Monthly Archives: April 2009

I’m Coming to Wichita This Weekend!

April 29, 20099:04 p.m.

I’m excited to say that I will be performing this weekend at the Westlink Christian Center. I will be joining my good friend from Northwest High School, Dan Schurtz – along with a full band – on Saturday evening and Sunday morning. The performance will feature a couple tunes from the ’80s. If you don’t have any plans – you don’t want to miss me getting my Michael Bolton on. Hope to see you there!

In Idol news …

The pressure was on for the five remaining American Idol finalists last night as they performed standards, vying it out for that coveted Top 4 position. As Simon stated at the beginning of the results show tonight, they were all REALLY good. No doubt, this is the strongest group of talent in the history of American Idol.

At this point in the competition, the audience is no longer voting for a performance. They are now voting for their favorites, regardless of who did the best job. And that is the way it should be. However, if one of the contestants comes out with an unquestionable show-stopper (aka Fantasia’s “Summertime” or Katherine McPhee’s “Summertime”), they could easily jump out in front of the rest of the group.

The big story of the night was this season’s clear judge favorite, Adam Lambert, being in the bottom 2 vote-getters. Ryan had divided the other four into two groups and asked Adam which group he felt he belonged in. Adam chose to join Danny and Allison in the group that was the obvious favorite before being stooped by Ryan. Everyone seemed surprised to see him in the bottom 2. Including Adam.

Matt Giraud
Tonight’s telecast featured performances by Jamie Foxx and Natalie Cole. After 47 million votes were cast, it was Matt Giraud who was sent home. Matt is a gifted vocalist and exceptional pianist. He will be featured on the American Idols Live Tour this summer. Check out www.americanidol.com for details.

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Foxx Helps Idols With a Pack of Rats

April 28, 20098:20 p.m.

T-minus three weeks until the Idol finale, and we are now on the hunt for who will go head-to-head with Adam for the crown. My pick is still Danny Gokey but Kris Allen and Allison Iraheta gave him a run for his money tonight. Jamie Foxx surprised the Idols as the mentor of the week, helping them navigate through the Rat Pack.

Kris Allen sang “The Way You Look Tonight” with Jamie Foxx declaring he would do a record with him right now! Randy stamped it as Kris’ best performance to date. I thought he did a perfect rendition of this song.

Allison Iraheta celebrated her birthday this week … happy 1-7! She belted out “Someone to Watch Over Me.” What an amazing performance. All the judges loved it, but Simon is worried for her because of her supposed lack of confidence. Maybe this “lack of confidence” has something to do with the fact that Idols know they can give an amazing performance but a certain judge still gives a negative review.

Matt Giraud crooned “My Funny Valentine,” a jazz standard he has been waiting to sing. I thought he did a nice job, but I think this is his week to go home. I, along with Randy and Kara, don’t think he did enough to
overcome any of the other Idols. In a twist, Simon agreed with Paula and gave him a “brilliant” with a wink. This could really hurt Allison.

Danny Gokey is still the one I’m rooting for and he did not disappoint with “Come Rain Come Shine.” He has an amazing talent and voice. Wow! If he has been off at all in the past weeks, he is back.

Adam Lambert sang “Feeling Good.” As always he was technically amazing but I honestly didn’t feel the performance as much as I felt the others. Just like Randy, I felt it was a bit over the top, but as Simon pointed out, that is his thing and why most in America love him.

I think that Matt Giraud should and will go home but Simon’s comments to Allison might be enough to sway America against her. What do you all think? Who are you rooting for to make it into the finale?

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Were You Surprised?

April 22, 20099:04 p.m.

The American Idol contestants battled it out last night with hits from the disco era. Many contestants brought new interesting arrangements to the show while others tried to capture the original charm of the songs they chose.

Adam Lambert shined as usual with an extraordinary performance of “If I Can’t Have You,” along with fellow contestants, Danny Gokey and Kris Allen.

Anoop DesaiAt the end of the day, it was Lil Rounds and Anoop Desai that received the lowest amount of votes. Lil has been on the brink of elimination for several weeks now, and Simon predicted last evening this would be her last week in the competition. Anoop has been a regular member of the bottom three.

Lil Rounds is the 23-year-old mother from Memphis, Tenn. Anoop is a 21-year-old R&B crooner from Chapel Hill, N.C.

Tonight’s episode featured performances by disco legends Freda Payne, Thelma Houston, KC from KC and the Sunshine Band, and still another performance from season 7 runner-up David Archuleta, as well as a contestant group number choreographed by Paula Abdul.

Tune in next week as the competition continues for the five remaining finalists. Who will you choose as your next American Idol?

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Who Will Survive and Stay Alive?

April 21, 200910:47 p.m.

After tonight’s Idol, who will be “Staying Alive”? Two Idols will be axed due to Matt Giraud’s save last week so being left to sing “I Will Survive” is even a harder feat. Enough with the disco puns …

LiL Rounds started off with a performance of Chaka Kahn’s “I’m Every Woman” that the judges did not like. I think they are finished with her and nothing she does will make them like her again. I personally thought they were pretty hard on her but after 7½ seasons, I’m not surprised she has been dubbed the whipping girl.

Each week Kris Allen impresses me more and more and this week is no exception. His version of “She Works Hard for the Money” was great. He is quickly gaining momentum and is definitely the dark horse of this season.

Danny Gokey did an amazing rendition of “September.” He brought back the Michael McDonald quality that I love about his voice. His energy and vocals were amazing. I hate to say it, but I agree with Simon to a point – Danny started on top so he is going to have to do something to keep himself exciting enough to root for. I loved it and have never been shy about my support of Danny.

Allison strutted her “Hot Stuff” tonight and gave another solid showing. Because of Lil’s fall from grace, as the only female left in the competition she will definitely be in the Top 3 … and she deserves to be there.

Adam Lambert crooned “If I Can’t Have You” from the “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack. Again, it was great, and the judges couldn’t find enough synonyms for the word great. Guess I couldn’t either.

Matt Giraud uses his second chance to sing “Staying Alive” for America. He is working hard to earn votes and it was a fun high energetic arrangement, just not one I could hear on the radio. Only time will tell if it was enough to outlast tomorrow’s double kill.

Anoop Desai’s “Dim All the Nights” is missing the smoothness he usually gives us when singing ballads. Simon said it was one of his worst performances, taking away all the praise the other three judges gave him. I think he will be in the bottom three once again, but he wasn’t nearly as bad as Simon led on.

Results night should be a repeat of last week with Lil Rounds, Matt Giraud and Anoop in the bottom. It is tough to make it through a double elimination … Chris Richardson and I are the ones to ask!

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Stay tuned, fans: My post will be late tonight

April 21, 20093:50 p.m.

It is GMA (Gospel Music Association) Week here in Nashville and, wow, have I been busy … I’ll be presenting at the Dove Awards Thursday night, airing on the Gospel Music Channel. I will, of course, be rooting for one of my best friends, Chris Sligh, who is up for new artist of the year. Tonight I have a showcase/listening party for my upcoming CD, “Into the Light,” due out Aug. 25. Since I’ll be rocking out to my new music and unable to watch Idol live, I’ll be a few hours late in posting. Don’t worry … I’ll have it waiting for me on my DVR and I’ll watch and write as soon as I get home. Be sure to check back later tonight.

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Matt Giraud is Saved by the Judges

April 15, 20099:38 p.m.

The judges have saved Matt Giraud and no one was booted off Idol tonight. Matt Giraud received the least amount of votes, just as I predicted in my blog Tuesday night, but the dueling piano man from Kalamazoo, Mich., will get a second chance to win over America. I believe he can do it, but as Simon alluded, it will be hard since next week is Disco Week. Because of the judges’ kindness tonight, two Idols will get the disco ball dropped on them and boogie on home due to a double elimination.
Lil RoundsIt was no surprise that Lil Rounds and Anoop joined Matt Giraud in the bottom three. Anoop Desai was in the bottom three for the third week in a row despite one of his best performances but was the first sent back to the safe couch. Lil could have easily been chopped tonight so next week she will have to do amazing to survive the odds. I believe disco might give her that chance.
Oscar and Grammy winner and booted Idols’ role model, Jennifer Hudson came back to her starting place. She did an amazing performance of her new single, “If This Isn’t Love.” Much to my daughter’s delight, Miley Cyrus also made an appearance, singing “The Climb.”

What do you all think? Did the judges make the right decision? I love reading all your comments (even the not so nice ones – ha).

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Unfortunately for Matt…

April 14, 20098:35 p.m.

I am watching tonight’s performances in Worcester, Mass., with my dear friends and fellow season 6ers Gina Glocksen and Melinda Doolittle. We are all really excited that Quentin Tarantino is the guest judge. Seriously! How cool is that?

So the theme tonight is “Movie Songs.” And apparently, because they talked so much and went over time last week, Simon will only be judging half the contestants tonight. Which is a little dumb. Simon is what keeps this show on the air. Fifty bucks says we’ll be back at three judges next season – no offense intended for the judge that will not be with us. Without Simon, how will any of us know what we think about these performances?

Week by week, Adam continues to set himself apart as the “artist” of the group. He came out and rocked the stage. Quentin referred to him as “the real deal.”

Allison IrahetaOne of the big surprises of the night was Allison Iraheta, who wowed Simon enough for him to say that he could see her in the finals. She sang “Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing.” Other great performances tonight came from Danny Gokey and Anoop Desai, who has now gone two weeks in a row without the judges trashing him. Way to go, Anoop.

I disagreed with the judges on Kris Allen and Lil Rounds. Both suffered criticism while I thought they both were fantastic – Kris in particular. It was one of my favorite performances of his.

Unfortunately, Matt seemed very nervous and a little worn out tonight. He is an extraordinary talent, but my gut tells me he will be sent packing tomorrow night unless he can convince the judges he deserves to stay.

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So long, Scott…

April 8, 20099:05 p.m.

scott2

After a night packed full of show-stopping performances by several contestants, which included a standing ovation for Adam Lambert by Simon Cowell, there was little doubt that Scott MacIntyre and Lil Rounds would be in the bottom three for tonight’s elimination. Scott and Lil gave performances that were highly criticized by all four judges and seemed to have given some breathing room to the likes of Anoop Desai and Matt Giraud, who had been losing momentum over the past couple of weeks.

The evening was highlighted with performances by Frankie Avalon, Flo Rida and Season 5 finalist Kellie Pickler. The contestants rounded the performances out with a group effort of “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” by Kylie Minogue.

Joining Scott and Lil in the bottom three is Anoop Desai. And at the end of the night, losing by only 30,000 votes, Scott MacIntyre is announced as the latest elimination from American Idol Season 8. After nerve-racking deliberation, the judges opt not to save him.

Scott is the 23-year-old crooner who is known for his piano skills and his triumph over his visual impairment. He is from Scottsdale, Ariz.

By Phil | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (22)

Thanks for the comments….

April 8, 200910:22 a.m.

Just wanted to take a moment to thank you for coming back to this blog week after week and commenting.  My desire with this blog is to show you the way that I see American Idol.  Last year, I had the top 2 pegged from Hollywood Week …  And by top 10 week, I had accurately predicted every elimination for the rest of the season.

This season is entirely different.  The talent is fantastic throughout the top 10 and week by week the performers change.

I read a comment this morning about how I never say anything good about Adam Lambert.  So I want to clear this up.  Adam Lambert is a great singer.  I am a big fan of Jeff Buckley and there are moments that Adam sounds just like him.  (Side note – his version of “Ring of Fire” was not from Jeff Buckley – it was a Dilana arrangement.)  I am also a huge Freddie Mercury fan.  As a singer – these guys are my heroes.  They do things with their voice that are impossible to most guys.  And so does Adam.

I thought Adam’s rendition of “Mad World” was the best performance of the season.  

I’m a fan of Danny Gokey because:

a) He is a friend of mine

b) We come from similar musical backgrounds

c) An artist is someone who shares an emotional experience with others and Danny has experienced a vast array that he can share through his music – I think his story would be a good contribution to our world of music

Next – I say this is the best top group not because everyone is better than David Cook or Carrie Underwood.  That would be rubbish.  I say this is the best Top 10 because everyone is so distinctly different.  And they are all good.  Not all groups of Top 10 were like that.

Lil has delivered disappointing performances the last couple of weeks, but let’s not forget that everyone was RAVING about her during the semifinals.  I understand where she is mentally.  When you are told over and over again that you are disappointing the audience, you become very insecure.  Week by week, you get more and more nervous.  You start to worry more about the success of your season than your own personal success and it makes you even more nervous.  Performing under that pressure is IMPOSSIBLE.  It’s impossible because you are wound up and tight and self-conscious.  A great performance requires vulnerability – such as Adam showed last night.  If she could forget about the pressure of winning and just let go, she would begin to shine again.  Though she may be going home tonight.

The best thing that could possibly happen for Adam now is that he doesn’t win.  If he gets voted off early, hundreds of thousands of Idol fans will buy his CD the first day it comes out just to show their support.  And by not winning, he will have more time to focus on writing his album and doing the music he wants to do.  I think he has a better shot at superstar status if he doesn’t win.  BUT, I could be wrong…

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Great Night for Idol

April 7, 20098:36 p.m.

I am honored tonight to be hosting Felicia Barton (who was a semifinalist this year on Idol) at my home with her husband and 2-year-old son. As our kids are running around the house screaming and making messes together, she is giving me the scoop on the contestants that are still in the competition.

The theme for tonight is songs from the year of each contestant’s birth. Usually I would be complaining about how it is impossible to be current with songs from the early ’80s, but as these contestants showed us last week, they LOVE singing songs this old.

Danny Gokey opened the show reminding me why I am such a big fan of his. He gave the song “Stand By Me” a gospel feel – which I loved. I am a big Danny Gokey fan and Felicia confirms what a great guy he is.

Kris Allen sang “All She Wants To Do (is Dance).” The judges weren’t quite as keen on this performance as they have been the past few weeks, but Kris is in no danger of leaving. He is a star and is still capable of pulling out an upset.

Allison Iraheta tore herself up some “I Can’t Make You Love Me If You Don’t.” Early in the season, people were really only talking about Danny and Adam, but between Allison and Kris, we have a serious competition. Simon questions her likability and he is right in doing so. She has a hard time showing her personality, but she is definitely one of the best talents there. She reminds Felicia and her husband a great deal of Kelly Clarkson. I’m not exactly there because I think Allison has such a distinct style, but she is definitely in the same league.

Matt Giraud also showed up ready to impress. He nailed “Part-Time Lovers.” To me, it was his best performance of the season so far. He needed this performance tonight because he was starting to shift to the “No-Chance-To-Win” group, but he definitely proved he deserved to stay another week.

Adam LambertAdam Lambert performed “Mad World.” It was my wife’s favorite performance from him. He has amazing vocal control. Simon Cowell gave him a standing ovation – the first I have ever seen in 8 seasons.

Anoop did well, but I can’t imagine a bottom three without him this week. To me, Scott and Lil are both on the chopping block unless a surprise elimination occurs. What do you think?

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