"American Idol" is ostensibly a pop music show, although it’s succeeded in launching careers for a number of country acts. Among the acts who’ve made country hits after coming to prominence on "Idol" are Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, Josh Gracin, Bucky Covington and even Kelly Clarkson, who joined Reba McEntire on "Because Of You."

Former "Idol" Phil Stacey released his first album last month, and he says his experience on the TV show gave him an instant fan base.

"On the radio, I’m making 5 million impressions a week, whereas on television, I made over 30 million impressions every time I sang on any episode of ‘American Idol,’" Phil told The Orange County Register. "That’s a huge, huge thing to have that much exposure."

One other benefit to being on "Idol" is that the singers learn how to work in front of a TV camera, which is a very different skill than singing in a typical concert setting.

"On TV, it’s not about the big stage," Bucky Covington noted. "If they zoom in and do a tight shot, shoulders up, and all of a sudden I jump, we’ve just got a stupid-lookin’ thing there. On TV, you gotta carry your energy differently. You do subtle things versus a lot of wild, rock-‘n’-roll, yee-haw stuff."

At least three former "Idol" competitors — Bucky, Josh and Carrie — have committed to sign autographs during the CMA Music Festival next month. The festival is slated for June 5-8.