Idol Headlines for 06/09/07

Today Idol headlines after the jump ¦

Michigan’s ‘Idol’ star sings national anthem at Comerica Park

“American Idol” contestant LaKisha Jones stepped up to the plate tonight at Comerica Park by singing the national anthem.

Jones was wearing a Detroit Tigers jersey bearing her first name and the number seven as she delivered a soulful version of the Star Spangled Banner…

WTOL

Home again: Flint’s Idol awaits hometown celebration, then life after the show

The sassy “American Idol” star was to arrive from Houston on Friday. As expected, she sang the national anthem for last night’s Detroit Tigers-New York Mets game at Comerica Park.

But today is her big day. There will be a teaser appearance at 11:30 a.m. at Patsy Lou Buick GMC in Flint Township.

Then the woman local fans dubbed “Flint’s Rose” and the city she left nearly seven years ago will get reacquainted for about three hours starting at 5 p.m. at Atwood Stadium…

MLive Blog

A Broadway awakening

7 p.m. Sunday on CBS 4

Ignored by most of the world, it remains the most important TV night of the year for a self-appointed few of us. The Tony Awards are noteworthy not for the prizes, but for the opportunity to see numbers from Broadway musicals performed live on television….

… Other shows getting to perform include: Curtains, Mary Poppins, A Chorus Line and last year’s The Color Purple, now featuring American Idol winner Fantasia….

Rocky Mountain News

Local restaurant entertains famous customer

The first local restaurant to support LaKisha Jones on its marquee was the first place the singer wanted to visit when she returned to Flint from Los Angeles on May 27

After meeting (see videos) and doing a quick interview on WDZZ-FM (92.7), the “American Idol” finalist headed straight to LaFamilia Morales Mexican Restaurant for dinner.

She arrived like a star in a lavish, white limo bus, accompanied by dozens of family members and a police escort. The group filled the small restaurant.

LaFamilia is normally closed on Sundays, but owners Juanita and Sergio Morales were more than happy to open their doors for their favorite hometown girl and her guests.

“We wanted to see her, to get to meet her in person, ” Juanita Morales said. “I was glad she remembered us.”

Shortly after 10 p.m., Jones stepped from the limo bus onto an unfurled red carpet sprinkled with rose petals. Juanita Morales greeted her at the restaurant door with a huge bouquet….

MLive Blog

MASTERPIECE THEATRE
BROADWAYS LONG-RUNNERS FASTER, STRONGER, BETTER

Here what new at a few old shows.

THE COLOR PURPLE

It a show of another color, thanks to Fantasia Barrino. Since April 10, when the third American Idol took over as Celie, the tears have been flowing at the Broadway Theatre. LaChanze may have won the Tony, but Fantasia won hearts – even as she breaks them.

Maybe it because, having grown up Southern and poor like Celie herself, her blues ring true. …With this performance, wrote The Post Clive Barnes, …I found tears running down my cheeks.

Ditto Broadway diva Barbara Cook, who calls it …the most thrilling performance Ive ever seen. It doesnt get better than that.



NYPost

Learn about ‘Idol’ Jordin Sparks’ Gospel roots
Built a following singing for churches, pro-life events

…But Sparks, American Idol’s sixth champion, should have seen it coming.

Though only 17, the World Magazine profile notes, she’s a veteran of the stage, launching her career in churches and for pro-life events before her age even reached double digits…

World Net Daily

Sparks fly
She survived 20 weeks and 74 million votes to win the biggest U.S. music competition, but does American Idol 2007 winner Jordin Sparks have what it takes to survive the success?

…Jordin is far from the first American Idol contestant with Christian roots. Season Five star Mandisa Huntley may have scuttled her own position when she dedicated a gospel tune “to everybody that wants to be free . . . your addiction, lifestyle, or situation may be big, but God is bigger.” Gay and lesbian activists interpreted her statement as support for ex-gay ministries, and her momentum flagged. She was eliminated and was a 10th-place finisher.

One of Sparks’ Season 6 peers, Chris Sligh, sang a DC Talk song during one round, though not one with overtly Christian lyrics. In all, four of Season 6’s top 11 finalists had Christian backgrounds: Melinda Doolittle, Phil Stacey, Sligh, and Jordin Sparks.

On her Idol biography website, Jordin listed winning the Gospel Music Association’s Overall Spotlight Winner award in 2004 as one of her top accomplishments. On the same page, she listed God, Mom, and Dad as those she would like to thank upon winning…

World Magazine

Chuck D, Randy Jackson Host Stax Records Benefit in Memphis, June 22

In an unparalleled celebration of Stax Records 50th anniversary, the heart and soul of the legendary label lineup will reunite onstage for …50 Years of Stax: A Concert To Benefit the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. The event will be held Friday, June 22 at Memphis historic Orpheum Theater at the foot of Beale Street.

Just confirmed as hosts of the show are Chuck D (Public Enemy) and Randy Jackson (renowned producer, songwriter and co-host of …American Idol)……

The Open Press.com

Online: Music
Paul McCartney’s first downloads test the waters

…The album, “Memory Almost Full, ” has so far fared well. On Friday, it was No. 9 on iTunes’s top albums list but lagged behind more teen-friendly acts like former “American Idol” contestant Chris Daughtry, whose album came out in November…

…Mr. McCartney released his new album with Hear Music, a venture between Starbucks Entertainment and Concord Music Group, after four decades with British label EMI. It’s being carried by Starbucks, where it sold more than 20, 000 copies in its first day of release — a first-day sales record for an album sold by the coffee chain, the company says…

Wall Street Journal

American Idol Star Surprises Jacksonville Bride and Groom

Former American Idol contestant, Phil Stacey, surprised many wedding guests at the Hyatt last weekend.

