I am a fan (and you should be too), because...
Oh gee... where do I begin?? It started around January of last year; during the commercial PREVIEWS of the Idol auditions. I have to be honest; I was initially drawn to him for his rocker looks and gravelly voice. But with each passing week, I liked him more and more, for other reasons. He gave each performance like it would be his last. You could actually SEE the fire and drive in him, which was absent in the other hopefuls. In fact, he wasn't a "hopeful". He was an "imminent". He continuously demonstrated a genuine passion for music, unwavering love for his family and God, and it didn’t take long for the nation to realize that he epitomizes what an artist and all-around person should be.
Looking back, it’s hard for me to see him on the Idol stage. It seems light years back from where he is now. Don’t get me wrong though, I and millions of others are grateful to Idol for bringing Chris into the spotlight. In my opinion though, it just doesn’t fit; Daughtry is ANYTHING but cookie-cutter. While I and other fans initially called 5/10/06 the ‘day that music died’, it was truly the best thing that could’ve happened. He and the band have tons of street cred, creative freedom, and a VAST fan base that is impressively made up largely of non-Idol watchers. This here is a true testament of what it takes to not only succeed, but to persevere.
Another thing you can say about Daughtry is that they appeal to everyone. My 8 year old daughter loves them and sings along with the CD. My mother loves them (and wishes she were 30 years younger…). Even my hardcore metal/metalcore/scream-into-the-mic fan of a brother loves them. The very conservative Medical Director at my workplace loves them. Come to think of it, I don’t know anyone who isn’t a fan. I could go on!!
I’ve been downloading music from iTunes for the last several years and burning my own CD’s because honestly, I feel like buying a whole CD when I only like 1 or 2 songs is kind of a waste. It’s been a LONG time since I’ve been completely infatuated with every track on an album, as I am with this one. I can relate to every one of them. I want to thank Daughtry for giving me my CD-buying days back, for giving me something to look forward to, and reminding me what it’s like to be an absolutely RABID fan. *grin*
And THAT’S why I’m a fan, and why you should be too. The only reason I could think of for not being a fan though, is not having experienced them yet!!
It was an absolute honor meeting them when they swept through Seattle in 2/07, and if I have anything to say about it, it was just the first of many, many times. Whether or not I’m chosen for VIP, I WILL see them on August 25th (5 days before my birthday, and YAY for 1979!) in Seattle.

See you soon!!

~Lisa
daughtryofficial.com: Lisa Henley
thechriscrew.com (daughtry gang): CD4AI5 ...yeah I know, I need to change my username!!