'American Idol' Contestant C.J. Harris: 'I Could Kind of Feel [I Was Going Home]'

Jenny Depper

Country crooner C.J. Harris had a feeling his time was up on "American Idol" after his performance on Wednesday and he revealed to Yahoo TV that he only has one small regret about being eliminated from the competition.

"At the beginning, I started off really strong. If I could have performed some different songs at the beginning and saved some of those other ones for the end... I think I gave away all my good ones right at the beginning," he shared. "I probably would have saved 'Trouble' by Ray LaMontagne or the Sam Cooke song."

Regrets aside, the Alabama native, 23, says he took a lot away from the show, including music lessons from Harry Connick Jr. C.J. grew up singing gospel in church and he said that prior to his reality stint, he didn't know that he occasionally sings sharp.

[Related: Watch Out, 'Dancing With the Stars' – 'Idol' Castoff Dexter Roberts Is Coming for You]

"Harry Connick Jr. really helps. The things that he told me will help me 10 years down the road. He told me about intonation, pitch, and that there was something about my voice that sometimes it didn't matter if I sang sharp because I put everything I have into it, with my feeling. That if you come across and connect with people, then that's what it should be about," C.J. said. "He told me to really work on that. But other than that, just keep doing what I am doing and keep chasing my dream."

[Related: 'American Idol' Top 6 Results: See Ya, C.J.]

Those dreams include heading to Nashville and pursuing a career in country music with hopes of working with one of his idols, Darius Rucker.

"I respect him so much because honestly – let's face it, there is one black guy in country music, and you can go out and play in bars and it is tough in different parts of the South. I look at that as life and how far he has made it. He's inspired me."

Music City is home to C.J.'s pal, "Idol" alum Dexter Roberts, and that's not the only thing the 'Bama boys have in common. C.J. showed us that, like Dexter, has also got some smooth swing dancing skills. Check it out!

The competition is on, Dexter…

 

Keith Urban offers you a gig opening for his next tour. Your reaction:

 

Jennifer Lopez wants her next duet to be with you. Your reaction:

 

Can you imitate one of the judges?

Here's Keith Urban.

 

And Randy Jackson:

 

What is your ultimate belting face?

 

Show us a stupid human trick:
"I can make my thumb disappear."

Follow CJ on Twitter: @CJHarrisMusic