Scotty wins 'Idol,' continuing N.C. dominance

In case you live under a rock, then you are not aware that Garner's Scotty McCreery won season 10 of "American Idol" last night. Congratulations to the guy that has been described over and over and over again as a wonderfully genuine young man.

McCreery joins High Point's Fantasia Barrino (season three) as winners of the singing contest, while Raleigh's Clay Aiken was runner-up in season two. Others from N.C. that have done well include Chris Daughtry of Lasker (third place in season five), Kellie Pickler from Albemarle (fourth in season five), Bucky Covington from Rockingham (eighth in season five) and Anoop Desai of Chapel Hill (sixth place in season eight).

Needless to say, North Carolina was pretty excited for McCreery, according to WRAL.

More than 8,000 of those fans packed into the RBC Center in Raleigh for a viewing party Wednesday night. They made a thunderous roar when "Idol" host Ryan Seacrest named McCreery as the winner.

Three of his biggest fans – childhood friends and part of the Blue Crew, a student fan club at Garner Magnet High School – were at the RBC Center Wednesday.

The trio was also at the first viewing parties when fewer than 100 people gathered in Garner to watch McCreery at the start of this season of "American Idol."

"From that to last night at the RBC Center, home of the Wolfpack and the Hurricanes, 8,200 people screaming for Scotty – it doesn't get much better than that," Garner High student Colin Perry said.

McCreery's friends said they can't wait to see him again. McCreery has said he doesn't know how his world will change, but he hopes to get home soon.

"I'm going to have some fun and celebrate with my family, and I can't wait to get back to Garner," he said.

Quick hits: 49ers football close to happening, and Daughtry gives some love to a W-S theater

49ers football program needs one more signature

"UNC Charlotte’s first on-campus football stadium is now just a governor’s signature away from becoming a reality," according to reports.

"The N.C. General Assembly passed a bill last week that allows the school to borrow $40 million for the construction of a new 15,000-seat football stadium, field house and practice fields to house the Charlotte 49ers’ new football program, scheduled to start play in fall 2013.

"Gov. Beverly Perdue is expected to sign the bill as early as next week. The school plans to mark the event with a celebration among supporters sometime after Perdue gives final approval. ..."

New Daughtry music video highlights theater

"A refurbished former silent movie theater in North Carolina has a starring role in the newest music video from Daughtry," according to the AP.

"The video for the song 'September' was shot earlier this month at the Stevens Center of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. The center in Winston-Salem dates to 1929, when it was a silent movie theater. It's now the primary performance venue for the arts school.

"The video premiered online Friday on the music network VEVO. The song is from Daughtry's platinum-selling album, 'Leave This Town.' ..."

Daughtry tops the charts, knocks off the late King of Pop

It's often been remarked how Kurt Cobain and Nirvana knocked Michael Jackson from the top of the Billboard charts with "Nevermind." Well, North Carolina's Daughtry (led by former American Idol contestant Chris Daughtry) can now make that claim as well.

"For the past three weeks in a row," says Entertainment Weekly, "Michael Jackson's 'Number Ones' has been the biggest-selling album in the country.

"Each time, it's been disqualified from Billboard's flagship Billboard 200 chart, along with all Jackson's other releases, due to its age.

"That unusual run of asterisked Billboard 200 chart-toppers is now over. Which artist put an end to Jackson's posthumous flummoxing of the Billboard rules, you ask? The answer is Chris Daughtry, whose 'Leave This Town' bows atop the chart with a very nice 269,000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

"That's actually a bit of a drop-off from the 304,000 that the first album from American Idol alum Chris Daughtry's band sold when it hit shelves in 2006, but it's more than anyone else could muster in this sales frame -- yes, even Michael.

"And so for the first time in a month, the No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 is actually the No. 1 selling album in the U.S., no tricks, no fooling. ..."

Quick hits: Grammy nominations for memorable N.C. music and grants for memorable N.C. vistas

Grammy nominees include some N.C. faces
" ...North Carolina 'American Idol' alumnus Chris Daughtry heads up a large group of nominees with four each, a pack that includes Akon, Bruce Springsteen and Feist," writes the News & Observer's David Menconi. "Daughtry's nominations include a nod for best rock album, but he was snubbed in the best-new-artist category.

