The American Idol 3 stars aren't the only ones with new CD releases.

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Brad Cotter, the winner of USA Network's Nashville Star 2, released his first post-show CD, entitled Patient Man, on the Sony Nashville label on July 6. The CD features Brad's country hit 'I Meant To', which he co-wrote and performed on the final two episodes of Nashville Star 2.

Brad, now 33, performed two other co-compostions during the show, both of which are included on Patient Man: the title track and 'I Miss Me'. Brad is currently participating in the Nashville Star tour with the other three members of the show's final four (George Canyon, Matt Lindahl and Lance Miller), so the show tour will double as Brad's tour behind his CD.

Brad will hope to match the major-label success of Nashville Star 1 winner Buddy Jewell, whose self-titled CD opened with sales of 52,000 units and then continued to sell until it was ultimately certified gold by the RIAA in February for sales of 500,000 copies.

Once again, we note the contrast between Nashville Star and American Idol. Idol 3 featured an all-teenage final three. When Brad Cotter was a teenager, he was a gospel artist, with five albums released between the ages of 11 and 17. Now, though, he is a mature artist with a very different style -- a style he would never have found had he become an "idol" as a teenager.

Long may he prosper.