It has taken me a long time this season, but I finally have ‘it’.

The ‘it’ is Scotty McCreery fever, as in the top 3 finalist, or perhaps more, on this season’s American Idol.

I completely ignored the show most of the season, as I have for several years now, because watching and/or listening to people sing for fame and fortune isn’t really my thing.

I have not watched the show, really, since after the first season when the novelty wore off and Simon Cowell already started to wear on me.

The hiring of Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler prior to this edition of the show did little to woo me, either … but Scotty, with his great country-western voice and style, finally “garnered” my attention.

He seems like a nice, clean-cut kid and his hometown just ate him up in an appearance Saturday in Garner, NC (look for clips to air Wednesday on the FOX program).

My wife, who remembers EVERYTHING (much to my detriment) seems to recall seeing him bag groceries at the Lowe’s foods in Garner when we lived in nearby downtown Raleigh.

I think she’s dreaming because I do most of the grocery shopping, though that is another matter entirely.

I usually don’t use the first names of people I don’t know, but with Scotty it just seems impossible not to.

Another reason to root for him, is that although he is not a Christian music artist, McCreery has  drawn some of his inspiration through the Bible.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” (Phillipians 4:13) is his favorite quote according to the American Idol website.

Good luck to the other finalists … Lauren Alaina and Haley Reinhart … but I hope Scotty becomes the next American Idol.

Perhaps the youngster could do  a countrified version of a Sinatra classic if/when he wins … “When I was 17 … it was a VERY good year!”

Great Scotty! … sorry, I had to write that at least once.