2012 "American Idol" Boasts Good Singers
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Some of the American Idol contestants this year boast amazing pipes, was surprised how many, although their showing last week eclipsed last night's and most sounded more amazing to me then. This week, as Randy, J-Lo and Steve Tyler pointed out, several picked the "wrong songs" for them. Song choices had to be from the year they were born. For example, "rocker" Phillip Phillips who was pretty fantastic last week, he's from Georgia and kind of handsome, sexy and wild, did a fairly exciting in spots Black Crows hit about "Mama I'm so Hard to Handle" or something like that (forgot its title) but the song is too familiar to the point of seeming ordinary. It wasn't exciting most of the performance although Phillip is really a smokin' performer. Not a great showcase for him. Jessica Sanchez, who blew people away with the Whitney anthem "I Will Always Love You" was next, with a too-ordinary disco song "Turn the Beat Around" which although fast-paced was a bit boring in execution. The song doesn't hold enough opportunities for Sanchez to show what she can do vocally. Steve Tyler remonstrated, "You shouldn't stray too far from what you do best. I love your voice," while J-Lo chimed in "It lost a little bit of the energy and lagged a bit behind." Randy opined "you got this big ol' voice" and that song failed to highlight it. Hejun Han "channeled his inner Casanova" according to Ryan Seacrest with a histrionic Richard Marx 80's ditty "I Will Be Waiting for You" sounding too soft and mushy, breathy and pitchy in parts, he sang much better last week. Bits and pieces here and there last night were likable, kind of pretty, but the overall effect underwhelmed unfortunately. I didn't listen to the judges' critique this time. Am a bit of a wussie. (And indeed, Randy commented at the end of the show he thought Hejun would be the one ousted tonight.) Elise Testone got to come back since Jermaine Jones' departure due to four warrents out on him, and tried Al Green's hit "Let's Stay Together." She looks and sounds to me a little rough and unpolished and not a fantastic singer, but Tyler praised "Your voice is a lovely, raspy thing. I love your voice" and J-Lo enthused "that was right on every single level, a beautiful, beautiful thing" while Randy gushed "America, Elise is back! This girl is dope...a little bit of Janis in there." This wasn't the first time I noticed the judges (paid millions for just sitting there and making remarks!) are prone to showbizzy hyperbole. Frizzy-haired live wire DeAndre Brackensick (what a name!), a San Jose native, did one of my faves, "Endless Love" which I consider a gorgeous hyper-romantic ditty, and sang very well I thought, although Jennifer Lopez stated "you can sing anything and sing it beautifully, but I didn't feel this was the right song for you." Tyler: "I love your voice. You're gonna find the right song." Randy: "Definitely the wrong song for you" and a "boring and safe" choice. "You need to bring your usual excitement every time." (to be continued)
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Sixteen year old Shannon Magrane of Tampa, Florida offered a "flashback to 1995" ode by Mariah Carey "One Sweet Day" a rather excrutiatingly sad number about missing your beloved departed lost ones ("I know you're shining down on me from Heaven") and was rather outstanding to my ears, although the song was cut short. She didn't get to sing the whole thing. Jennifer praised, "Beautiful, you did some beautiful little runs in that" and Tyler agreed "you did a really great job" and Randy approved, "You have mad potential and you're fearless...Yo this girl got it goin' on." Very skinny crazy- hairstyled dancin' prancin' rocker Colton Dixon thrilled next with a White Lion song from 1991 (didn't catch its name) which I loved, both the song and how he sung this, also how he moved and he sang the hell out of it I thought. J-Lo practically swooned, "OOOH Colton's a lover--I just feel like you've had broken hearts (to Colton) and I feel that from you, also I think you look pretty and your face looks nice when you sing." Steve Tyler (jealous?) commented "I didn't feel the song really go anywhere, man." Randy came back strong "You performed it dope! This kid is always in the zone!" I think Colton's was