Maren Morris knows it’s a long and winding road to get to your dreams, as evidenced by her American Idol audition ticket. 

Maren was 17 years old in August 2007 — when she auditioned for American Idol’s seventh season at the former Texas Stadium in Irving. Though she sadly didn’t make it past the audition, her mom, Kellie, decided to hold on to the ticket as a keepsake — and the singer’s reaction is priceless. 

“My mom found my American Idol audition ticket from 2007. I didn’t make it past the first round cattle call…,” the hit singer recalls in the caption alongside the photo of the tattered ticket that shows the date, time and location along with where she sat in the stadium. “I wasn’t really into sports growing up but this feels like the equivalent of your mom saving your 10th place trophy,” she adds with a crying laughing emoji. 

“This is incredible. May we not let the world tell us who we are,” Lindsay Ell remarks in the comment section, another fan adding, “LIFE LESSON…. NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAM.” 

After AI, “The Bones” singer also auditioned for The Voice and America’s Got Talent. 

Despite being rejected by the competition shows, Maren has gone on to become one of the biggest names in country music with three chart-topping albums, multiple CMA and ACM Awards and a massive crossover hit with “The Middle.” 

Her current single, “Circles Around This Town,” is racing up the top 10 on country radio. 

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