"American Idol" alum Chris Daughtry has sold more than 6 million albums since leaving with his fourth-place finish after Season 5 in 2006.
That puts him at No. 3 on the list of most commercially successful "Idol" alums, behind No. 1 Carrie Underwood (Season 4 winner, 12 million albums and counting) and Season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson (closing in on 11 million).
Season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken has sold twice as many records (over 5 million) than winner Ruben Studdard (2.5 million), proving that you don't have to be crowned "American Idol" to become music royalty.
Ten years after it first aired, the TV talent contest is proving that losing can be the biggest win of all.
Two of those success stories - Daughtry and Season 2 fourth runner-up Josh Gracin - will swing into Tucson this week.
Daughtry at AVA
"American Idol" Season 5 finalist Chris Daughtry wasted no time in taking his TV talent show shortcoming to enormous musical heights.
Daughtry and his namesake band join a growing list of "Idol" also-rans in turning their TV exposure into chart gold.
The North Carolina singer-songwriter jumped from "Idol" unknown after releasing his band's eponymous debut album in December 2006 - just months after Season 5 had wrapped.
That album has sold more than 4 million copies in the United States and spun hits of "It's Not Over," "Home," "What I Want" and "Crashed." It also earned him four Grammy nominations.
Daughtry's 2009 sophomore album, "Leave This Town," sold 269,000 copies the first week. It has since been certified platinum.
On Nov. 21, Daughtry will release its third album, "Break the Spell." The release comes after the band's stop at Casino del Sol's AVA Friday - the start of Casino del Sol Resort's grand opening celebration. (Pepe Aguilar headlines the opening night concert Nov. 11, followed by Tim McGraw on Nov. 12.)
Gracin at the Maverick
While all of his "American Idol" Season 2 cohorts hit the road after the show ended in 2003, fourth runner up Josh Gracin had a prior commitment with Uncle Sam.
Gracin was a Marine back then and he still owed the Corps some time. So he took his twangy baritone on the road as a military recruiting tool. A year later, with an honorable discharge in hand, Gracin waltzed into Nashville and snagged a major-label record deal, setting his career in motion.
Gracin will finally make it to Tucson on Tuesday, the day that his third album, "Redemption," is expected to hit record stores and iTunes. So let's call this a CD release party and hopefully he will indulge us with the hits so far - "I Want to Live," "Nothin' to Lose," "Stay With Me (Brass Bed)," "We Weren't Crazy" - and cuts off the new album.
If you go
• What: Chris Daughtry in concert.
• When: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
• Where: Casino del Sol's AVA, 5655 W. Valencia Road.
• Tickets: $30-$85 at tickets.solcasinos.com
_______
• What: Josh Gracin in concert.
• When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
• Where: The Maverick, 6622 E. Tanque Verde Road.
• Tickets: $8 in advance at the club, $10 day of show.
• Details: 298-0430.