the best performance for me personally, last night, overall. Chris Daughtry of "Daughtry" has contacted Colton declaring he's a fan. Contestant Erica Van Pelt looked back to 1985 with Bryan Adams' "Heaven" done in an overwrought over the top manner both in movement and vocally. "Steve Tyler: "too busy, all over over it--you should have stayed with the melody more." But he added his usual ruffled-feathers smoother, "but I love your voice." Jennifer Lopez told Erica "The arrangment left me wanting more" (I thought it had too much!), but rather confusingly went on to exude praise with "We're seeing your image and shape come together right in front of us...you have the voice...you're coming together in the best way." Randy threw in his two cents, "For me you have a voice that's eight out of ten, an amazing voice, and you look great tonight." (And Erica did knock me out last week with her "Rolling in the Deep" which sounded better than Adele's in some ways. Erica does have uber-impressive pipes.) "Southern Belle" Skylar Laine then did Bonnie Raitt's "Love Sneakin' Up On You" sounding tough and sassy, and paraded about owning the stage with great panache. Little Miss Self Confidence. Steve T. was bowled over gushing "I just love the way you sing, with so much heart and soul" while J-Lo concurred "you really killed that." Randy agreed, "This is a rockin' in-house country girl. You did it real well." (to be continued)
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New Orleans' Joshua Ledet born in 1992 came on like gangbusters with Percy Sledge's adoring love opus "When a Man Loves a Woman," which garnered a standing O. from the judges and audience with much hoopla and whoop-te-do and Tyler grinning that "you were so good we were up halfway through" and Jennifer declaring "You're the best thing I've ever seen on American Idol." "You gave it up so big God came through your eyes, man," Tyler added. "I can't stop saying 'Wow,'" J-Lo said worshipfully. Randy was beside himself and pointed out "You're this week's Jessica Sanchez" who wowed everybody last week. Ledet was in the bottom three for men last week, however. Randy also remarked that "we got some amazing singers this year. (to Joshua) That was phenominal, incredible on every level!" Tiny blonde Hollie Cavanaugh (almost the only would-be Idol along with Jessica Sanchez and Skylar Laine who don't look like giants beside Ryan Seacrest) closed the show with (to me) a disappointing song selection Celine Dionne's "The Power of Love" --"Cause I'm your ladeeeeeeeee and you are my man"--an insipid simpering bland ballad I think. But she sang it masterfully with a big imposing voice belying her stature, and looked lovely in a gold sparkly gown. I remember Hollie greatly impressing me last week. "With you and Joshua they really saved the best for last!" (J-Lo) Steven: "It was just beautiful. Your voice is from heaven above." Randy: "You got more swag than that Hollie you blew it out the house--amazing--you were great, man." Tonight (Thursday Mar. 15) is "Results Night" when one unlucky contender (who still got millions of votes though, just not as many) will be voted out of the competition. Appears to me as of now Hejun Han and Elise Testone might be the weak links due to suffer the old heave-ho. And perhaps Shannon Magrane later on, for being too "green" behind the ears,awkwardly frisky, and unseasoned. Needs more time to grow.--SUSY
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Elise was saved last week when they kicked the Italian kid off (Resado) She did not "return" because Jermaine was kicked off. Joshua was fantastic and I also like Colton and Deandre.
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Shannon Magrane was ousted from "American Idol" last night. Voted off. You could tell she was upset (I might stop watching the Results show night, I seldom watched before now). Funny, I'd gotten the impression she would be among the next to go. Her father looked like he was glad she was leaving, while her mother was crying.
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just to point out that is official... Adam Lambert is going some concerts with Queen (well, with 2 of the 4 members, Freddie died and the bassist is not interested) London July 7th and Moskow June 30th are confirmed. This from the year I was born. Lambert with Queen at Idol.
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The would-be American Idols sang "Songs of Billy Joel" last week, with Steve Tyler commenting at the outset "if you can't sing Billy Joel, you can't sing at all...Billy's songs have great melodies." Puff Diddy was guest mentor along with regular mentor Jimmy Iovine. Deandre Brackensick kicked off the show with a peppy "Only the Good Die Young" lookin' good and bouncing around continuously. Steve Tyler opined, "You got some fans here (girls shrieking in background) At first I thought it was a little too happy, but maybe that's what the world needs right now. 'Only the Good Die Young' I guess that's why you and I are still here, Randy" (ha, ha) while J-Low complimented, "A good mix for you and a great way to start the show." Randy: "It wasn't great for me, but it was okay." Tommy Hillfiger of the ugly clothes designing showed up to help contestants with their outfits and appearence, thankfully some didn't take his advice. Erica van Pelt alternately crooned and belted out "New York State of Mind" after being admonished by Diddy not to "over-perform or over-sing." Erica sported short black hair in kind of a retro Liza Minelli style having said she liked Pink's short locks. She sang this ditty well, with soul and some funky spirit, I thought. Randy stated, "Yo, you give it up for her, I love the look it's hot. I love the vocals I think you're one of the best singers this season, and I think you could sing the phone book." J-Lo: "A beautiful, beautiful vocal...you should have let loose vocally at the end and really let loose in your body too, but the vocal was beautiful." Steve thought it was "outstanding." Joshua Ledet really won me with his utterly rousing roof-raising (toward the end) "She's Got The Way," which he'd never heard before, reminding "it's a pop song and everybody knows I'm soulful." I enjoyed it, really good. J-Lo said, "Billy Joel wrote his life in his songs in such a beautiful descriptive way...I just needed to feel like you were connecting more to the lyrics. It was still beautiful" Steve tyler: "You sang your life into it, and you made me love a song I didn't know, either." Randy gushed "with a voice like yours and a talent like yours, never feel defeated, always jump in and grab that lyric and make it your own...you're one of the greatest singers here." He sure is! Roll with it baby Skylar Laine next put a "country twist on a Billy Joel classic, 'Shameless'"--I love that song--Randy admonished, "by the time you got to the middle you hit your comfort zone, at first it was too low." J-Lo flattered, "I love the way you attack the song." Tyler: "A little slow in the beginning...you breathe life into the song, it was good." (to be continued)
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I had to miss Elise Testone's turn, but the general reaction appeared rather positive. She isn't one of my faves this year. Phillip Phillips did "Movin' Out" after being described as a "pawn shop worker," a rather humble occupation for a guy who might become a star. He's got something of the look of a very young John Lennon, and that ain't bad! Not hardly! His was a sexy intense version I thought, and indeed J-Lo praised, "Be who you are, you saw the response, you were awesome! It was a perfect rendition from you. It was great." Steve Tyler: "You took that song and 'Phillip Phillip'sd' it--you blew it out the water--don't ever stop being you" while Randy enthused "you are an unbelievably talented artist--you know who you are--it was brilliant." Phillip is very appealing. He'd been advised not to come out playing his guitar on this one, but he did anyway, and he did the opposite of what Hilfigger suggested regarding what he wore. Hollie Cavanaugh, a real torch singer already, stunned me with her "Honesty" which she admitted she was completely unfamiliar with and yet performed it to the hilt. Prompting Tyler to remark, "You're one of our grand singers Hollie, you hold the notes so long and so deep. A little pitchy but it was good." J-Lo: "You take on these big songs, you have to really learn the song. The sound of your voice is one of my favorites this year." Randy: "You can potentially be that great, the choruses for the most part were great...you gotta let go, you got that big ol' voice, tune up a little the verses were a little pitchy." I thought she sang it very well, but being right there you can doubtless hear things the t.v. viewer misses. But this little gal is dynamite (and not lazy dynamite either! hee hee)! The somewhat controversial Hegun Han performed "My Life" in rather an exciting way, I thought, all over the stage reaching out to audience and judges. He looks a little dorky but also a little like an Asian Elvis, to me. Sported an odd looking hat. J-Lo thought "you were running around too much, but it was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed it." Steve Tyler: "You took the piss out of that song, you showed 'em, you told 'em--you got a great voice, but the music