The further you go on the show, the larger the budget gets. But in the beginning they were just like, "Here's a hundred bucks in L.A. Good luck."

David Cook

Good books put a finger on emotions that are deeply our own - but that we could never have described on our own.

There is no such thing as work-life balance. Everything worth fighting for unbalances your life.

I'm competitive to a fault, so of course every week I'm just like, "I want to win, I want to do great."

I spent a majority of my life in Kansas City, so I am a Chiefs and Royals guy. I used to work for the Royals for like five years in the suites department and in the stadium club restaurant.

I'm admittedly a record guy. Singles and I are a different beast. I'm definitely an overall picture thinker.

There's definitely a visual aspect and an emotional aspect to a song. And that harks back, for me, to theater.

It's amazing what a spray-on tan will do.

I got to play with ZZ Top and introduce Bryan Adams and George Michael. And to have it all topped off by me winning 'American Idol?!' It's pretty absurd.

I absolutely think the Seattle grunge sound was instrumental to my music education.

I live for Tuesdays, and die by Wednesdays.

I'd always wanted to grow my hair out. And now looking back on those photos I understand why I probably shouldn't have.

I have to be involved. Whether it's me writing by myself or with other people, I definitely want to have my hand in the creative process. That's part of why I got into music in the first place.