American Idol contestant Danielle Finn has strong El Paso ties

EL PASO, Texas- As this year's American Idol competition continues one competitor will be getting many of her votes from the Borderland.

Danielle Finn's connection to El Paso is through her grandmother, Lainey Bookbinder, who is a proud El Paso High graduate.

Bookbinder married and moved to Phoenix and then later followed her children to retire in Los Angeles.

Finn, who is finishing up high school, stood in front Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and Katie Perry earlier this year for her audition.

Initially Luke Bryan gave Finn a "no" which upset fellow judge Katie Perry.

Lionel Richie also a judge suggested Finn sing her song in a higher key which sealed the deal.

Finn said, "I had never practiced it in the key I sang it in orginially. If anything I did it lower because I have kind of a lower voice. I was kind of freaking out. I think the fact that I was put on the spot and had a lot of adrenaline just allowed me to sing and helped me hit those notes I did not think I could hit."

Finn told ABC-7 that she draws a lot of musical inspiration from her father playing Stevie Wonder albums in their home while she was growing up.