"How did you feel when your name was called," Ryan Seacrest quizzed the winner.
"There are no words to describe it," DeWyze responded wide-eyed.
The build-up to that precious moment was not unlike a pilgramage on a long-and-winding road dotted with sheltering valleys and treacherous peaks along the way.
Joe Cocker (celebrated Woodstock hold-out) delighted the audience with a live performance of - "With A little help from my friends" - for instance.
Hall and Oates - a little long in the tooth - brought a smile to the face nonetheless.
American Idol interspersed the stage performances with a handful of hilarous clips from prior shows - mostly video footage of contestants screwing up - which dredged up fond memories and a poignant moment or two.
In what amounted to a lowpoint of the night, Paula Abdul stormed the stage to put in her two cents worth.
Ms. Abdul couldn't resist twisting the knife in a bit - as she discussed her relationship with Simon Cowell on "Idol" - which had been volatile at best.
Within minutes of hearing her grating voice sound off, I found myself screaming at the old boob tube.
"Would someone get the hook and pull her of the stage, please?"
On the heels of this segment of dead space, American Idol paid tribute to Simon Cowell, who is exiting the top-rated entertainment show this season.
Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox were stunned when American Idol gifted each with a souped-up vehicles courtesy of Ford.
Surprise high-energy performances by Brett Michaels and Alice Cooper were a highlight.
In some respects, Americn Idol was a cliffhanger, with enough thrills and chills to satisfy everyone.
Joe Cocker in rocker days!
