Background and career
Leon James "Lee" DeWyze Jr. (born April 2, 1986) is an American singer-songwriter and the winner of the ninth season of American Idol. Prior to Idol, DeWyze had a solo career and formed the Lee DeWyze Band. He had also released two independent albums called So I'm Told in 2007 and Slumberland in 2010, both on WuLi Records. DeWyze's first post-Idol album Live It Up was released on November 16, 2010, through RCA Records. The album featured the single "Sweet Serendipity", which peaked at #24 on the Billboard Hot 100.
DeWyze was born in Mount Prospect, Illinois, the eldest son of Kathleen (née Donahue) and Leon (Lee) DeWyze Sr., who worked as a postal carrier in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. He has two older sisters, Shannon and Sarah, and a younger brother, Michael. His musical influences include Cat Stevens, Eric Clapton, Ben Harper, and Simon & Garfunkel. DeWyze attended St. James School in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and Prospect High School in Mount Prospect, Illinois, up until his senior year, when he was expelled after being involved in too many fights. After leaving Prospect High, he attended Forest View Alternative School in Arlington Heights, having been inspired both by his teachers and his interest in music to return to his studies. While he never graduated from either high school, he eventually got his GED. After being expelled from Prospect High School, DeWyze worked as a paint salesman at Mount Prospect Paint in Mount Prospect. He also worked as a trading floor clerk at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange from 2007 to 2008 before returning to the paint store, where he remained until he auditioned for American Idol and advanced to the show's Hollywood rounds. Mount Prospect Paint continued to support DeWyze during his American Idol run by selling t-shirts encouraging fans to vote for him.
DeWyze started singing at an early age and was discovered by Louis Svitek, who saw the then-17-year-old DeWyze playing guitar and singing at a house party in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. Svitek signed DeWyze to WuLi Records, an independent record label Chicago-based label he runs with Ryan McGuire. Dewyze formed the Lee DeWyze Band with Svitek, McGuire and Jeff Henderson. DeWyze recorded two albums, So I'm Told (2007) and Slumberland (2010), both produced by McGuire. WuLi released a remixed and remastered edition of So I'm Told in 2010. In 2008, as a favor to band member Jeff Henderson, DeWyze and the band recorded a disc for Square One Organic Baby Food Company, a company owned by Henderson's wife. DeWyze recorded six songs on the "Square One Organic" promotional CD, also produced by Ryan McGuire. As a result of touring in the area and performing at many venues, DeWyze and his band became locally known, receiving airplay on WXRT. The Lee DeWyze Band was featured on the local television sports program The Chicago Huddle on WLS-TV during its 2008 and 2009 seasons.
DeWyze auditioned at the United Center in Chicago for the ninth season of American Idol on June 22, 2009, after encouragement from his friend Vincent Ferrara, who was also trying out for the contest in Chicago. DeWyze auditioned with the song "Ain't No Sunshine". He was one of thirteen people from Chicago, the lowest number out of all seven audition cities, to make it through to the show's Hollywood Week. During Hollywood Week, DeWyze was placed in a group that included Aaron Kelly and Crystal Bowersox, all of whom made the Top 5. DeWyze defeated Bowersox and was crowned the winner on May 26, 2010. DeWyze's closest friend among the competitors is Andrew Garcia, who was his roommate throughout the season until he was eliminated in the Top 9. DeWyze was one of two contestants in the ninth season to never land in the bottom three, the other being Bowersox. The judges praised him for shedding his shy persona throughout the season and showing, with confidence, that he was "in it to win it." On May 14, 2010, DeWyze performed at the Arlington Park Race Track in Arlington Heights, Illinois, with more than 41,000 people attending as part of his American Idol Homecoming day. The day also included parade in Mount Prospect, a performance at an AT&T store in Skokie, Illinois, and DeWyze throwing out the opening pitch at a Chicago Cubs baseball game.
^Note 1 Song included on American Idol Season 9 compilation album. ^Note 2 Due to the judges using their one save to save Michael Lynche, the Top 9 remained intact for another week. ^Note 3 Song selected by Simon Cowell.
DeWyze's Idol coronation song, a cover of U2's "Beautiful Day", was released as a digital single on May 27, 2010. He signed with Simon Fuller's 19 Entertainment and RCA Records. DeWyze performed the national anthem at the Staples Center before Game 2 of the 2010 NBA Finals on June 6, 2010. As a result of winning American Idol, he became the headliner of the 2010 American Idols LIVE! tour. The songs he chose to perform for the tour include "Beautiful Day", "Rocket Man", "Treat Her Like a Lady", "Hallelujah", and "Use Somebody". DeWyze won "Choice TV: Male Reality/Variety Star" at the Teen Choice Awards in 2010. He returned to Arlington Park for a post-Idol homecoming concert on September 24, 2010, where he performed for more than 20,000 people. His 12-song set of cover songs and pre-Idol originals also included a new song, "Only Dreaming". On January 23, 2011, DeWyze performed at halftime during the NFC Championship Game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field in Chicago. In July 2010, DeWyze described his upcoming album:
