Before country music group Lady Antebellum became the best-selling artist of 2010 (so far, due to its smash “Need You Now”), its leading lady, Hillary Scott, was rejected by “American Idol.” Actually, she was rejected by the singing competition twice.

According to The Boot.com, the trio–rounded out by Charles Kelley and Dave Hayward–spoke about the reality series, and actually defended it against recent criticism in the media from Scott Borchetta, head of Taylor Swift’s record label, Big Machine.

“Man, talent’s talent’s talent,” Kelley said. “I mean, it’s so hard to get a break. I think that show honestly is one of the greatest things. I truly do.”

He continued discussing the importance of contacts and having a foot in the door, which Lady Antebellum thankfully had.

“One thing we realize, too, is it’s all being in the right place at the right time. We had a foot in the door. My brother’s Josh Kelley (singer, married to Katherine Heigl). (Hillary’s) mom is Linda Davis, who sang a duet with Reba McEntire (the hit “Does He Love You”). So we already had a foot in the door to say, ‘Hey man, can somebody come check us out?’ So we realize that it’s so hard to get discovered and just be heard.”

While struggling to get such a break, Scott auditioned for the show, now in its ninth season, but did not make it past the first round. Blogs are using this info to chuckle in Simon Cowell and the other judges’ faces, but it’s my understanding that the first round of auditions is not in front of the celebrity judges we all know at all, so I don’t think Cowell and company ever witnessed her audition.

Scott said they told her to keep trying, and her bandmates chimed in when the conversation went to Simon.

“I love his honesty,” Kelley said.

“It’s not gonna be the same without him,” Hawyard added, in regards to this season being Cowell’s last on the show as he pursues an American version of his other talent show, “The X Factor.”

Currently, Lady Antebellum are on tour with country powerhouse Tim McGraw, but the accolades keep rolling in for them as they recently took home three Academy of Country Music Awards: Top Vocal Group, Single of the Year and Song of the Year for “Need You Now.”