Lee DeWyze: Sweet serendipity and optimism help him along
“AMERICAN Idol” season 9 winner Lee DeWyze suffers from the curse of odious comparison.
“I won right after David Cook and Kris Allen, and there was a lot of talk about how I was no different from them, and how only brown-haired guys who played guitar could win ‘American Idol, ’” he laments.
And then there was the unfortunate timing of his Manila visit, organized for him to play two free concerts and promote his album, “Live It Up.” The first was held on one of the most sweltering evenings of the year; the second was rained out.
Read more at Inquirer.net
Idolator’s Top 5 Favorite Moments From Wango Tango
1. American Idol’s ousted contestants Casey Abrams and Pia Toscano making a surprise appearance on the stage. Casey sang Maroon 5’s “Harder To Breathe”, and Pia performed “Where Do Broken Hearts Go.” Both sounded brilliant, though Pia’s style — a form-fitting mini-dress — totally trumped Casey’s just-rolled-out-of-bed-look. We really do hope Casey gets a soul-jazz album out of all of this, but if there’s any justice in the world, Ms. Toscano will be a bona fide pop phenom by year’s end. Ryan Tedder! Write this woman a chart topping ballad, ASAP!
Read more at Idolator
Bo Bice Records Song For Civil War Documentary
SAGUARO ROAD RECORDS artist BO BICE has recorded and performed the song “The Bonnie Blue Flag” for the one-hour special “Civil Wars Songs And Stories.” The documentary highlights the stories behind the songs that impacted soldiers and families before and during the war. “The Bonnie Blue Flag” is also known as “We Are A Band Of Brothers” and is a 1861 marching song associated with the CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA.
Read more at All Access
Carrie Underwood’s Foundation Helps Fund Checotah Animal Shelter
CHECOTAH, Oklahoma –Who hasn’t heard of Carrie Underwood from Checotah? She’s more successful than she probably ever dreamed she could be.
She established a foundation a couple of years ago that helped purchase musical instruments for her old high school in Checotah.
Now, through that foundation, the Checotah Animal Town and School Foundation, she’s reached out again. Checotah has a brand new animal shelter.
Read more at Newson6.com
‘X-Factor’ Host Nicole Scherzinger Says ‘I’m Not Ryan Seacrest’ [AUDIO]
Nicole Scherzinger called into “On Air with Ryan Seacrest” Monday to chat about her recent collaborating with Steven Tyler on his most recent solo single and video for “(It) Feels So Good, ” her inspiration behind her soon to be released album “Killer Love, ” as well as hosting the highly anticipated singing contest “X-Factor” due out this fall.
Listen to the Audio at Ryan Seacrest.com
Behind NBC’s Sing-Off Decision
NBC’s decision to turn singing competition The Sing-Off into a weekly series might be the biggest surprise of the new fall season. But it was a move that came only after intense debate inside the Peacock network over how and when to air a second season of new hit The Voice.
According to insiders, a faction inside NBC was extremely keen to find a way to keep The Voice on the fall schedule, and the choice was heavily examined.
Read more at TV Guide
Steven Tyler on Cocaine, Acid, Weed, Alcohol and Other Diversions
Those were the days when AIDS was not yet in the world. You couldn’t die from getting laid. Those were different days. And cocaine! Doctors said it was not addictive . . . it was habituating. They didn’t know at the time that the drug would eventually take a sharp turn after a certain day. Blow, once the life of the party, became the stuff of fear and loathing, the source of devious and secretive behavior, and the mother of all lies. “What, me? No, I don’t have any!” “Sorry, ran out, bummer, man!” “Nope. Hey, I gotta go to the bathroom.” And that’s where the rock ‘n’ roll bathroom came from. That’s when people started keeping stuff in two pockets — you had your courtesy bindle you’d share, your sock. And thus sin and doubt entered our happy world.
Read more at Rolling Stone
Babe in the Woods
The first time I came to New York was right after Glee’s pilot was shot. The cast had all come from different parts of the world, so when we got to [Los Angeles], no one knew anyone but each other. And then we were all so sad because we didn’t know if the show was going to get picked up or if we’d ever see each other again. So I made plans to go see Lea [Michele] and Jenna [Ushkowitz] as soon as we wrapped. They were doing Spring Awakening on Broadway, and I slept on Lea’s couch. It was my first big trip by myself. I was terrified. Clovis [California], where I grew up, is very flat, very farm-driven, very conservative, and very spread out. I remember thinking New York was so claustrophobic. I just wanted to go home. Now I come four times a year, and every time, I fall in love with the city even more.
Read more at New York Magazine
Debra Messing on ‘Smash’: Similar to ‘Glee’ because there is singing, but that’s it!
“Glee does music that was already made, and we have original Broadway music being composed for us by a Tony-Award winning lyricist and composer, ” Messing explained. “So every episode there will be a new song. It’s about the making of a musical about the life of Marilyn Monroe. So the music will be focused on that project. There will be a reason for the song.
“I think that it’s so exciting, ” she continued. “I think it looks so beautiful. It’s shot like a film. All the characters … there’s something universal about somebody who is unknown and has nothing and is trying to fulfill their dreams. It’s like Rocky. And, of course, to have these two magnificent voices, from Katharine [McPhee] and Megan [Hilty], I was levitating by the end of [the promo].”
Read more at EW
