Well Well

[neutral88]

Lone country idol finalist out of the gate to beat the other 11, and judging from the past, the country ones always win in the end.....Taylor Hicks, who???


June 30, 2008
Kristy Lee Cook Lands at Arista Nashville

(Michael Becker / FOX)
Blake Lewis is out. Kristy Lee Cook is in.

The American Idol finalist has inked a record deal with 19 Recordings/Arista Nashville and will release her debut album in the fall.

Hoping to follow in the country superstar footsteps of Carrie Underwood, Kristy Lee will be collaborating with Brett James on the disc. Brett was the songwriter behind Carrie's Grammy-winning "Jesus, Take the Wheel."

Her first single, "15 Minutes of Shame" will hit airwaves on Aug. 11.

The union marks Kristy Lee's second crack at music fame. The Oregon native was signed to RCA/Arista Nashville in 2001 as a 17-year-old and was the first singer attached to Britney Spears' production company roster. She was eventually dropped before even hitting the recording studio. In 2005, Kristy Lee released Devoted under Ren-Hen Records.

The 24-year-old, who finished seventh on the Fox hit, plans to record the album while on the American Idols Live! tour, which kicks off tomorrow in Glendale, Ariz.

Kristy Lee is the second finalist from this season to land a recording contract, following runner-up David Archuleta, who signed with Jive.

[ms pemberley]

Raise your hand if you didn't see that one coming.

[starbuck]

she did get better as the show went on.