Crystal Bowersox was born August 4, 1985 in Elliston, Ohio, a small town near Toledo. Crystal has a twin brother, Karl. She began playing guitar when she was 10 years old. She usually plays guitar and harmonica, but also learned piano as a child. She began performing publicly around the age of 10. At the age of 17, she left home for Chicago where she was chosen to represent the city of Chicago’s folk music scene in a week long festival called “Experience Chicago,” held in sister city, Birmingham, UK. With the birth of her son, Anthony, she moved back home and found her way to American Idol. Artists who affected her music were Willy Nelson, Johnny Cash, Jewel, Joni Mitchell, Sarah McLachlan, Counting Crows, Bonnie Rait, Tracy Chapman, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, Ray LaMontagne,
