Homecoming parade set for Crystal Bowersox
The city of Toledo will kick off the festivities at 11:30 a.m. downtown in front of Owens Corning, with a parade to run down Summit Street to Madison Avenue and Promenade Park.
Mayor Mike Bell will lead the event on his Harley-Davidson and Bowersox will ride in a car at the end of the parade. It’s possible high school bands will participate as well, Jennifer Sorgenfrei, spokesman for the mayor’s office, said. The entire parade run is expected to last about 20 minutes.
“[American Idol] is just looking to shoot three minutes of video” footage of the parade for the show, Ms. Sorgenfrei said.
At 12:30 p.m., Bowersox will perform a concert at Levis Square, at the intersection of Summit Street and Madison Avenue, across from Promenade Park. The 45-minute set most likely will include a mixture of covers and originals, Ms. Sorgenfrei said.
Following her performance at the fairgrounds, the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department will escort Bowersox to Fifth Third Field, where she will perform the National Anthem prior to the Mud Hens game.
Schedule of Crystal’s homecoming HERE.
CKX, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2010 Results
Revenue for the first quarter of 2010 declined $14.9 million, or 18.3%, to $66.6 million as compared to the prior year period. The decline in revenue is largely due to $10.0 million of non-recurring revenue in 2009 from terminated license agreements at the Presley Business and the Ali Business. Revenue at 19 Entertainment declined $7.9 million due to $12.1 million in revenue from a one-time limited run television program in 2009, offset by a $4.4 million increase in American Idol revenue. Excluding the prior year terminated license agreement, revenue at the Presley Business increased $2.7 million due to higher licensing revenue and royalty revenue from the Viva ELVIS Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas, which opened in February. Excluding the prior year terminated license agreement, revenue at the Ali Business increased $0.3 million due to higher licensing fees.
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
Lee DeWyze Will Get Big Welcome Home Friday If He Makes It To Top Three on Idol
Chicago – If Lee DeWyze makes it to the “final three” on American Idol on Wednesday night, he’s going to get a rousing welcome home in the Chicago area on Friday.
DeWyze will start his day at FOX Chicago News as a guest on Good Day Chicago. At this point, he’s scheduled to arrive at 7am or so. American Idol fans are welcome to come to our plaza at Michigan and Lake to greet him.
After his appearance on Good Day Chicago, DeWyze will visit radio stations for live interviews and he’ll also be stopping by an AT&T store.
‘American Idol’ exclusive: Simon Cowell replacement won’t be named before season’s end, show source says
With only three weeks and six episodes left in Simon Cowell’s American Idol tenure, don’t be surprised if rumors and speculation about his season 10 replacement begin to intensify. But under the heading of “don’t believe everything you read, ” a show source tells EW that Cowell’s successor will not be named until after the May 26 season finale. (That, of course, also means no bombshell announcement at Fox’s May 17 upfronts presentation, when the network will unveil its fall schedule to advertisers.)
‘Idol’ rehearsals: The Top 4 bring it with duets, songs from the movies
It’s hard to believe we’re one elimination away from the Final 3. Our season 9 journey started just about four months ago, when Crystal Bowersox was but a funny name among a veritable ocean of “American Idol” hopefuls. As for Casey James? He was little more than a studly Texan who may as well have carried a sign that read: “Will strip for a shot at Hollywood week.” Lee DeWyze was, as he said during last week’s news conference, but a dot in an arena full of thousands of them. As for Michael Lynche, well, we knew he was going places, what with all the brouhaha over an interview his dad gave to a Florida paper pre-Top 24 and the fuss to keep him in the competition.
Idol Meter final four: Which singer can out-sparkle Crystal?
You have the best American Idol final four you could expect from Season 9, if you accept that Siobhan Magnus’ unraveling and departure were her own fault.
Crystal Bowersox is still the heavy favorite — she also has earned the highest average Idol Meter score (55) by a wide margin — but a couple of shaky weeks cast some doubt on the outcome. Here’s how the others could pull off an upset — or fail.
Any shot at No. 1 for ‘Idol’ final four?
In three weeks, American Idol’s four remaining finalists will be competing out in the real world. But in a season that’s considered thin on talent, can any of these Idols sell?
Last year, Idol producers 19 Entertainment signed the show’s final four to record deals. This year, Idol expert Richard Rushfield sees as many as three getting similar treatment.
“Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox are certainly headed for contracts, ” says Rushfield, who is at work on a book about Idol. “Casey James would stand a good chance of being signed by a label. With Michael Lynche, it depends how far he goes.”
