Denise Jackson was just 16 when she landed a spot on the long-running TV phenomenon known as “American Idol,” and a lengthy profile on the front page of her hometown newspaper.
That was 2007. Her magnificent voice would return the Madison teenager to the “American Idol” audition stage four more times. She’d sing for a who’s-who of “Idol” judges, beating out tens of thousands of would-be singers in the process, though she didn’t make the reality TV show’s final cut.
The La Follette High School graduate hasn’t yet crossed the bridge to stardom. But her journey helped her cross a different divide — one that started with an unlikely friendship.