Being a fan of David Cook is more than just being stirred by a musical arrangement or a performance. Those are pre-requisites, of course (and he stirs them exceedingly well) but what makes me "an enthusiastic devotee or admirer" is the clarity his example provides about what is possible and the fortitude it takes to make it happen. In striving to be true to himself and his calling, he has broken many molds, but he was working at it long before he was embraced for it.

When talent is paired with integrity, and hard work makes opportunity with a near perfect balance of confidence and humility, and it's all wrapped in a package of unapologizing humanness and love for life and family, how could I not be a fan?