Today Idol headlines after the jump ¦
LaKisha wows small crowd at dealership
…”Kiki! Kiki! Kiki!” the chants of Jones’ nickname began, as cameras and picture phones flashed from all directions at an afternoon ceremony at Patsy Lou Buick on Corunna Road in Flint Township, hours before Jones is scheduled to perform at a rally honoring her at Atwood Stadium in Flint. Some fans pushed their way through the crowd of less than 100 people to get close enough to hand their “American Idol” darling gifts of flowers, pictures and even a black Jesus statue…
Union singer excites crowd at Clinton AFL-CIO town hall
Katharine McPhee may have been a finalist on American Idol, but her performance at a rally for Sen. Hillary Clinton earlier this week was subpar compared to the excitement generated by Lynn Marie Smith in Detroit Saturday morning…
Clay Aiken Named In Top Three Idol Songs
In a special American Idol bonus edition of Entertainment Weekly (issue #937) on sale in June, Raleigh native Clay Aiken was listed as having one of the top song performances ever on the amazingly successful American Idol TV show….
LaKisha gets warm reception
Arriving in a white stretch limousine and taking time for three wardrobe changes, LaKisha Jones dazzled fans with her “American Idol” star power at a homecoming rally Saturday. An estimated 1, 200 people gathered inside Atwood Stadium under a blazing sun to show their love for the fourth-place Idol finalist. Like the celebrity she’s become, LaKisha, who arrived in casual clothes, emerged from a locker room about an hour later in cropped jeans and a floral print top to sign autographs…
There’s no science to what works on Broadway
An eclectic season of flops and successes offers clues but no guarantees.
…The record-breaking $939 million in ticket sales came largely from blockbusters from previous seasons, such as “Jersey Boys, ” “Wicked, ” “The Lion King” and “The Color Purple, ” which became the financial success story of the season when “American Idol’s” Fantasia Barrino stepped into the starring role. Most of the new shows vying for the Tony will need a win tonight to have a healthy run…
20 Questions With… Ozzie Smith
…16. Is Sanjaya also your son and is that why he made it so far on Idol? No, he’s not my son [laughs]. My actual son [Nikko] is still trying to get signed to a label. He working around St. Louis. That his passion, that what he wants to do. I dont know why hed chose that ‘ it a tough gig ‘ but he has, so Im just trying to support him as much as I can. If any of your readers or people on the Internet want to sign him and get him out of my pocket, theyre welcome to it…
‘It’s like taking a one-week vacation to the homeland’
…Sunday’s schedule boasts a day of music, beginning with a disc jockey starting at Stage 1 at noon. American Idol contestant Nick Pedro is one of the performers singing in the afternoon. Mr. Pedro, who is originally from Taunton, said his parents would take him to Portuguese festivals when he was growing up. His father was born in Portugal, and his maternal grandparents are also from there. He thought at the time the singers at those events had a fun gig, he said. Now, thanks to his time with Fox’s popular television show, he has a chance to sing at the Day of Portugal. “I never really sang before American Idol, ” said Mr. Pedro, who now lives in Fall River. “It has opened a lot of doors, and this is one of them.”…
North Attleboro relay raises $295, 000
…Local celebrity Ayla Brown, a former “American Idol” contestant, was there to greet the boys along with Paws, the PawSox mascot. “They were really excited about that, ” Fox said…
More than 1, 000 compete in Special Olympics
…The four Oakland guys were among more than 1, 000 Special Olympics athletes from every county in Northern California, said Elisa Bongiovanni, director of communications. The three-day event began Friday night at UC Berkeley’s Haas Pavilion, featuring a performance by “American Idol” runner-up Katharine McPhee…
Michigan’s ‘Idol’ returns to FlintLaKisha Jones gets warm reception back home
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CMA Music Fest Fans Embrace Carrie Underwood’s Anthem