Crystal Bowersox’s Musical Mentors Saw ‘Idol’ Hopeful’s Promise Early
TOLEDO, Ohio — Ron Rasberry has been playing music his whole life and has seen plenty of good players come and go. But when the amiable, redheaded guitar strummer with the glint in his eye spotted a 13-year-old Crystal Bowersox more than 10 years ago, he knew he was seeing a rare talent.
“I was hosting an open mic night, and she was there already … sitting at the table with her ma, and I asked the bartender, the owner, ‘Who’s that?’ ” recalled Rasberry last week of the season-nine “American Idol” front-runner. He learned soon enough who she was when Bowersox got up and sang Jewel’s “You Were Meant for Me.”
“Of course, she got up there and played and then sang and … she was amazing, ” he said. “She was a showstopper then.”
Idol Top 4 Press Conference: On Missing Home
Idol Top 4 Press Conference: On Regrets, Do-Overs & Friendly Rivalry
‘American Idol’s’ Danny Gokey to play Allentown show May 26
Danny Gokey, the soulful-voiced singer who finished third behind Kris Allen and Adam Lambert on last year’s “American Idol, ” is scheduled to be host for an “American Idol” finale party May 26 at Allentown’s Pig Pen Sports Bar.
The event, which also will feature “Idol” Top 24 finisher Tyler Grady of Nazareth and his band Wailing Waters, will start at 7 p.m. The “Idol” finale airs at 8 p.m. that day and will be shown on a big screen TV. Wailing Waters is scheduled to play 10 to 11 p.m.
Catching Up with Kimberley Locke
Kimberley Locke’s first came into the spotlight in 2002 when she appeared on the second season of American Idol, finishing third behind runner up Clay Aiken and winner Ruben Studdard. Since then she’s continued to make music (she’s had hits with songs like “8th World Wonder” and “Band of Gold”) and starred on VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club. Locke most recently signed a deal with Idol judge Randy Jackson’s Dream Merchant 21 record label and dropped her first single, “Strobelight, ” in April.
We caught up with Locke to chat about what she hated about American Idol, keeping her Clay Aiken’s secret, and the reason the gay community can’t enough of her.
Taking his time
‘American Idol’’ contestants generally release their debut albums with lightning speed in order to stoke the remaining embers of a given season of the Fox reality competition before a new one fires up. Jason Castro, the laid-back, dreadlocked fan favorite from season seven who drew praise for his sensitive acoustic takes on songs like “Over the Rainbow’’ and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah, ’’ went a different route. The fourth-place finisher just recently released his first full-length album, a full two years after his “Idol’’ stint. Waiting didn’t appear to hurt: “Jason Castro’’ debuted at No. 18 on the Billboard album chart. The acoustic-heavy affair includes the Cohen song as well as a clutch of originals that run the gamut from sunny contemporary pop to classic singer-songwriter fare that shouldn’t surprise fans the Texas native cultivated during his time on “Idol.’’ We caught up with the affable 23-year-old newlywed by phone from Nashville, where he had just participated in a telethon to assist flood victims in Tennessee. He’ll be at Cafe 939 Saturday night.
Idol’s Country Girls Play Nashville Benefits
American Idol’s most popular country music girls, Carrie Underwood and Kellie Pickler, will each be participating in Nashville flood relief shows. This past week, Nashville, Tennessee was hit by a massive flood that has devastated the city, which is home for many musicians. The water has damaged venues including the Grand Ole Opry and the Schemerhorn Symphony Center. In fact, Anthony Fedorov is starring in “Cinderella” this Friday, and the performance has now moved from Schemerhorn, the home of the Nashville Symphony, to Allen Arena at David Lipscomb University.
HOWARD 100 NEWS: THIS JUST IN
Howard 100 News was on the scene for the Broadway musical “Hair” to investigate the infamous nude scene that has Howard Stern talking. Reporter Lisa G says most of the performers are “all natural” with their shaving habits, but that the lights are so dim it’s almost impossible to make out details. James Rado, the writer of the beloved musical, tells Howard 100 News he’ll bring the show’s nude scene right to Studio 69 just for the King of All Media. “We’ll have the entire cast come onto the radio and take their clothes off.” Former American Idol contestant Diana Degarmo, who stars in the show, says she’s still grateful for her #1 fan, Eric the Midget. “He made me famous on Howard Stern.” She welcomes Eric to come see the show and says the theater will work with him to ensure he has a great seat.
