out as bisexual. "I have been bisexual as long as I can remember," she said. Bowersox then performed her song "Coming Out For Christmas" which explores the subject matter.[27]

Official website

at IMDb

Crystal Bowersox

Archived March 23, 2010, at the Wayback Machine at American Idol

Crystal Bowersox