Two hopeful singers are about to make an all-out sprint to the “American Idol” finish line at the Los Angeles NOKIA Theatre stage Tuesday night for the Season Seven overall title and a one-year recording contract with X19 Entertainment, Ltd.

It’s a lock that a David will win American Idol.”

That’s because after more than 56 million votes last week, the field was trimmed to a much-anticipated match up between a pair of Davids: hard-rocking David Cook of Blue Springs, Mo., and cool crooning David Archuleta of Murray, Utah.

So who will take it all?

A case could be made for either David.

IS ARCHULETA YOUR CHAMP?
If you’re a betting person – literally, then going with Archuleta is where the safe money’s at. According to Chattahbox.com, Wynn Las Vegas Resort in Las Vegas, Nev., has the prodigious 17-year-old listed at a very favorable 5:6 – meaning the odds are at less than even money. That makes putting money on Archuleta equivalent to investing in ferrous metals. After all, panelist Randy Jackson has reminded us numerous times this season that Archuleta “could sing the phone book.” And he’s right – because Read the rest of this entry »

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American Idol sent home its last female Wednesday night, trimming the field to two for next week’s Season Seven finale.

Syesha Mercado of Sarasota, Fla. was left to sing an exit solo after being the lowest vote getter from Tuesday’s three-song performance round.

During the weekend, Mercado’s efforts were good enough for one local mom to insist the 21-year-old singer hold her baby while town mayor Lou Ann Parker flipped, literally, for the burgeoning singer/actress visited her hometown this weekend.

One person who didn’t was panelist Paula Abdul, who usually is sweet on American Idol contestant performances. Abdul soured on Mercado’s cover of “Hit Me Up,” and said it “wasn’t good enough to get into the finals.”

More than 56 million votes felt likewise, as American Idol hopefuls David Cook and David Archuleta will vie for the show’s overall title and a one-year record contract with lead panelist-affiliated X19 Entertainment. Read the rest of this entry »

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Three remaining hopeful singers did battle Tuesday night for a berth in the finals of reality television’s premiere contest, American Idol.

The trio of David Cook, Syesha Mercado and David Archuleta covered selections by an American Idol judge, the show’s producers and a personal choice. Each faced challenges during the evening’s three-song format.

Archuleta, 17, contended with a polarizing reputation as the American Idol Muzak dispenser, a high class vanilla performer and singer who is struggling to find an identity. Panelist Paula Abdul’s choice, Billy Joel’s “And So It Goes” and producer selection Dan Fogelberg’s “Longer” positioned the cherubic Utah native as a melodic crooner for the middle-aged.

“With You” by Chris Brown was Archuleta’s try to give the voting public hipper, more youthful content. Despite characteristically accurate vocals, (”you could sing the phone book” has practically become panelist Randy Jackson’s mantra) it seemed an unnatural fit for the Murray High School junior. Read the rest of this entry »

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“American Idol” has had it with the father of contestant David Archuleta. The top-rated show has banned Jeff Archuleta from backstage access and inclusion in any part of the rehearsal process.

David Archuleta, the 17-year-old singing phenomenon who is favored to take this year’s “American Idol” title, found out Friday that his dad is no longer welcomed in the show’s inner circle. The Utah native has shot to the top three of the show that has launched the careers of over a dozen contestants.

When David broke into Sean Kingston’s “Beautiful Girls” during his performance of “Stand By Me” the producers decided to cease the father’s influence on the son who could be crowned the king of “American Idol.” A song out of the approved list requires extra money from Fox in terms of royalties. Adding “Beautiful Girls” cost Fox tons of cash and the Svengali behind David Archuleta was finished.

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The pressure builds as reality television singing contest American Idol rapidly approaches its final showdown on May 20. But contestant Jason Castro of Rockwall, Texas will no longer need to worry after being voted off of American Idol during tonight’s Results Show.

Moments before the dismissal announcement, an impish Castro had resolved himself to a fourth-place exit, confessed the growing show workload had gotten the best of him.

“It’s three songs next week,” Castro said with a wide-eyed blank look that broke into a trademark impish grin. “I don’t know what I would’ve done.”

The ever-candid Castro who continued to nervously flipped a stack of shoulder-length dreadlocks over his shoulder had known for awhile that “my inexperience is starting to show this late in the competition.” But after stumbling Tuesday night over Bob Marley and Bob Dylan classics followed by - someone told him last night that he shot the tambourine man,” Castro realized the jig was up.

Syesha Mercado, 21, who had narrowly escaped banishment in six of the previous eight rounds, joined Castro on death’s doorstep after a screechy “Proud Mary” and mixed reviews after “A Change Is Gonna Come” on Tuesday.

David Cook (”Hungry like the Wolf”, “Baba O’Reilly”) and David Archuleta (”Stand By Me,” “Love Me Tender”) were put straight through to the May 13 semifinal round. Mercado will accompany the pair of Davids.

Castro’s quarterfinal effort during Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame Week included the singer’s most experimental tune of the season. A spliced-down 90 second version of reggae-rooted “I Shot the Sheriff” needed for airing and a questionable arrangement was deemed a misfire by panelists Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell, while wiping out three measures of lyrics in “Mr. Tambourine Man” was a self-inflicted wound that Castro would not overcome.

Read the rest of this entry »

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Ben E. King had the biggest hit of his career with “Stand By Me” in 1955. What’s incredible is how the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame member had a hit with the track again in the ’80s thanks to all people — Stephen King.

His 1986 film, “Stand By Me” reignited the country’s passion for the song about friendship and sent it once again into the Top 10. King performed the song as an anthem for a country was was just years away from its most turbulent decade.

Other iconic performers have recorded the track, most notably, John Lennon in the most spirited of versions.

Watch David Archuleta’s Top 4 performance of Stand By Me on American Idol 7.

 
Ben E. King performing Stand By Me live…

John Lennon’s cover…

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“I was born by the river,” so begins the song that typifies singer Sam Cooke’s life. “Change is Gonna Come” would also prove to be a prophetic song in its anticipation of the civil rights era.

Cooke would die in a plane crash before he would witness his song become a hit, serve as a soundtrack for a changing culture and usher the singer into eternity.

Watch Syesha Mercado’s Top 4 performance of A Change is Gonna Come on American Idol 7.

 
Here’s Sam Cook’s original recording.

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Covered over 100 times, the original of “Proud Mary” is pure Creedence Clearwater Revival. the original version was very Bayou capturing the Southern roots of Fogerty and the band.

The song took on a life of its own as everyone knows, when Ike and Tina Turner took the Bayou and brought it blues. They created a classic that landed them in the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. Recent performances of it include two in the last year on television. The first, Beyonce and the queen herself, Tina Turner and the second was performed by Beyonce and Jewel in matching shimmering, short, shiny dresses!

Watch Syesha Mercado’s Top 4 performance of Proud Mary on American Idol 7.

Here’s Creedence Clearwater Revival performing Proud Mary live circa 1970…

 

The classic Tina Turner cover…

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