Rocker attuned to populist roots
It’s been nearly four years since American Idol changed his life, and Chris Daughtry still can’t believe his luck.
After being booted in the semifinals of the reality television show in 2006, he could have returned to the world of struggling musicians. Daughtry may have the self-possession and belief in his own talent to think that he belongs in the world of arena rockers and million-sellers, but he’s under no illusion about the process that got him there.
“It’s luck, ” he admits. “There’s no planning for this, no preparation, especially in this industry. We’re fortunate to have done as well as we have, but we’re also really lucky that the fans want us to succeed. We’ve managed to sell a million records, and it’s all because of them.”
‘American Idol’ Judge Kara DioGuardi In Free Show At Mohegan Sun
Her high-profile stint as a judge on “American Idol” has overshadowed much of the work Kara DioGuardi did to get there, but she was a singer and, more prominently, a songwriter long before she took a seat at the table next to Simon Cowell.
That’s the focus of a smattering of live performances DioGuardi gives this spring, including a free show Friday at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den.
“It’s basically a night where I explain to the audience where I came from and the background of why I’m on ‘American Idol, ‘ in the sense that I’m a songwriter, and I’ve written a bunch of pretty big songs, ” she says by phone from Los Angeles. “I describe how they were written and how it pertained to my life or what I was going through and how that kind of ended up in a song, sometimes for other artists and sometimes for me.”
Kara DioGuardi: Taking center stage
When Kara DioGuardi was plucked to be the fourth judge on “American Idol” last year, the big question was this: Wait, who the heck is Kara DioGuardi?
For starters, she’s one hell of a songwriter.
DioGuardi is a singer, true, and a producer, publisher and A&R exec. But, beyond that, she has made a truly impressive mark as a songwriter. She co-created hits for the likes of Kelly Clarkson (“Walk Away, ” “I Do Not Hook Up”), Christina Aguilera (“Ain’t No Other Man”), Ashlee Simpson (“Pieces of Me”) and Enrique Iglesias (“Escape”).
Forced Glee?
While the “Glee” gang was all smiles at the White House and on the set of Oprah in recent days, I have learned EXCLUSIVELY from a source in La-La-Land that all is not so gleeful at William McKinley High School. According to my snitch — a former cohort of series creator Ryan Murphy who stopped working with him because “life’s too short” — the cast has sent an angry letter to Murphy saying that they are being “worked too hard” and that the situation is becoming untenable. While it may seem with such a huge ensemble cast no single person would be forced to work that much — as opposed to, say, a Cybill Shepherd when she was “Moonlighting” and was in virtually every scene — the actors state in the letter that when they are not filming the show, they are in constant rehearsals for dances and songs (the show’s music is making a killing for Fox on iTunes), making countless personal appearances (Lea Michele is a ubiquitous presence at all things theater), working on the reality show to find the newest cast member, plus gearing up for a grueling tour, which is complicated by the fact that only Lea Michele and Amber Riley are actually capable of singing live at a performance-caliber level.
I’m told Murphy was irritated and dismissive of the cast’s concerns, telling them: “I report to Fox, you report to me” and this is the schedule Fox has set, so “I don’t want to hear it.”
‘Dancing With the Stars’ Wants Betty White
Even at 88, Betty White has the ambition of a 20-something! She brought downt he house on ‘Saturday Night Live’ after her rabid fans on Facebook got her on the show, and now she’s being recruited by yet another massively popular show: ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ Oh, Betty, you’re in such high demand! But can she hang with the grueling workouts and routines?
‘Dancing With the Stars’ recap: Era Night!
On the week 8 performance episode of Dancing With the Stars, the five remaining couples performed a nice little ballroom dance and a relatively insane Latin dance loosely connected to a certain decade (the 1960s) or general concept (”the future”). Oh, yes, it was Era Night! Break out the zebra patterns, face paint, and fake bangs!
Before we get to anything relevant, I’d like to swoon a bit because my favorite Harold Wheeler Ensemble member and yours, Enthusiastic Chimes Lady (ECL), was Enthusiastic Tambourine Lady last night! She is a percussionistic marvel! ”She’s clearly a woman of many talents. But only ONE enthusiasm. And it’s grand, ” says commenter Lemon ”She is the best gem on any telecast, ” chimes in reader Liz. Jeez, DANCMSTRs, are you trying to break my heart before I even get into the meat of the recap?
Aaron Kelly visits the Today Show
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