Crystal Bowersox Moves to Chicago

Bowersox went to the Toledo School for the Arts, then moved to Chicago at 17, where she busked and played open-mic nights, as well as Uncommon Ground, Fitzgerald's and the Friendly Tap in Berwyn, which started a tip jar in 2008 to help her move back to Ohio to give birth to her now-year-old son.

"When she returned to Toledo and we played together again," said May, "we could not believe how much we improved."

They started to play around Toledo, and last year they won the Toledo Blade newspaper's Battle of the Bands. The prize included a $500 gift certificate for a local guitar store.