Abe Salem and Susan Samaan got married last Saturday.

The two got quite a treat when Stacey got up on stage and sang a song to the happy couple.

Guests from the wedding were outside the reception hall when they saw Stacey standing outside. He was attending a military event.

They asked Stacey to come into the wedding and meet all 600 guests.

It was quite a night for all the guests and a night to remember for the bride and groom…

First Coast News

Game One and Gig Two for Adam Hood

…Fellow Alabaman Patrick Lunceforde keeps the band on tempo with just a bass drum and snare drum. …We like to keep it simple, but also the full set [of drums] doesnt fit in the van, he admitted. Patrick, who also sings backup vocals, has been playing with Adam for almost two years. Previously he played a ten-year stint with now-famous American Idol, Taylor Hicks…

San Angelo Live

Digital Media
Own The Content

…At the top of the heap is Fox’s American Idol. But while Idol snares huge ratings, full episodes of the show aren’t available on any alternative platform. That’s because Fox doesn’t own the rights to the show. Instead, they’re held by British production company Freemantle Media…

Forbes.com

Getting sloppy with an American Idol

Jim Verraros may be best known as the openly gay …American Idol contestant on the show first series. But hopefully that will soon change. Since the show, Verraros has appeared in the film …Eating Out and produced a CD, …Rollercoaster. Now Verraros is back as the lead in …Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds, the better-than-the-first sequel to the hit film now out on DVD…

…Verraros met with PGN to discuss his acting and singing careers, as well as his sexy scenes in …Eating Out 2….

Epgn.com

Piers Morgan: The Insider

Only Simon Cowell could be the star of two This Is Your Life specials within the space of just four years; one for his actual life and one for his ego, presumably.

I headed down to the ITV studios to take part in the show with a heavy heart. Spending several hours fawning over Mr Cowell’s genius is not exactly my idea of a great Sunday night…

…The show itself was, as we all feared, a lengthy, nauseating eulogy to Simon’s all-round brilliance as a superstar and human being.

“You enjoying yourself?” I asked, as Amanda and I went on to add our spoonful of saccharine. “I’m loving it, ” Cowell replied, blinding me with those gnashers.

Paula Abdul saved the day with a sustained verbal assault on his nocturnal habits. “Simon’s the only man I know who calls out his own name during sex, ” she said, adding, “And he’s so vain he uses condoms ribbed on the inside.”

Daily Mail.co.uk

The Songwriter’s songwriter
Patty Griffin talks new CD, new musical

…”American Idol” Kelly Clarkson reminded TV viewers just how much singers like Griffin’s music by performing the new “Up to the Mountain” with Jeff Beck on the “Idol Gives Back” episode of the mega-popular reality show; the single of that performance released afterwards hit No. 56 on the Billboard Hot 100 in its first week, Griffin’s highest charting position as a songwriter thus far…

Austin 360.com

Cool stuff to do in the coming days

…July 4
IDOLS AT THE SPRINGS: Silver Springs will celebrate Independence Day with American dreams – or runners-up to such dreams. “American Idol” finalists Justin Guarini, Anthony Fedorov and Melissa McGhee will perform at the nature park that day. There also will be strolling entertainers. The park’s Independence Day Celebration will conclude with fireworks. The party is included in regular park admission:

Star Banner.com

Outspoken, spunky Pickler lives dream
Hard-luck past drives her desire to be role model

Kellie Pickler was a kid in a trailer in Albermarle, N.C.

She would sit and look through magazines and point at the kind of mansion she wanted to own when she grew up. Bored with that, she’d look through car magazines and decide on the color of Mercedes-Benz she’d like to own.

“I thought she was full of it, to tell you the truth, ” said her sister, Courtney Pickler. “I never thought it was going to happen, but she used to talk about it all the time. I remember when we were in the back of our grandparents’ Suburban and we were singing ‘I Will Always Love You’ by Dolly Parton, and Kellie said, ‘I’m going to be famous one day.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, OK.’ …

RCTimes.com

See & Share Mandisa’s ‘Only the World’ CBS Performance

Need some soulful inspiration? Watch Mandisa’s recent live performance of her debut hit single, “Only the World, ” at CBSNews.com. Then be sure to share the love-send the clip to a friend….

Top 40-Charts.com

Former ‘Idol’ contender brings first-album tour to Commodore

If interview polish is any clue, Elliott Yamin can put on a ‘party’…

Canada.com

Bucky Covington packs Tulare Outlets

Last weekend’s free concert at Preferred Outlets at Tulare had such a big turnout that even the management team behind performer Bucky Covington was impressed, a local organizer said.

More than 3, 000 people showed up to watch the “American Idol” contestant from last year perform, said Sherri Frazer, marketing manager for the outlets.

Tulare Advance-Register

Review: For Brad Paisley, too many toys ruin a good thing

…Openers Jack Ingram and Kellie Pickler had no such concerns with technology.

Pickler, the former …American Idol contestant, has a personality that just too effervescent to contain ‘  as well as enough twitches and vamps to keep the guys in the audience interested. She may just be on her way to Dollyhood; like Dolly Parton, she writes her own songs and has a personality that just wont quit…

The Buffalo News