Melinda Doolittle

Although her third-place finish on American Idol's sixth season introduced Melinda Doolittle to a new audience, the neo-soul singer already boasted an impressive résumé, having spent the better part of a decade singing backup for the likes of Aaron Neville, Jonny Lang, Charlie Peacock, and CeCe Winans. Doolittle was born in St. Louis, MO, and relocated to Nashville during the mid-'90s to attend Belmont University while pursuing a singing career. Already employed as a gifted background vocalist, she auditioned for American Idol in 2006 and earned a place on the show's 2007 seas...