industry will kick your ass" (Hejun had complained about criticism previously). Randy chipped in "you were entertaining and I was glad to see you having a good time...vocally it was missing a little bit." Jessica Sanchez of San Diego sang Joel's "Everybody has a Dream" which garnered a standing ovation from all and brought the house down. Steve Tyler, looking dazed, offered "When God was givin' out vocal chords you were so at the head of the line!" J-Lo: "That song was written for you." Randy: "Yo, what I'm loving, it takes consistency to win, you have a moment every time you step on stage..you were flawless..that was perfection." Guess it wasn't too shabby! Colton Dixon, weirdly coffed and garbed but blessed with charisma, and from Georgia, played piano on "The Piano Man" in the "pimp spot" ending the show, and managed to make that ballad exciting in a new way by unexpectedly raising his voice to the heavens in parts. J-Lo was overwhelmed, "You sing with pure feeling, I had goosies from head to toe--I would buy that record from you." Steve Tyler agreed, "Stunning! Outrageous! You're a great musician and a great singer." Randy was overjoyed: "Amazing! You gave a very sensitive, touching, amazing performance--stay individual, be an individual" Erica van Pelt got voted off the next night. I guess a lot of America has tin ears.--Susy
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Heejun Han was ousted Thursday night. I had predicted that he, Deandre Brackensick, and Skylar Laine would be in the bottom three. Two of mine were right but Hollie Cavanaugh suprisingly was the third. Scotty McCreery, the present American Idol, sang his new one followed by being gifted with a silver prize for his platinum selling first album. Jimmy Iovine noted "it's hard to sell one million cds the first time out, now, and you did it!" Wednesday night all the Idols showed great emotion, even passion, during their performances of songs each chose from a personal "idol" of theirs. I missed Colton Dixon's opening turn, doggone it, and came in on the tail end of Skylar Laine being praised for a Mariah Lambert ditty. Colton, Elise Testone and Phillip Phillips did a short Fleetwood Mac medley in honor of guest mentor Stevie Nicks. Heejun Han did "Song for You" by Donnie Hathaway, composed by Leon Russell. His singing sounded husky and yet wispy, too often, too breathless, yet has an ethereal appealing quality at times and he brings on the emotion suddenly, at times with occasional surprises in phrasing. The often erratic clown sang his heart out Wednesday, with the result a standing O from the judges! Steve Tyler extolled, "You did it man, turned it around...made that song come alive in a way no-one else can." "Beautiful tone, beautiful vibrato, " J-Lo raved. "I love all the funny, but when you connect and really sing to us you really move people." Randy: "It wasn't perfect, but you have that buttery, that beautiful tone...welcome back, brother" Hollie Cavanaugh sang "Jesus Take the Wheel," a big country hit for Carrie Underwood. "I believed her and I think the world believed her, I started to cry," Stevie Nicks said of the rehearsal. Nicks had shared her mother died two months earlier. J-Lo thought this was one of Hollie's best (she did sing it to the hilt, I thought), saying "she felt it emotionally." Randy criticised "a few pitchy moments in the lower registers. But you can correct that later. I thought it's a pretty good job, man, I was impressed." Steve Tyler nitpicked, "I'm not gonna mess with Jesus or Carrie, I wish you'd sung a different song. It was just okay for me--I think she picked up the passion, I just didn't hear the full range of her voice." I just heard Deandre Brackensick's from the other room, he sounded great though with a soul song by Eric Benet bringing a lot of falsetto and feeling. Jessica Sanchez went "Sasha Fierce" on a Beyonce song "Sweet Dreams" slowing down the tempo dramatically. "Really gorgeous" praised J-Lo, Steve agreed "I think you're a star no matter what--you did it again, you really know your notes...it was delicious, beautiful, wonderful." Randy was gobsmacked: "what maturity you have as a singer at your age, where did you learn that? You have an undeniable talent...one of the greatest singers I ever heard!" Randy added that "Colton threw down the gauntlet and she wants it too!" Phillip Phillips tore up "Still Raining" by his hero Johnny Lang, with his usual intensity and excitement conveyed directly to the audience which was electrified. Stevie Nicks possibly went overboard with "he's going to be very, very famous--and he's gorgeous!" Uh oh, cougar Stevie! Watch out boy she'll chew you up! (LOL) Nicks even said Phillip could have been a member of Fleetwood Mac if he'd been around in 1975. Jennifer Lopez sought to outdo Stevie, screaming "Too Much! Too much! Crazy! Amazing!" adding quite evocatively, I thought, "Music is the best thing in the world and can make everything else go away--you made everything else go away." Steve Tyler