A few weeks back I had an epiphany watching American Idol. Honestly folks, I never expected to learn something about my own writing from watching this show, but what surprised me even more, was realizing that this insight applies to all singer songwriters, regardless of genre.

I will admit, when Idol first appeared, I wanted to puke. I, like many music industry dinosaurs, longed for the old days, when true music folks ran the business, and new groups were given more than a few weeks to prove their mettle. Idol represented everything wrong with the music biz. Although some of those issues still plague the program, here's why I've changed my mind.

You can't argue with long-term success. Idol is in its sixth season bigger than ever; few shows of any ilk last that long. Idol has spun-off credible talent. Who could have imagined that an Idol reject would bag an Oscar? The New York Times wrote this week that Idol is the only TV show that brings teenagers and parents together. In an age where kids have the Internet, cellular entertainment, and video games for distractions, this is a remarkable feat.

Now to the epiphany. For those that don't watch the show (which I assume is many of my readers), the 24 finalists are whittled down from a pool of over 500,000. You might not like Simon, Paula, and Randy, but they've been around enough to recognize folks that can sing. When you sift through that many bodies, you'll find 24 who can carry a tune; and yet, all too often, each finalist has a karaoke break down. Many sing off-pitch, lack emotion, and appear completely out of touch with the performance.

Obviously nerves plays a role, but setting that aside, what's the number reason these decent singers derail? Avid Idol fans should know the answer. Song selection. Pick the wrong song, or just the wrong key, and a singer, even a fabulous one, will struggle. The wrong song will put them out of their comfort zone. It makes a singer think, instead of feel. It creates a barrier that keeps a singer from connecting with the song.

Picking the right track, or writing songs in a key that best shows off a voice is not as easy as it appears. Singers of all levels all too often misjudge their abilities. I've done it more than I care to admit, but thanks to Idol, I hope not to repeat that mistake again.