Hundreds of "American Idol" hopefuls crowded the parking lot of Cary Towne Center on Walnut Street early Saturday, vying for an all-expenses paid trip to a national audition in South Carolina.

They each had one minute to prove themselves and to shine or crumble in front of judges and crowds.

The dream didn't seem so unattainable. Just months ago, Scotty McCreery, a 17-year-old from Garner working at Lowes Foods, was one of them. As they waited in line, McCreery, the show's latest winner, was preparing to hit the stage later in the evening in Portland, Ore., for the "American Idol" tour.

The judges, too, wondered who would be the next Scotty.

Dave Rose, one of the three judges and co-owner of Deep South Entertainment, said he was looking for someone who could resonate with the crowds as Scotty has.

"Think about the first time you heard Scotty," Rose said. "Your eyes lit up. You just knew."

To attract the eyes of the judges, however, proved challenging as 330 contestants tried to outshine one another. They came from Greensboro, Sanford, Durham, Apex. A quick camaraderie formed in the parking lot as they shared cough drops and burst into songs.

Tamin Brown, 19, of Raleigh, tasted disappointment before she had a chance to sing. The first person in line, Brown had been in the parking lot since 3 a.m. Her long hours of waiting became a snare when she was asked to leave.

She only brought one form of ID instead of two as the audition required.

Brown's departure bumped the next person, Brittany Tillage, 17, of Holly Springs to first in line. Though a bit shy, Tillage, who made top 20 in another singing contest, said she has learned the importance of stage presence.

When she took the stage, her rendition of Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing" won the nods of the judges.

Ready for the moment

Some contestants, like C.J. Wilkins of Clayton, said they had sacrificed hanging out with friends to perfect their songs, and some, like Lashonda Fitts of Broadway in Lee County, said they were still deciding which song to sing.

During the audition, when a voice distinguished itself, people hushed and listened. They became transfixed for a moment. The hands of the judges didn't rise, and the microphone wasn't silenced. Applause erupted soon afterward. Luke Dabbs of Willow Spring was someone who took the crowd by surprise.

Dabbs, 19, sang Elvis' "Heartbreak Hotel," and twirled and shook his legs like the king of rock 'n' roll. His rendition won over the crowd.

The contestants were judged on two categories: vocal quality and stage presence, according to Kevin Kolbe of Fox 50. They received a score from zero to 10 for each category. But there is still hope if someone has a killer voice but poor stage presence. "If someone can sing and own the stage, someone who doesn't want to give up the mic and the crowd wants it more," he said. "That's the person you want."