was a bit more subdued, offering "every song you sing, you make your own. I loved it and I love you." Randy exalted "Bluesy, soulful rendition from you--I love it, I love the artist that you are, Dude you got big things in front of you. Big props, I love it" Joshua Ledet impressed mightily with a "huge Mariah Carey ballad" (written by Harry Nillsson) "Without You" called "one of the most challenging songs in popular music" by Randy. "You have that great voice and need to sing big songs...dude I love you and I think that was flawless...it was emotional from you, and that's what the audience wants." Tyler said "thank you for pouring out your heart and soul again for me, man." J-Lo was beside herself, "You are a phenom, an absolute angel from heaven...that voice is God sent...we have such a soulful group this year, anybody could win--phenomenal group--but you, you're something special." Elise Testone thrilled with a grand finale of "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zep, Stevie Nicks had noted "it's hard to sing Led Zep." Testone tore it up, she ought to sing hard rock most of the time in her repetoire. Tyler marveled "you made Robert Plant proud tonight, girl" while J-Lo gushed "that was some real...rock star stuff...it was crazy" and from Randy "that's the hardest song to sing Dude and you did an amazing job, congrats!"--SUSY
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Just to point out that Without You is not a Mariah Carey song, neither written by Nilsson... It was written for some members of the band Badfinger, Apple Records.
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It is, actually. It's "Can't Live (If Living Is Without You)" maybe that's its real title. Harry Nilsson wrote and sang it and much later Mariah Carey had a big hit with it.
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I hate to tell you, but Harry Nilsson didn't write it. Pete Ham & Tom Evans of Badfinger wrote it and later Nilsson had a hit with it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Without_You_(Badfinger_song) It is on Badfinger's album No Dice.
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American Idol "Eighties Night" (Ugh) April 5 DeAndre Brackensick of the odd surname opened with a soulful DeBarge number greeted by J-Lo with "That was really good, Baby"--the kid was more loosey goosey and natural and not as nervous tonight. "Totally captivating" gushed Steve Tyler (is he in love with him?) while Randy intoned, "I loved that you used more of your natural voice and not just the falsetto, and then did the runs and stuff...you could be the new version of DeBarge." ("I'm just 17, I can't help but be nervous" DeAndre had poignantly told guest mentor Gwen Stefani in rehearsal. My verdict is, he holds considerable potential star power, but needs more time to gestate or germinate.) Elyse Testone disappointed me next with a lackluster Foreigner anthem, the bombastic "I Want To Know What Love Is," she had enticed praise from Gwen Stefani who said "Elise is one of my favorite singers in this whole contest." Stefani was a real eyesore in purple lipstick, hard looking black eyeliner, bright orange jacket, black tank top and ugly patterned tight pants, nearly gave me a migraine headache when the camera lingered on her. Testone should have picked another all out ravin' rocker to sing, which is her strong suite. Her song got better towards the middle though and picked up some. She's from Charleston, S.C. and attended Coastal Carolina University in Myrtle Beach, S.C., one of my old stomping grounds. Uh oh--Steve stated that "I'm not sure that song was the right song for you tonight, but I love your voice." Her voice just doesn't seem special, to me. But J-Lo added, "You have a powerhouse voice which means you can sing anything...(but) it wasn't totally right every moment tonight." Randy: "It's a tough song to sing, technically....it was pitchy the whole time...concentrate on the pitch where it lands, it was out of tune for me." uh oh Colton Dixon and Skylar Laine, both Southerners, did a duet next as a boy and girl each paired off tonight to entertain with duets. It was great fun to see Colton sing "Islands in the Stream" an 80's country hit by Dolly Partin and Kenny Rogers, since rockin' out is Colton's thing. He appeared to have a ball with it though, flashing his gorgeous smile, and attired as usual in garish punk rock garb and a strange two-toned mohawk hairstyle. Torrents of praise were elicited from the judges such as "a match made in heaven" and "sweet, very nice" and "it was perfect." "A real departure for you, Colton, but you made the perfect partner for her (Skylar)," Steve thought. (To Be Continued)
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Nancy R:
I hate to tell you, but Harry Nilsson didn't write it. Pete Ham & Tom Evans of Badfinger wrote it and later Nilsson had a hit with it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Without_You_(Badfinger_song) It is on Badfinger's album No Dice.
