'American Idol' Auditions from Austin, TX, on Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Wednesday, February 2, 2011, 8 PM (ET), Austin, TX "American Idol" held tryouts in Austin, Texas this week. Surprisingly, given the overwhelming numbers that turned out in Nashville (17,500), this Texas capital city, also known for its music scene, produced only 7,500 contestants, less than half that of Nashville, Music City.

However, the quality of those we saw onscreen was high, even if the back stories were less dramatic.

MOST DRAMATIC AUDITION OF THE NIGHT

The most dramatic moment, for me, came during the selection of Holly Cavanagh, 17, who initially sang a difficult Etta James song and totally lost track of the melody. Randy, in fact, instantly voted "no." The slight blonde girl was trying very hard not to cry, as rejection seemed imminent. Her voice had some nice vocal qualities, but losing your way in the melody is not a good start for any audition. Jennifer Lopez suggested that Holly try again with a different song. She sang, "There's always gonna' be an uphill mountain," the lyrics matching her situation. She was put through to Hollywood. Even Randy changed his vote to "yes." Hers was a touching audition, whether she goes very far or not.

LOVERS MOVE ON TO COMPETE

The other back stories involved a couple that are boyfriend and girlfriend, Jacqueline Dunford, 21, of Scottsdale, Arizona, and her boyfriend Nick Fink, 19, also from Scottsdale. The two met in chorus when they were asked to sing a duet. The pair auditioned separately, but with each in the room, and, as Steven Tyler said, "The lovers go to Hollywood. It's a beautiful thing."

EVEN COWBOYS GET THE GOLDEN TICKETS

There was also a young man who was dedicating his try-out to a mother who survived breast cancer and urged him to try out. That contestant, John Wayne Schultz, 23, of Karnes City, Texas, was a genuine, authentic cowboy. His dad got in a little dig at Ryan Seacrest, saying he named his son after John Wayne so he would grow up to be rough and tough. He implied that Ryan wasn't so rough and tough with one of his comments. The trio of judges liked John Wayne Schultz's rendition of "Believe" by Brooks & Dunn and talked about how "the strength of faith" showed through in his singing. Steven Tyler said, "Beautiful. I liked it." The proud parents were invited in to meet the judges. And the cowboy rides off into the sunset, heading towards Hollywood.

LONG-LOST SISTER ROOTS FOR BROTHER in COMPETITION

Another contestant with a back story was Cory LaBoia, who learned he had a sister late in life and that she had grown up only 15 minutes away. The 21-year-old Longview, Texas nursing assistant was put through to Hollywood with his long-lost sister---now his best friend--- sitting at the judges' table pronouncing his audition "Amazing."

THE GOOD

Others who earned a golden ticket were Janelle Arthur, 20, of Oliver Springs, Tennessee, a musician; Shauntel Campos; Courtney Perry (17) of Missouri City, Texas; Alex Carr; Caleb Johnson (Asheville, North Carolina); and the last contestant of the day, an energetic Casey Abrams, 19, from Idyllwild, California, who brought his Melodica and sang Ray Charles' "I Don't Need No Doctor."

THE BAD & THE WEIRD

Along with the good came the bad. Outrageous costumes seemed to be the order of the day, including a feathery angel get-up, an armadillo costume and more.

My favorite exchange of the evening was when a rejected contestant said he did trials for a pharmaceutical company and Steven Tyler said, "Then we have something in common. That sums up the 70s for me." Also, Randy's Atomic Dawg exchange with a bad singer who sang, "I'm dyin' inside" brought the comment "Me, too" from Randy and the judgment, "It was just all kinds of wrong, to me."

As Ryan Seacrest said, as the program kicked off, Austin was "a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll, and a whole lot of weird."