Country-pop singer Kristy Lee Cook made her national breakthrough on the seventh season of AMERICAN IDOL in 2008. In 1999, at the age of 16, the Oregon native had signed with RCA Records, but was dropped prior to the release of her first album. In 2005, she released an album, DEVOTED, under the name Kristy Lee on a small Texas indie label. She then made her first appearance on AMERICAN IDOL in early 2008, singing "Amazing Grace" in the audition rounds, and eventually became the seventh-place finisher that season. She signed with Arista Nashville and released WHY WAIT in September 2008.