Today’s Idol Appearances
- Taylor Hicks appears on Fox and Friends – Fox News – 8:20 a.m.
- Taylor Hicks appears on ABC News Now – What’s the Buzz – 1:00 p.m.
- Jennifer Hudson performs on CBS’ “The Early Show”. (CANCELLED)
- Bo Bice “peeps” party – The Limelight – 10 am
- Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina make their Grand Ole Opry debuts @ 7 pm.
- Bucky Covington plays the Riverfront stage at the CMA Music Festival. More information HERE.
- Carrie Underwood embarks on a promo tour of Australia
- Carrie Underwood, Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina are featured on GAC Top 20 countdown Opry special. 8/7c
Bo Bice radio interview from the CMA Fest where he talks about working on new music with producer Blake Chancey (who produced Kellie’s debut album)
David Cook Partners With Paramount Hotel For Exclusive Event
(New York – NY) – David Cook announces today he will be teaming with the iconic Paramount Hotel in Times Square, NYC to celebrate the release of his highly anticipated sophomore album This Loud Morning on June 28th, 2011 which Entertainment Weekly just called one of the “10 Summer Albums We Can’t Wait to Hear.”
Immediately following his performance on the NBC’s Today Show, David will head to the Paramount Hotel in Times Square for a special This Loud Morning performance for contest winners, hotel guests, and VIPs.
Read more at David Cook Official
Taylor Hicks Steps Up for Tornado Relief
CMA Music Festival preview: Bo Bice – ABC Action News
Talks about “Bama rising
Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina meet Nashville, launch their country careers
“I got a record deal, at 16. That’s weird, ” Alaina says. “Making this record is going to be the biggest step I’m ever going to have to do. People know who I am because of a TV show, but it’s from singing cover songs. My style is really similar to Carrie Underwood, like a blend of Carrie and Miranda Lambert, but I have to try not to be just like them. I have to be different from everybody else.”
McCreery also must work to differentiate himself from baritone-voiced stars such as Chris Young and his own contemporary idol, Josh Turner.
“I tried to move away from some of that in the show, ” says McCreery, whose Idol journey found him accepting judges’ advice that he should show off the higher edges of his range rather than stick with the low notes that earn nightly cheers for Turner and Travis.
“I might sound like them, kind of, but it’ll be a different career. They’re older, well-established guys. And there’ve been country female teens, but not a country male teen. There’s going to be a lot of work for me to get out of this and hit the ground running. I’m trying to put my foot in the door.”
Read more at the Tennessean
CMA Music Fest: Jason Aldean, Zac Brown Band break out big hits, special guests
10:24 p.m. – Casey James, a season nine American Idol finalist, played a short acoustic set including bluesy ballad “So Sweet” and uptempo “Drive” that, through a few well-placed riffs and ample use of a slide, showed off his carefully honed guitar skills.
“I wish I could tell you how full my heart is to be standing right here right now, ” James told the audience. “Thanks for having me out.”
Aldean thanked his fans for helping propel his chart-topping ballad “Don’t You Wanna Stay, ” and brought out his partner on the recording, pop star Kelly Clarkson, to sing it with him at LP Field. Upon Clarkson’s arrival, the audience erupted in massive applause, whipping out cameras and lighting the stadium up like a Christmas tree trying to capture the moment.
Read more at the Tennessean
Paul McDonald`s band The Grand Magnolias to perform at his wedding to Nikki Reed
Paul McDonald’s band The Grand Magnolias will be performing at his wedding to actress Nikki Reed, according to US reports.
The American Idol contestant recently got engaged to Reed, who plays the role of Rosalie Hale in the Twilight movies, and they revealed their happy news at the recent MTV Movie Awards.
It’s claimed the pair want to have several bands performing on their special day.
