Today Idol headlines after the jump ¦
‘Idol’ winner has busy schedule to promote CD
….In the meantime, 19 Management, a branch of Sparks’ label, has been auditioning musicians for the singer’s band.
Fans can keep up with Sparks’ schedule at www.jordinsparks.com.
Jordin Sparks’ tentative schedule:
Daughtry will open for Bon Jovi at the X
When Bon Jovi returns to the Xcel Energy Center March 18, they’ll be bringing a crowd-pleaser along as the opening act – ‘American Idol’ runner-up Chris Daughtry and his band of the same (last) name……..
Jersey girls at forefront of Thanksgiving parade
….More than 1, 900 cheerleaders, dancers, singers and performers as well as 800 clowns, 11 giant character helium balloons, 11 marching bands and a bevy of celebrity performers (including Dolly Parton, “American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks, Sarah Brightman and the band Good Charlotte) will celebrate Thanksgiving by participating in the parade….
Review: Former idol Daughtry gets Cape’s vote
Chris Daughtry seems to have settled into this rock star gig with ease.
But after weathering a season of “American Idol” and taking his five-piece Daughtry on the road for a year, a guy probably gets used to pleasing the crowd.
Thursday night Daughtry brought the band that’s named for him to the Show Me Center, flexing the strong vocal chops that made him the “American Idol” resident rocker and putting on a strong show for a large crowd of adoring fans, many of them females with a penchant for screaming “We love you, Chris.” The band played before 3, 712 people…..
Patsy’s House readies for weekend events
…..Constantine, a star of the fourth-season of American Idol, will perform at 6:30 p.m. at the J.C. Penney court.
Tickets are available today at the mall office until 5 p.m., as well as at Cells-U-More locations and from the participating agencies. They will also be available Sunday at the door….
Stagecoach passes go on sale
….Headliners announced last week include Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Big and Rich and a reunion of Wynonna and Naomi Judd.
This week, former “American Idol” contestant Bucky Covington was added to the lineup. So far, nearly 40 acts have sign on…..
Debut Broadcasting Announces Third Quarter Results; Lays Out Next Phase of Growth Plan
….The company’s Radio syndication unit, Impact Radio Networks, continued expansion in the third quarter as well. The company has completed five new content agreements, including one with TV Guide Network and former American Idol finalist Kimberly Caldwell, to create a daily entertainment feature….
48 Hours: Skip Sparnotes – Literaray Classics Hit Big Screen
Holiday season is officially upon us. The leaves have turned all shades of crimson and yellow, and Christmas trees, decorated with treasured mementos and store-bought trinkets, are making their merry way into living rooms. Atlantic Station leads the way for festivities by switching on 250, 000 lights around its eight blocks tomorrow night. The event features …American Idol winner and Atlanta native Diana DeGarmo, along with other local celebrities. Atlantic Station also showers the crowd with fake snow around the 50-foot-tall Christmas tree. …It Snowing in the Station is scheduled at 7:30 and 9 p.m. tonight and tomorrow………
Music review: Aretha Franklin duets with Fantasia, John Legend, others
….The album also includes two new numbers: the Underdogs-produced smooth R&B tune “Put You Up On Game” with “American Idol” winner Fantasia and the much more funky, catchy “What Y’all Came to Do” with crooner John Legend….
Favorite restaurants of 2007
….CROTON CREEK STEAKHOUSE Croton Falls
Why We Love It OK, we’ll admit it: The first thing that drew us to this steakhouse and wine bar near the Putnam border was the novelty of one of its co-owners being a former American Idol contestant (remember Kimberley Locke?). But after dining here, we learned that Croton Creek transcends such gimmicks. If there’s a more well-rounded steakhouse in all of Westchester, we have yet to find it. Parking can be a pain, but once you step inside, you’ll see that this isn’t your typical Smith & Wollensky dà ©cor. The stylish wine bar lounge is populated by chocolate couches, while the 52-seat dining room has high-beam ceilings and exposed brick. And the food is creative enough to draw praise from patrons like Martha Stewart…….
FremantleMedia North America Holds Open Casting Audition in Nashville for First Season of “CAN YOU DUET?” on CMT
In their quest to discover the next Johnny Cash and June Carter, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Big & Rich or The Judds, FremantleMedia North America, producers of “American Idol, ” and CMT will hold an open call audition on January 12, 2008 in Nashville, Tennessee, to find contestants for their new music competition show CAN YOU DUET? Performers can also audition via video-taped submission. Slated for Spring 2008, the weekly series is designed to find the best country music duet in America.
