Everything's Coming Up Roses

The last stop on the American Idol audition tour happens to be the city where we found one of our biggest stars. Oklahoma native Carrie Underwood auditioned for the show in St. Louis eight years ago; now 10,000 contestants hoped to follow in her footsteps.

First up in "The Gateway to the West" is 22-year-old Johnny Keyser, who's been raised by his dad since he was three years old. Johnny sang Sam Cooke's "Change Is Gonna Come," and he was so good that Steven interrupted him midway through, quipping, "Should we just vote now?" Jennifer warned Johnny, "You know you're gonna be a star, right?" (It helps that she finds him "sexy," too.) Randy said, "Johnny's in the house!" He's going to Hollywood.

For the second time this week, we met a single mom going through a divorce who believes that her husband held her back. Rachelle Lamb, 26, wants to teach her adorable daughter a valuable lesson: "Don't let anybody hold you back. You wanna chase your dream, you chase it." Rachelle sang a song her husband didn't like: "Find Somebody New" by Faith Hill. Steven liked her "moxie," Jennifer admired her "energy" and "passion," and Randy was impressed by her "pure tone." She's going to Hollywood!

A few contestants made St. Louis look more like "The Gateway to the Worst," but things picked up with 20-year-old Reis Kloeckener, who was bullied in high school until he joined the choir, made a few friends, and turned his life around. "It made me who I am today, and I'm a lot tougher because of it," he revealed. Reis sang "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers, making Steven cry. "You made me tear up and get all crazy inside," Steven admitted. Randy and Jennifer liked him too. He's going to Hollywood, baby!

Ethan Jones, 22, played in a band with his father until his dad entered rehab for drug and alcohol addiction. Steven was impressed with the dad's hard work to get himself sober. "That's so good that he's a power of example to you and everyone else. I know I work hard to do that as well," the rock star revealed. Ethan sang "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain. Randy marveled, "You look nothing like the way you sound!" Jennifer said that she could see him starring in a country video. Ethan called his father to share the good news: He's going to Hollywood! His dad said that he's now "totally clean and sober" and "proud" of his son. We needed a tissue after that one!

The next contestant works at the hotel where the Idol auditions were held. The judges weren't so "Overjoyed" by 28-year-old Mark Ingram's performance of Stevie Wonder's hit, even though they think that he's a great guy. "The melody, keeping tune was lacking a little bit," Steven said. Jennifer said that she wanted to say yes so bad, but she just couldn't. Mark is "not quite ready for Hollywood," as Randy put it.

Finally, Lauren Gray, 22, works in the family wedding shop, and she sings every weekend with her father in a band. The daddy's girl performed Adele's "One and Only," and the judges agreed that she's "fearless."

"I love the way you hit the note and break, it's the sexiest thing on the planet," Steven raved. "You're one of the best females voice we've heard — absolutely 100 percent yes," Jennifer said, concluding that the day can be summed up in two words: "Lauren Gray."

And that wraps up the most successful road auditions Idol has ever had. Forty-six hopefuls earned their golden tickets in the Show-Me State, and now, the competition REALLY begins. We're going to Hollywood!