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All three American Idol<\/em><\/a> judges served high praise for Hannah Harper’s sweeping cover of a great Merle Haggard <\/a>ballad. Carrie Underwood<\/a> even made the young finalist promise she’d record a proper version soon.<\/p>\n Harper \u2014 a 25-year-old mother of three from Bunker, Mo. \u2014 was coasting up to this point. Season 24 favorites include Jordan McCullough and\u00a0Keyla Richardson, with the remaining singers offering consistently solid performances.<\/p>\n READ MORE<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0Every\u00a0American Idol<\/em>\u00a0Winner Ranked, Least to Most Memorable<\/a><\/p>\n Her country cred was always present but not quite as celebrated even though she’s performed nearly a half dozen great country songs since the Top 20 round:<\/p>\n On Monday (April 27), Harper picked Haggard’s “That’s the Way Love Goes,” a Grammy-winning, No. 1 hit in 1983. The oft-covered song (Johnny Rodriguez actually made it a hit first, in 1973) wasn’t a populist pick but Underwood, Luke Bryan<\/a> and Lionel Richie all heaped praise on her.<\/p>\n In singing the song, Harper did the thing so few American Idol finalists have the courage to do: she let the song do the heavy lifting. This wasn’t a made-for-television moment, it was a beautiful song interpretation that showcased her maturity.<\/p>\n This performance helped get Harper into the Top 5. Next week will find voters trimming the field once more, to a Top 3 ahead of the May 11 finale on ABC.<\/p>\n Harper grew up in rural Missouri as part of a family band called the Harper Family. They were a bluegrass-inspired gospel band through which she not only learned multiple instruments, but honed her songwriting.<\/p>\n Flash-forward to now and she\u2019s a young mother to three small boys willing to focus on the hard parts. During her audition, she performed an original called \u201cString Cheese\u201d which she said helped her beat postpartum depression after the birth of her then 1-year-old.<\/p>\n Read More<\/strong><\/em>: Who’s Left On American Idol?<\/em> Top 5 Revealed<\/a><\/p>\n That moment led to legends like Lee Ann Womack responding publicly, which was surreal for Harper. She remains humble on the Idol with a guitar strap that roots her<\/a>. Look closely and you\u2019ll find drawings of her three boys across it.<\/p>\n We’ve sorted each of the show’s 23 champions in order of who is most famous to country fans. No. 1 may be predictable but a thorough scroll may trigger voting memories from seasons past, plus an update on who is still active in music today. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\nHannah Harper’s American Idol<\/em> Country Covers<\/h3>\n
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Watch Hannah Harper Sing Merle Haggard<\/h3>\n
Who Is Hannah Harper?<\/h3>\n
Every ‘American Idol’ Winner Ranked: Least To Most Memorable<\/h2>\n