American Idol Winners

The sixth season of American Idol has finished up and we have a new American Idol winner joining the ranks. Jordin Sparks dazzled America and scored the title over cutie Blake Lewis. Check out the goods on the current and past American Idols!

American Idol: Season Six - Jordin Sparks
Birthdate: December 22, 1989
Birthplace: Staten Island, New York
Jordin Sparks may be the youngest AI winner to date, but she has a voice that contradicts her age and musical experience beyond her years. Jordin has been watching American Idol since she was 12, and released an independent EP when she was just 13 years old. So now that she's reached the ripe old age of 17, she's ready to be an Idol!
American Idol: Season Five - Taylor Hicks
Birthdate: January 24, 1977
Birthplace: Birmingham, Alabama
Taylor Hicks brought a sound as unusual as his grayer-than-average look to American Idol. His Alabama upbringing gives his sound a soulfulness that his fans love. Taylor's been singing since he could crawl and had already been performing at various venues around the US since he left university. He has even already put out an album called Under the Radar. Taylor tried to audition for American Idol at its Memphis audition but that was cancelled after Hurricane Katrina so he went to the Vegas one instead. Taylor's first post-Idol
Courtesy of Fox
album (called - what else - Taylor Hicks) was dropped in 2006. American Idol: Season 4 - Carrie Underwood
Birthdate: March 9, 1983
Birthplace: Checotah, Oklahoma
The contestants from season four of American Idol were whittled down and the winner was Carrie Underwood! This country crooner wowed America week after week with her powerful voice. Before driving for seven hours to audition in St. Louis, Carrie was enrolled in college taking Mass Communications. Carrie's first single, Inside Your Heaven, debuted at number one in the charts. Her second single, Jesus Take the Wheel, peaked at number one in the country charts and her full album, Some Hearts hit shelves in November 2005.
American Idol: Season 3 - Fantasia Barrino
Birthdate: June 30, 1984
Birthplace: High Point, NC
Fantasia Barrino brought a new flavor to American Idol during season three. Her raspy voice set her apart from the thousands of other contestants she was up against. Since her win Fantasia has released her first album, Free Yourself. There are some pretty big appearances on this disc - Missy Elliot is featured on the track Selfish! Fantasia published her memoir in late-2005 called Life is Not a Fairy Tale and her second album, Fantasia, hit shelves in late 2006. She's currently starring in the Broadway musical The Color Purple, produced by Oprah Winfrey.
American Idol: Season 2 - Ruben
Courtesy of RCA
Studdard
Birthdate: September 12, 1978
Birthplace: Birmingham, Alabama
Real Name: Christopher Ruben Studdard
Before American Idol, Ruben Studdard was a voice major at Alabama A&M University. He also performed with his bands, Just A Few Cats and God's Gifts. Ruben auditioned for American Idol in Nashville, Tennessee and all three judges said they got goosebumps when he sang. Later, guest judge Gladys Knight nicknamed him The Velvet Teddy Bear. Ruben beat Clay Aiken by 134,400 votes in the season two American Idol finale. He has since released two albums, Soulful and I Need an Angel. His third album, The Return, met with poor sales in 2006.
American Idol: Season 1 - Kelly Clarkson
Birthdate: April 24, 1982
Birthplace: Burleson, Texas
Kelly has really come a long way since her big win on American Idol. The competition launched her into the spotlight and her first disc, Thankful, made a huge splash. Tracks like Miss Independent and Beautiful Disaster became instant summer anthems. Critics may have thought that Kelly would fade out fast, but with the release of Breakaway, Kelly Clarkson has proved that she has real staying power in the industry. Kelly's third album, My December, drops in June 2007.