Nilsson spent one night drinking in John Lennon's house... they played a lot of records. The next morning he had a song in his head, went back to John's and found the song was Badfinger's Without You, a band signed to Apple. Nilsson decided to do a cover. Here is a sheet (written by Ham and Evans from Badfinger), they're credited always below the song title... Without You (Ham/Evans) http://www.musicnotes.com/images/productimages/mtd/MN0027555.gif I hate to tell it but crediting Whitout You to Nilsson is worse than crediting Yesterday to John Lennon , at least John's in the credits...
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Phillip Phillips selected what Jimmy Iovine later termed "a safe choice," a Genesis chestnut "That's All" which didn't rock out enough for his talents. It wasn't a glaring enough misstep to take him out of the competition. J-Lo chirped "at the beginning you weren't in your comfort zone--but then toward the end you picked it up and brought it," while Randy pointed out that "having his brother on stage with him, I loved that" (Phillip's brother Ben is a guitarist and singer too, and they often perform together back home). Randy gave some praise with "I thought this was another great performance." Philip's brother Ben looked somewhat out of place on the fancy Hollywood stage and gave off some tense vibes, scarcely even smiled but still conveyed a sense of excitement for his brother being on "Idol." Ben played guitar on stage during "That's All." The Pointer Sisters "I'm So Excited" got the Hollie and DeAndre treatment for the pair's duet. They tore it up and looked cute together. They should hook up (LOL). Joshua Ledet of New Orleans electrified with Simply Red's version of "If You Don't Know Me By Now," which had prompted mentor Jimmy Iovine to remark that "we gonna sell Holy Ghost tee shirts outside...every note of that song, I felt it." J-Lo and Randy screamed "Crazy!!" "We asked for a power house performance tonight, and that's what we got!" raved Jennifer Lopez. Steve Tyler asked, "Joshua, how can somebody sing like that at your age...it was just perfect. You were great, man." Randy: "Yo it's very rare that I want to stand up from beginning to end...you were in your zone, your sweet spot--you sang it dude. Joshua's gotta have it, America!" "I don't know anything about love. I'm only 19 years old and I've never had love problems," Joshua commented. He often looks worried on stage, even with his sterling set of pipes going for him. San Diego high schooler Jessica Sanchez did one of my favorites by Whitney Houston, "How Will I Know" and her rendition paled beside Whitney's, failed to approach its luster, to my ears, although garnering lavish enthusiasm from judges and audience afterwards. Jessica had told us prior to singing "It's nice to sing to a real audience instead of to boxes in my room." J-Lo thought "that's two powerhouse performances in a row" adding, "you're just a little girl, but there's a woman up there at the same time...can't believe those vocals come out of that little body." Steve Tyler: "Your voice is so fantastic!" Randy noted, "You did amazing 'cause those are big shoes to fill." Philip and Elise did Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks' hit "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" which I had to miss. Hollie Cavanaugh sang "What a Feeling" from "Flashdance" and did a dynamite job I thought, but the judges talked about how she "overthought" the song and should "stop thinking and just feel it." Other negative critiques were "your pitch was all over the place" (Tyler), Randy's was mixed with "You have the talent, it started slow but you got there at the end. You're just thinkin' it and not feelin' it. I thought it was real good,though." Joshua and Jessica "the two soul singers" according to Ryan Seacrest dueted with "I Knew You Were Waiting" a hit by Aretha Franklin and George Michaels and were a big hit on "Idol" according to judge and audience fanfare approaching a big uproar--"One of the greatest performances I've ever seen on the show" (Randy) and "a dream pairing" from J-Lo who rejoyced, "The final two? Maybe? You don't know with all the great singeers here...you just don't know" but I know it wouldn't be a great shock if these two end up in the top spots with Colton Dixon or Philip number three on the totem pole. I'd have placed Hollie near the top, as well, despite the judges' nitpicking. (To Be Continued)