Read more at Monsters and Critics
Q&A: ‘CMT’s Next Superstar’ Judge Matt Serletic
THR: You’ve worked with other Idol winners including David Cook, whose new album you produced. What took so long and do you feel like what you both set out to do with This Loud Morning was accomplished?
Serletic: I’m very proud of it, and I think Cook is, too. Why it took as long as it did? He really stepped up his songwriting game and he wrote tons more than he ever had. I think that shows in the final album. The songs are strong, and they’re not all the same type of material. There’s an arc to it — almost a story, with different sides of hope and despair and all the things in between. I think we were successful in taking him to the next level artistically.
THR: What impressed you most about him?
Serletic: That you put a microphone on that guy and out comes madness. His vocal talent is truly on par with some of the best I’ve worked with. Beyond what I’ve done with him, he’s proven himself on this album. He deserves to stick around and be an artist of merit.
Read more at the Hollywood Reporter
Simon & judges get tough in tryouts
‘The X Factor” blew through its local au ditions, giving thousands of fans a taste of what to expect when the highly-anticipated singing-competition show debuts this fall.
The two-day event marked the first time that the panel of judges — series creator Simon Cowell, his former “American Idol” cohort Paula Abdul, music impresario Antonio “L.A.” Reid and newly added singer Nicole Scherzinger — were seen in action together.
Judging was reported to be harsher than that seen on other singing-competition shows like “Idol” and “The Voice, ” likely due to the high-stakes prize up for grabs — “The X Factor” winner will take home a guaranteed recording contract worth $5 million, paid out over five years.
Read more at the New York Post
Simon on Paula Abdul: “She’s in Love with Me!”
When asked how it felt to be back together with Simon, Paula told OK! “You know what? Ugh I hate having to say this! I love him. He’s a man of his word and he really, really, he championed me. I couldn’t be happier to be back with him. Seriously ask me a little ways down the line, I know any day its going to change.”
For his part, Simon told OK! “It’s fun so far. I have to do in two-hour blocks. You know, unless it’s too much.”
Read more at OK
‘X Factor’ taps into Jersey talent
Simon Cowell had said he was looking for “New Jersey attitude” for his upcoming Fox competition show, “The X Factor.”
Nicole Scherzinger arriving for the taping of ‘The X Factor’ Thursday in Newark.
Did he find it?
“In spades, ” Cowell said Thursday on his way into Newark’s Prudential Center to tape the third of four Garden State audition-round shows with fellow judges L.A. Reid, Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul, his former “American Idol” co-star and sparring mate. “A 14-year-old kid [from the previous day] had the most attitude I’ve ever met in my life.
“I was talking to L.A. and he basically told me not to talk to L.A., to concentrate.”
On the flip side, the famously blunt Brit told another contestant, “You sounded like Justin Bieber if he had flu.”
Read more at North Jersey.com
‘X Factor:’ Paula Abdul, Nicole Scherzinger React to Cheryl Cole Drama
When asked about the drama that has been widely covered by the media, Scherzinger told THR outside the Prudential Center Thursday that she “tries not to read that” and called Cole “a lovely, beautiful girl.”
When asked if it was a challenge to switch roles, Scherzinger said, “Not at all. I’m just so happy to be a part of this show, no matter what.”
Of judging, “I was nervous, ” Scherzinger admits. “I’m much more comfortable on stage.” To make her more comfortable, the panel has been “smacking me, hitting me – I’m joking!”
Read more at Hollywood Reporter
Britain’s Got Talent: Simon Cowell contacts police over second blogpost
A second blogpost appeared on the same website, Justpaste.it, on Thursday purporting to be from the same author and offering an apology.
A spokeswoman for Britain’s Got Talent confirmed that lawyers had been alerted to the blogpost and it had been referred to the police. Cowell was so incensed over the original allegations he called in the police on the grounds of “malicious communication”.
In the blog the writer claimed to be something of a loner with a mental disorder who made up the allegations after becoming obsessed with the ITV1 show.
Read more at The Guardian
