Sixth season American Idol contestant
Jared Cotter impressed
Simon Cowell,
Randy Jackson, and
Paula Abdul with his rendition of
Stevie Wonder's "Lately," which earned him a place in Hollywood week and the show's semi-finals round.
Cotter sang as a child and teenager, but was also captain of his high school's varsity basketball team and acted in productions of plays like Our Town. On American Idol,
Cotter aimed to be New York's first winner. ~ Heather Phares