Mike Wild, manager of CiCi's Pizza in Fort Oglethorpe, must chuckle when he considers the sudden success of his weekend employee, Lauren alaina Suddeth.

"Now We've thoughts like, 'I might have asked the next 'American Idol' to sweep crumbs up up and running," he joked.

lauren alaina

Wild is one kind of several local venue managers isn't Lauren alaina Suddeth before she took over as female front-runner on Season 10 of "American Idol." They knew the 16-year-old before she shared a spontaneous duet with Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, before she sang weekly in 26 million homes.

Suddeth advanced yesterday on the fourth and final Hollywood Round of "American Idol," that can air Wednesday at 8 p.m. on Fox. The most notable 20 semifinalists is going to be revealed Thursday night.

Suddeth, daughter of Kristy and J.J. Suddeth of Rossville, honed her talent on stages from North Georgia to Nashville's Tootsie's Orchid Lounge.

She sang every Wednesday night for four years at Magoo's on Ringgold Road until she qualified to the Hollywood round on "AI." She has also performed at Sing It or Wing It in downtown Chattanooga.

Suddeth was the 1st winner of the WinnieStar youth talent contest at Lake Winnepesaukah during 2009.

"She were built with a very mature stage presence on her behalf early age," recalls Talley Green, Lake Winnie spokeswoman. "It was clear she was going places; we merely couldn't know it might be 'American Idol.'"

Jason Phibbs, who owns Acoustic Cafe in Ringgold, Ga., said Suddeth sang in their venue a half-dozen times before she appeared on "American Idol."

lauren alaina and scotty mccreery

"We did not know she was auditioning in Nashville. Her last show was right before Christmas, and we knew something was up, but they were really tight-lipped," said Phibbs.

Phibbs confirmed rumors that the "AI" crew was to his cafe to tape a segment following your teen made it to Hollywood.

Phibbs said he booked Suddeth last year after her dad arrived and asked him to allow the teen sing. He listened to her CDs, asked if she could draw an audience, then gave her a trial.

"She brought in about 100 friends and family," he explained. "I thought it was incredible she was 15," he was quoted saying of her performance.

Backing her on four of people gigs at Acoustic Cafe was 25-year-old guitarist Josh Pettyjohn, as well as Suddeth's dad on guitar.

"She's got an incredible personality and also a great voice to select it," said Pettyjohn. "She could work a large group. I believe she's a fantastic performer on her behalf age. Regardless of the the fashion; she could perform wide selection of music."

Wild agrees Suddeth can wow onlookers. He watched her work the ground while on the job at CiCi's.

"She was always singing throughout the store, even while stocking the salad bar," he said. "People noticed her."

Although Suddeth hasn't worked there since "American Idol" began airing, Wild said customers still appear in hoping they might obtain a peek with the teen singer.

"There's not only a day goes on that somebody doesn't question her. She's a unique girl," Wild said.