Unlike other talent competition shows, each contestant will compete as part of a duo. As a result, viewers will witness first-hand all the on- and off-stage drama to be had in creating a dynamic musical duet. In addition to critiquing each performance and deciding who will advance to the next round, the Judges (to be announced) will also serve as mentors to guide, groom and develop the duets along the way…………
Cheer, Dance Squads Shake Booties With Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul popped up her right shoulder, shuffled her left foot, popped up her left shoulder, turned and waved her arms in a circle above her head.
Fayetteville High School cheerleaders clad in purple warm-up suits followed Abdul’s every move, along with Rogers High School Mountie cheerleaders clad in blue and Bentonville, Springdale and Har-Ber pom squads.
Abdul fell on stage while demonstrating dance moves in Bentonville High School’s main gym.
“Do you still want my advice?” Abdul said with a laugh after she got up and kept dancing………..
Local band makes mark on Fox competition
Listen to this idea.
A network executive, say, from Fox, thumbs through the celebrity B-list, swearing in three judges — one a surly foreigner — to determine the best musical talent in the country.
Sound familiar?
Not if you’re listening to the indescribable flavor of local band Franklin Bridge.
Prior to becoming a semifinalist on the Fox show “The Next Great American Band, ” an elimination show akin to its more popular, older sibling “American Idol, ” the band with roots on both sides of the Ben Franklin Bridge was virtually unknown………
Jordin grows up
….Her debut album, Jordin Sparks, under the 19 Recordings/Jive Records label, is set for release in the United States on Nov 20.
Jordin Sparks: ‹It ( American Idol) opens so many more doors than just singing ‘ there acting, going to Broadway, being able to write songs ‘ you really dont have to win to be successful. I mean, look at Chris Daughtry.
…The process was really very crazy, she says. Because youre an Idol winner, you have to put out an album in half the time it usually takes. Most people have nine months to a year and we really had, like, five months. So it was really crazy.
Sparks admits that the process wasnt quite what she thought it would be, but she loved it nonetheless.
…It was so much fun to be in the studio, getting this product out. It was really cool.
On the album, Sparks enlists the writing/producing talents of The Underdogs (who have worked on the Dreamgirls soundtrack and with Chris Brown and Mary J. Blige), Eman (Nick Lachey, Backstreet Boys, Celine Dion), Robbie Nevil (High School Musical soundtrack), and former Color Me Badd star-turned-producer/writer Sam Watters.
Her first single, Tattoo, released in August, was written by Amanda Ghost (who co-penned James Blunt breakthrough ballad Youre Beautiful) and produced by the Norwegian street-tinged duo Stargate.
…I worked really well with all of them… The Underdogs and Stargate. It was really cool because they gave me free reign to put my own spin on the tracks. They all tried to get the best out of me. We had a blast and Id really love to work with all of them again.
In terms of what the album sounds like, Sparks describes it as guitar-driven and rhythmic… …It definitely has a few ballads in there too, which I really love so I dont know… it has a little bit of everything.
The youngest-ever AI winner is a big backer of the reality talent show. She cites George Huff (of AI Season Three) as her all-time favourite Idol contestant (…he so sweet and adorable) and feels that the show is a cool way for people who dont have the means to record an album to get noticed.
Sparks says everyone a winner on the show…..
Spice Girls wow Victoria’s Secret fashion show
….The band has sold more than 55 million albums, with 10 No. 1 singles and won another admirer last night.
“I’m in love with Victoria Beckham, which is probably an issue for David, ” American Idol host Ryan Seacrest said.
“They could have stood there and done nothing and I’d have been happy, ” he raved…..
Sixwire: Making the cut
A handful of Birmingham-based ‘American Idol’ finalists and winners turned a spotlight on the Magic City’s music; now a spinoff of that show has the potential to point fans further down Interstate 20/59.
Sixwire, whose drummer is Northport native Chuck Tilley, is one of the eight groups in contention for the title of ‘The Next Great American Band.’
Even though he’s made Nashville his homebase for the past two decades Tilley keeps close ties with his roots. In addition to driving the 3 1/2 hours down the interstate from Franklin, Tenn. to Tuscaloosa/Northport to visit family and friends ‘ his parents live in Northwood Lake ‘ he and wife Kathleen have given a scholarship at Brookwood High School, and offered talks to students there to stress the importance of higher education……..
He’s N Luv (Wit the Radio): Flo Rida Gives T-Pain Umpteenth Hot 100 Smash
¢ We are officially eating crow on American Idol 2007 winner Jordin Sparks, whose “Tattoo” was sluggish in its first month but seems to have caught on: it makes a big move into the Top 20 in its seventh chart week. Blake Lewis, your move?
Stars in Orbit: Affleck, Hudson and Ricci
….HOLLYWOOD IDOL: American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, partying at Hollywood staple Hyde.
CAN WE TALK? Kate Bosworth and Jennifer Hudson, chatting at XChange in NYC during last night Vacheron Constantin Platinum Excellence gala, which honored legendary music impresario Clive Davis….
