(HUDSON, N.Y.) – Folk-country singer-songwriter Crystal Bowersox, an American Idol finalist who was the first contestant in the program’s history to have one of her original songs played on the show, returns to Club Helsinki Hudson on Sunday, October 16, at 8pm. Singer-songwriter Jono Manson, a songwriting partner of Crystal’s who produced her latest album, will warm up the crowd for Bowersox.

Bowersox is critically acclaimed for her considerable vocal prowess – her soulful audition pieces on Idol included songs by Aretha Franklin, Erma Franklin, Gladys Knight and LaVern Baker – and she has gone on to enjoy a successful post-American Idol career of originality and authenticity, along the way winning the endorsement of Jakob Dylan, who duetted with Bowersox on “Stitches,” a rootsy ballad the two co-wrote for her 2013 album “All That for This.”

The 30-year-old Bowersox has performed alongside Harry Connick Jr., Joe Cocker, Alanis Morrisette, Michael Franti, John Popper and B.B. King. At her most soulful, she channels Sade; at her hardest-rocking, she recalls Melissa Etheridge, at her twangiest, she’s in the vein of Mary Chapin Carpenter. It comes as no surprise to learn that Bowersox, who is also an actress, is slated to portray country legend Patsy Cline in the Broadway production of Always, Patsy Cline.

Bowersox originally drew the attention of the American Idol judges with her rendition of the Jerry Ragovoy-penned “A Piece of My Heart,” written for Erma Franklin and made famous by Janis Joplin. Among the songs that took her to the winner’s circle were her renditions of Kris Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee” (almost made famous by Joplin); Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed”; Melissa Etheridge’s “Come to My Window”; “Come Together” by the Beatles; “Give Me One Reason” by Tracy Chapman; and “If It Makes You Happy” by Sheryl Crow.

Jono Manson will be celebrating the release of his brand-new CD, “The Slight Variations,” which comes out just two days before the Helsinki Hudson gig. Manson was a key figure in downtown New York City’s roots-music scene in the 1980s as a cofounder of the Worms, a band that proved to be a great influence on Blues Traveler, Spin Doctors, and Joan Osborne.

For reservations in The Restaurant or in the club call 518.828.4800.