Leon James “Lee” DeWyze, Jr. (born April 2, 1986) is American singer-songwriter from Mount Prospect, Illinois, and the winner of the ninth season of American Idol. After his win, he signed a record deal with 19 Entertainment and RCA Records. In addition to singing, Lee Dewyze is a musician who plays the guitar, piano and drums.

Prior to American Idol, DeWyze had a solo career and had formed the Lee DeWyze Band. He had released two independent albums called So I’m Told in 2007 and Slumberland in 2010, both on WuLi Records.

DeWyze was born in Mount Prospect, Illinois. His father, Lee DeWyze, Sr., worked as a postal carrier in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, and his mother, Kathleen DeWyze (née Donahue), in radiology transcription at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights. He Lee two older sisters, Sarah and Shannon, and a younger brother, Mike.

Video shows the motorcade arriving at St. James School where Lee DeWyze graduated from grade school. Some still shots also included from inside the school and his exit. Also some video of Lee’s brother Michael Lee DeWyze — saying hello.

DeWyze attended Saint James Catholic Elementary School in Arlington Heights, Illinois and Prospect High School up until his senior year. After leaving Prospect High, Lee attended Forest View Alternative School in Arlington Heights, having been inspired both by his teachers and his interest in music to return to his studies. Lee never graduated from either high school.

His musical influences include Cat Stevens, Eric Clapton, Ben Harper, and Simon & Garfunkel. He has some of the lyrics to “Father and Son”, a Cat Stevens classic song tattooed on his arm. He has 3 other tattoos, including a silhouette of the Chicago flag on his right arm. Lee stated on his blog that he owns a bulldog named Capone, is afraid of heights, loves playing Scrabble, and called his family before every performance he did on American Idol.

DeWyze auditioned in Chicago at the United Center for the ninth season of American Idol on June 22, 2009 after encouragement from his friend Vincent Ferrara who was also trying out for the contest in Chicago. He auditioned with the song “Ain’t No Sunshine”. Lee was one of only 13 people from Chicago, the lowest number out of all 7 audition cities, to make it through to Hollywood week. During Hollywood week his group included Aaron Kelly and Crystal Bowersox, all of whom made the Top 24 and subsequently the Top 5.

His closest friend among the competitors was Andrew Garcia. They were roommates throughout the season until Garcia was eliminated in the Top 9. Other contestants he is close to are Siobhan Magnus, Alex Lambert, Lacey Brown and eventual runner-up Crystal Bowersox.

DeWyze was one of two finalists on the show and was the only male contestant in Season 9 to never land in the bottom three. The judges praised Lee for shedding his shy persona throughout the season and showing, with confidence, that he was “in it to win it.”

Mount Prospect parade scene where Lee DeWyze arrived at the paint store he once worked at as a paint salesman.

On May 14, 2010, DeWyze performed at the Arlington Park Race Track in Arlington Heights, Illinois with more than 41,000 people attending as part of his American Idol Homecoming day. He also toured his hometown and Arlington Heights via police motorcade, where he visited former schools and his former paint store employer at the end of short parade viewed by thousands of people.

On May 26, DeWyze was crowned the winner of American Idol Season 9. As a result of winning the season, DeWyze also won a recording contract. According to the iTunes Store, his debut album is expected to be released on October 26, 2010, containing twelve tracks.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Neal got out of jail at around 1:30 AM — after serving about two weeks for felony evading while driving recklessly. We’re told Neal then went to the home of a woman in Lake Forest, CA at around 3:00 AM and police were called three hours later for a disturbance.

When police arrived, we’re told the woman (who claims she had only met Neal once before) told officers Neal attempted to rape her.

Law enforcement sources tell us Neal was transported to a local hospital rather than jail because he complained of chest pains.

When he is medically cleared, he will be booked for attempted rape and false imprisonment.

Neal was a NASCAR driver in the 1980s — he never won a national race.

UPDATE: Neal was booked into custody and a burglary charge was added. Bail has been set for $1,000,000

Tiger Woods was greeted warmly by fans when he started his first competitive round of golf since November. Amid all the cheers, a small plane flew overhead pulling a banner that alluded to the scandal that had sidelined him. The banner said, “Tiger: Did You Mean Bootyism?”

“Part of following this path is Buddhism,” he said, citing the religion practiced by more than 300 million people worldwide. “Buddhism teaches that a craving for things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security, and it teaches me to stop following every impulse and learn restraint. Obviously, I lost track of what I was taught.”

– Tiger Woods (Press Conference, Friday February 19, 2010)

The banner obviously a play on words to statements made by Tiger Woods at his press conference in February.

Tiger Woods returned to golf Thursday with a par on the first hole of the Masters. Playing competitively for the first time since last November, Woods was cheered loudly by the crowd at Augusta National.

Some say its brilliant and some say its disgusting. A Nike commercial showing a silent, blinking Tiger Woods listening while Earl Woods wants to ask him a few questions before he returns to golf.

TRANSCRIPT
Tiger? I am more prone to be inquisitive to promote discussion. I want to find out what your thinking was … I want to find out what your feelings are … and did you learn anything.

Gloria Allred:
Whatever rehab Tiger participates in, will not be meaningful [crying-like pouty face] or effective unless he (Tiger) acknowledges the relationship that he had with my client Veronica. He must call her … and better yet meet with her in person [Veronica and Allred holding hands] to apologize to her and explain why he lied to her — over and over again.

Veronica gave up her occupation — her primary source of income, her only source of income — as a porn star because Tiger was very jealous. And he could not stand the thought of her being with another man (ie. See her film title list on IMDB.COM). However this former porn star is also a human being, who has feelings. And who has been hurt [Gloria Allred 'sad eyes' face], and who has been devastated by the lies from the man she loved [Gloria Allred 'scorned face'], and whom she believed loved her.

It is time for Tiger Woods to take responsibility for the deep pain that he has inflicted on Veronica. She may not be his wife, but she was a very important woman in his life [Veronica wiping away tears now -- choked up], and it is time for him to ask her for her forgiveness.

Vernoica Siwik-Daniels:
I would be open to a telephone apology from Tiger [Veronica coddled by Allred with 'sad-eyes'], but I really feel that I deserve to look at him in person, face-to-face, in his eyes, because I didn’t deserve this [really crying now]. I’ve had to deal with a lot … and too much from him, and because of him. It never had to come to this. He knows that I was very straight and honest with him. But for a long time he lied to me. I never wanted to cause Elin, Sam or Charlie any pain, but I’m not the sole cause. Tiger pursued me, and over time I fell in love with him, and he told me he loved me too. I’m so sorry for my part [sniff] in any of their pain, being Sam, Elin, or Charlie, but I can’t help that I fell in love with him.

Joslyn James (aka Veronica Siwik-Daniels) — Her STARmeter is down 37% this week. STARmeter ranks the popularity of every person in IMDb.

The suits … key Fox network executives and American Idol production chiefs want her to stay.

Paula Abdul ($2.5 million, estimated)
Cold Hearted.