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Colton Dixon's "Time after Time" by Cyndi Lauper stunned, ol' Spagetti Legs tore it out the frame, very effectively and dramatically with beautiful control of phrasing offering both measured tones on tune and surprises and variety. Gwen Stefani and Tony Canale of "No Doubt," guest mentors, heralded the song in rehearsal as "a great song" (Stefani) and from Canale, "When we go into a writing session, we put this on hoping to write one like it, that's as good." Iovine revealed, "Flipping the gender on this making it a male song really works for me." I thought Colton sang "Time after Time" with great emotion and intriguing variety. Steve Tyler agreed, "Man you could do a record of this--your voice is so good." J-Lo marveled that "you were in sync with the whole band...it was amazing." Randy: "Yo, you know what you and Phil Philips and Joshua really did it tonight, you made it your own...it was sick...it was ridiculous." It was revealed that Colton and family "have a face-painting business" in Tennessee. They were shown painting children's faces at a festival. I had thought Colton hails from Georgia. Country cutie Skylar Laine wowed (not me, though, not all that much) with "Wind Beneath My Wings." She belted it out full force prompting Randy's "Wow, Skylar. Wow. Wow" after a standing ovation from all. "I think that was your best performance on the show to date." J-Lo: "You said do not no count me out. You got that country twang but you just showed us then you can sing." Steve Tyler: "You're at the beginning of a great career, girl." Tyler also said the Eighties are "a hard era to sing, in today's voices" and stated "you got to vote for the whole package" after Jennifer reminded of the importance of appearance, personality and "how they make you feel" as well as their singing when it comes to casting your vote. Surprisingly, DeAndre Brackensick was voted out Thursday night, in the bottom three with Elise Testone and Hollie Cavanaugh who had been both down there before. I sense that Testone might be next. I'd love for Hollie to stick around and show us more of her "big ol' voice" as Randy termed it. Randy doesn't use his famed expression "Dawg" this year; "dawg" must be in the dog house.--SUSY
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I might want Colton and Joshua to land in the top two, Jessica and Phillip third and fourth, then Hollie. Or Colton and Phillip at the top with Joshua third.
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go to americanidol.com maybe they'll have some music vids of the contestants, hope so. they used to
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Backlash alert
Some peeps online maintain that Philip Phillips is just trying to copy Dave Matthews, that he's rippin' him off his moves and style. I don't think Philip sounds at all like Matthews, though, he doesn't have that sly, knowing, silky kind of sound in his voice. I'm starting to think Joshua Ledet and the sixteen year old Jessica Sanchez might be (and possibly should be) the final top two. Gwen Stefani, a guest mentor, remarked she loves to hear it when Joshua really lets go and expresses all the passion and emotion in him at the top of his lungs, and it IS a big thrill, imparts goosebumps and chills 
Skylar Laine just sounds too similar to hosts of country music songbirds both presently and who have gone before. I hope she's kicked off pretty soon, but not perhaps before Elise Testone. "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zep was her shining hour and her only one, I thought. On second thought would prefer Skylar to be ousted first. Am starting to think Philip isn't really "all that" although he was ridiculously over-praised initially which had made me think he must really have something -
SusyLuvsPaul:
Backlash alert
Some peeps online maintain that Philip Phillips is just trying to copy Dave Matthews, that he's rippin' him off his moves and style. I don't think Philip sounds at all like Matthews, though, he doesn't have that sly, knowing, silky kind of sound in his voice. ...His performance style reeks of Dave Mathews. His chord progressions are 100% Dave Mathews. His meandering vocals are totally Dave Mathews. This kid better find his own niche.