…Wearing a modern black dress that didn’t seem to slow her down on stage, Underwood launched her six-song set with “Beautiful, ” presumably a song from her new album that’s due later this year. The easygoing melody will appeal to country fans, and hopefully, she’ll bring all the pop fans of “Before He Cheats” to country radio with the new project. She also submitted a strong and empowering version of “Wasted, ” her most recent No. 1 single. At the end of her set, she accepted a plaque for selling 6 million copies of her debut album, Some Hearts, released less than two years ago. She looked out on the mass of people at LP Field and said, “You know, this all started because you all voted for me on American Idol … and this belongs to you, too.”Underwood is leading the charge these days when it comes to women in country music. Just a few years ago, women just weren’t having any luck with hit singles. Times have changed, judging from the rest of Friday night’s lineup…
A sweet homecoming
LaKisha Jones finished fourth on American Idol, but at her church, she’s a champion
…Indeed, the Idol nerves that crawled across her face throughout the season were gone, replaced by a welcoming smile and confident eyes. “It just really feels good to be back home, back home with my church family, ” she said. “I haven’t been to church since I’ve been on the show because of the schedule.”…
LaKisha through the years
1980 Jan. 13: LaKisha Ann Jones is born at Hurley Medical Center in Flint.
1985 Starts singing at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church at the urging of grandmother Ruth Jefferson Morris.
1994-1998 Attends Central High School, where she joins the school choir and its acclaimed Madrigal Singers, which wins awards at a festival in New York………..
Local news briefs Jones to sing Monday at Capitol
One of Michigan’s stars will share the stage with Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Monday on the steps of the state Capitol in downtown Lansing. LaKisha Jones of Flint, a finalist on this past season of “American Idol, ” will perform at noon with the youth choir from Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church near Flint….
Disrespectfully Yours
From Simon Cowell To President Bush To Governor Patrick, Why Do We Spurn Authority?
It once was the case that what Simon said, few would question. This season, things seemed different. Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson routinely cut off Simon Cowell, the onetime arbiter of American Idol. The audience that a few years ago was cowed by him now happily booed. Perhaps most embarrassing, Cowell pleas notwithstanding, voters refused his entreaties (remember votefortheworst.com?) and steadily advanced Sanjaya Malakar farther than good taste warranted. In fact, it not only that Cowell wishes were ignored. It was almost as if, whatever he wanted, the public would do the opposite….
The Music of Change
…Good politicians and good rock stars have some traits in common. Theyre charismatic and tend to be extremely bright. The secret to their success is their ability to motivate. I used to call some politicians rock stars because of their talent and the good they can do. Now I meet real rock stars. My three kids love to hear about the artists I work with. They thought it was cool when I told them I had met Chris Daughtry, Bow Wow and Three Doors Down. When my colleagues and I talk about music piracy with people, it always a provocative encounter. Americans are passionate about these issues…
Melinda Doolittle Dishes On Fame & High Heels!
She was the one that Idol judge Simon Cowell wanted to win, but coming in third isn’t that bad when you’re Melinda Doolittle. The singer stopped by PEOPLE’s New York offices to answer questions about winning verus losing, the ups and downs of her new fame, and how’s she’s handling those high heels.
The Rolling Stone Cover Story: Amy Winehouse On Fighting Her Inner Demons and the Just-Married Life
…Winehouse has also become notorious for allegedly drunken public appearances, including one time in January when she ran offstage during a performance to barf. At an awards show in the U.K. last fall, she heckled Bono during his acceptance speech with “Shut up! I don’t give a f**k!” And on the popular British game show Never Mind the Buzzcocks, she was visibly inebriated enough that host Simon Amstell joked, “This isn’t even a pop quiz show, it’s an intervention.” Then there are her album’s frequent references to booze, weed and blow — most notably “Rehab, ” which narrates how her former management company, run by American Idol and Spice Girls mastermind Simon Fuller, tried to make her go to rehab, but, oh, you know what happened next…