"Also on the North Carolina 'American Idol' tip, High Point's Fantasia picked up a nod for best contemporary R&B album.

"Durham-based Merge Records earned its second-ever nomination, for Arcade Fire for best alternative album. Former Chapel Hill resident James Taylor's 'At Christmas' picked up a nod for best traditional pop vocal album. ..."

Grant will help protect scenic vistas
"There's good news on the horizon for motorists who like to take the long way occasionally, just to enjoy the gorgeous Tar Heel landscape," writes the Greensboro News & Record.

"The Conservation Trust of North Carolina recently was awarded a grant of $252,000 from federal highway officials for coordinating efforts to preserve scenic vistas along such routes as the Blue Ridge Parkway, Cherohala Skyway and Grassy Island Crossing.

"The statewide conservation group and nine local land trusts will use the money from the Federal Highway Administration to 'identify, map and prioritize key parcels' along 560 miles of scenic byways. ..."

A big night for Daughtry

Chris Daughtry had quite the night on Sunday at the American Music Awards. The McLeansville native earned pop/rock album of year (for "Daughtry"), breakthrough artist of the year and adult contemporary artist of the year honors.

"Wow," Daughtry he said. "I can't believe we're in the category with Justin Timberlake and Linkin Park. It's pretty awesome."

Now in its 35th year, the American Music Awards honor nominees based on national sales and radio play.

For the first time in show history, winners were chosen by public votes cast online.

Daughtry big at the AMAs

McLeansville native Chris Daughtry's eponymous band is up for three awards at the upcoming American Music Awards.

"That puts Daughtry in a four-way tie with Beyonce Knowles, Justin Timberlake and Linkin Park," writes the Associated Press.

Daughtry is slated to perform at the show.

Nominees were initially chosen based on record sales. Ballots were then sent to a national sampling of 15,000 people, and the top three vote-getters in each category became nominees. For the first time, members of the public will be able to vote for nominated artists online. Daughtry was nominated in three categories:

ALBUM: The self-named album "Daughtry" will compete with "Minutes To Midnight" by Linkin Park and "FutureSex/LoveSounds" by Justin Timberlake.

ADULT CONTEMPORARY: Daughtry faces Norah Jones and John Mayer.

NEW ARTIST: Daughtry is up against Plain White T's and Robin Thicke.

Positive press for Pickler, Covington

None of this year's finalists on "American Idol" show an "affinity" for singing country music, which is a shame, according to USA Today.

"Four finalists — Gracin, Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood and last season's Kellie Pickler and Bucky Covington — have made the trek to Nashville. All have met with some measure of success, providing a few bright spots for a genre that has seen sluggish sales so far this year," the paper writes.

Pickler and Covington are, of course, from North Carolina -- joining a long line of Carolinians to do well on the show, including Clay Aiken and Chris Daughtry. They all, by the way, have done quite well for themselves.

"Pickler's Small Town Girl, released in October, could become the second-best-selling album from Season 5, behind Chris Daughtry's Daughtry," says USA Today. "Covington's self-titled debut, featuring his single A Different World, arrives today."

Update: OK, I blew it. How did I forget Fantasia!

'Just beginning' for Daughtry

Chris Daughtry, who grew up "picking potatoes and corn" on a North Carolina "spread with chickens, goats, ducks and hunting dogs," has done pretty well for himself since not winning American Idol.

"Since placing fourth in the Fox juggernaut last year, Chris Daughtry has strengthened into the fifth season's gold medalist. Make that platinum," wrote USA Today. "Daughtry, the fastest-selling rock debut since SoundScan began tabulating sales in 1991, has sold 1.9 million copies in 16 weeks, and first single It's Not Over is a top 10 smash on multiple formats with sales of 871,500 downloads to date. His ballad Home replaces Daniel Powter's Bad Day as this season's exit anthem, sure to goose sales through May.

"This post-Idol course, less a career path than his fantasy stairway to heaven, 'has far exceeded anything I ever expected,' Daughtry, 27, says. ..."

Read the rest of the article here.