Jason Castro

Jason Castro first caught attention during the seventh season of American Idol in 2008, where he finished in fourth place. After the show, he released his self-titled debut album in 2010, which included the track 'You are' that had already gained some traction. That album established his basic approach: straightforward, acoustic-driven songs with a folk-pop feel.

He's kept at it since then, putting out records like 'Only a Mountain' in 2015, which shares its name with one of his more recognizable songs. His material tends toward the personal and hopeful, with titles like 'Sweet Medicine' and 'I Just Want To Be Your Everything' giving a fair sense of his lyrical territory. He's also recorded 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow,' a cover that fits comfortably within his vocal style.

Castro was born in Rockwall, Texas, in 1987. Before Idol, he worked as a bartender and played music on the street, which feels consistent with the unadorned, direct quality of his recordings. There's no grand narrative or dramatic reinvention in his story, just a guy who got a boost from television and has continued making the kind of music he was making before anyone knew his name.