I'm a fan (and you should be too) because...

I'd never really watched AI before (except accidentally seeing the night J-Hud got bumped) but was rooming with a confirmed AI freak when season 5 started. I saw Chris' audition and couldn't get over how charming & sweet he was.. & seeing his wife outside the door & how she was so supportive of his endeavour, it got to me. I so loved to see this guy who was taking his shot & the person he was with was right there beside him, it gave me goosebumps. Of course being a normal gay male, I though "s*** that boy's HOT!" Then seeing how he was willing to put his life with his family on hold to give his dream a shot made me a convert. The whole season I was glued to the set every week. My life was pretty fragile then, I had just finished fashion design school, was looking for work in Los Angeles & a friend in Palm Springs( the AI addict) was letting me hang at his place while I got my s*** together. I was doing some restaurant work at nights to get by, & my relationship of 3 years which I had every intention of being the one for life, was crumbling. Needless to say, getting to be entertained on a weekly basis by this guy was something that helped take my mind off my worries at the time I had forgotten how much I enjoyed classic rock till Chris took me back through some great hits & I loved how he showed some versatility yet would also make each song his own.

When Chris left AI, I knew this was the best thing for him, he's way too talented & popular to go to waste. So seeing his rise has been a great joy for me. At the same time, my life has gotten back on track. Yes the relatnship ended but not from a lack of love, just a matter of being in different places in life & needing different things. A job offer in the niche (dancewear/costuming) that I love presented itself. It meant saying goodbye to Southern California & driving to South Florida to start anew, but I had Daughtry's first CD to keep me company on the drive. To this day I still listen to it on the way to work nearly daily & I keep finding new 'favorite songs' - I had "Feels Like Tonight" pegged as a winner when "Home" was just getting play. A lot of tears & frustration in dealing with a new place & a very different way of life than I'm used to, but I'm hanging in there & doing just fine.

In this whole process I've gotten reacquainted with my inner rocker as well. Luckily I work in a creative field so I can get away with a mohawk & a biker chain at work, & it feels like me as opposed to the person I'm expected to be. That's the appeal to Daughtry for me, these guys are doing what they love, but they are taking care of their families.. They are not boys, they are men. they have their heads on right & are setting a great example as well as putting out some killer music.

Only got to see him once live at the Hard Rock last year, but it was the best night I'd had in a loooong time. Cathartic in so many ways to just listen, sing along & enjoy myself. The girls sitting next to me commented they couldnt' believe I knew the words to just about every song.

I used Chris' cover of "Wanted:Dead Or Alive" for a high school performance team I choreograph in Des Moines IA.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4714412637146612736&hl=en

The audience & judges loved the selection of music, a classic but not the one they were expecting. I credit part of that to the 2nd place finish the group took home at their state championship in IA. I'm Thinking "Feels Like Tonight" may get used next season

This year I will spend way too much on BJ/Daughtry tickets I'm sure (Des Moines, Ft Lauderdale, Tampa maybe even Altanta) but I'm gonna have one hell of a fun time doing it! Can't wait to see the boys live again. Hope to someday get a shake the man's hand & thank him for just being him.

In a nutshell, I'm here cause I'm a fan, I enjoy the music, I respect the man for living his dream & even more so for being a man & taking care of his family. The songs are relevant to things I've gone through recently & all in all, it's what helps get me through the day when things are nuts