Famous on Television

Abstract

During its run, the singing-contest show “American Idol” produced the statistical oddity that three of its 15 winners came from North Carolina -- 20 percent, far more than any other state. The show’s rise coincided with the decline of the record industry, which was grappling with plummeting record sales. In 2006’s fifth season, the year three of the show’s top-eight finalists were from North Carolina, “American Idol” was at its peak as one of the last, best ways to sell records. Scotty McCreery, Fantasia Barrino, Chris Daughtry, and Clay Aiken are among North Carolina’s native sons and daughters to ride it to fame.