#78 Gina Glocksen

Next on my American Idol finalist countdown is Gina Glocksen. She got ninth place in a tearful elimination on American Idol season 6. She participated in a spring break tour with Chikezie and two others during the time of American Idol season 8.

Glocksen was born on July 4, 1984. She hails from Tinley Park, Illinois, a southwest suburb in Chicago, Illinois. She attended Virgil I. Grissom Jr Middle School and Victor J. Andrew High School. Glocksen has been singing since the age of seven, and she had classical music training in high school, where she learned to play the piano and flute. She originally auditioned for American Idol season 5, but her journey ended in the third Hollywood Round. Before her stint on American Idol season 6, she worked as a dental assistant in Worth, Illinois, and performed with the cover band called Catfight.

On American Idol season 6, Glocksen got a second chance auditioning in Memphis, Tennessee, with the song "Black Velvet", written by Canadian musicians David Tyson and Christopher Ward, and originally recorded by Canadian recording artist Alannah Myles in 1988, and she once again made it to Hollywood. During the second Hollywood, she performed the song "Be My Baby" by the Ronettes, together with Perla Meneses, Jessica Gordon, and Marisa Rhodes. In the third Hollywood Round, she performed "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman" by Bryan Adams.

Glocksen finally made it through to the top 24. On top 24 week, she performed "All By Myself" by Eric Carmen. On top 20 week, she performed by "Alone" by i-TEN. On top 16 week, she performed "Call Me When You're Sober' by Evanescence, then she made it through to the finals. On top 12 week, she performed "Love Child" by Diana Ross. On top 11 week, she performed "Paint It, Black" by The Rolling Stones. On top 10 week, she performed "I'll Stand By You" by The Pretenders. On top 9 week, after performing "Smile" by Charlie Chaplin, her stint on American Idol ended in tears on April 4, 2007, landing in ninth place. She was in the bottom 3 with Phil Stacey and Haley Scarnato, who was eliminated one week after her. Like Chris Sligh and Stephanie Edwards, who were eliminated before her, she was never in the bottom 3 prior to her elimination. 
 

Glocksen married science teacher/musician Joe Ruzicka on New Year's Eve 2008. Her season's winner Jordin Sparks was one of her bridesmaids. The couple resides in Naperville, Illinois.