ers . ▁Judge ▁Lion el ▁Rich ie ▁said ▁that ▁adv ancing ▁him ▁to ▁the ▁Top ▁Tw enty ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁easiest ▁dec isions ▁they ▁had ▁to ▁make . ▁G unn ▁is ▁the ▁third ▁Top ▁Tw enty ▁contest ant ▁from ▁the ▁W ich ita ▁area ▁since ▁the ▁show ▁started ▁after ▁Ric key ▁Smith ▁who ▁finished ▁in ▁e ighth ▁place ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁on ▁the ▁second ▁season , ▁and ▁Phil ▁St ace y , ▁who ▁came ▁in ▁sixth ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁on ▁the ▁sixth ▁season . ▁ ▁T aping ▁was ▁susp ended ▁after ▁the ▁Top ▁Tw enty ▁were ▁selected , ▁and ▁the ▁contest ants ▁sent ▁home , ▁due ▁to ▁Cov id - 1 9 ▁( cor on av irus ) ▁pan demic . ▁The ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁the ▁show ▁fil med ▁all ▁the ▁on - air ▁talent ▁from ▁their ▁homes . ▁When ▁asked ▁who ▁G unn ▁would ▁like ▁to ▁du et ▁with ▁if ▁he ▁made ▁it ▁to ▁the ▁finale , ▁his ▁list ▁included ▁The ▁Black ▁Ke ys , ▁Jack ▁Johnson ▁and ▁Dam ian ▁Mar ley . ▁ ▁Notes ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁▁▁▁ ▁Category : 1 9 9 7 ▁birth s ▁Category : L iving ▁people ▁Category : Mus icians ▁from ▁W ich ita , ▁Kansas ▁Category : 2 1 st - century ▁American ▁sing ers ▁Category : American ▁singer - song writ ers ▁Category : American ▁Id ol ▁participants <0x0A> </s> ▁ 1 8 3 7 ▁was ▁the ▁ 5 1 st ▁season ▁of ▁cr