American Idol 12 Recap & Review - Top 4 Encore - The Music of Now & Then

Well, we learned that the performances and voting were all for naught last week, for the Producer's Twist was that no one was going home, something many of us saw in the cards due to the remaining broadcast schedule. But in the lamest of seasons to date, the 'big' news was that the show would adhere to the schedule, and the expected non-elimination would happen. This week they asked the contestants to come up with songs that apply to the theme 'Now & Then', meaning picking a hit song from 2013, as well as a classic song from the Great American Songbook. We will find out if the new performances can change up the voting order, as last week Angie and Kree were the Top 2, while Amber and Candice filled out the Bottom 2. Can the producers and the judges convince the voters to keep the skinny girls around? Only time will tell. After all, they are going to have to send someone home this week, aren't they? Before we find out, the Top 4 will have to sing for survival...

Clockwise: Candice Glover; Kree Harrison; Amber Holcomb; and Angie Miller.

The show starts out with a clip of the non-elimination last week, and the emotions it brought out. Judges were hugging contestants, and they were hugging one another. But it means it is time to get down to business, for the performances tonight and next week will decide who is going to the finals. The announcer brings out Nicki Minaj, Randy Jackson, Mariah Carey, and Keith Urban, followed quickly by Crusty, who announces not only will the energy be up this week, but the ladies will be coached by Harry Connick, Jr, and Crusty also tells us the two themes for the night; first the ladies will sing a hit song from 2013, and then will follow that up with a song from yesterday, a classic standard. Connick certainly has a history with both, having gained popularity as a crooner, as well as making music of his own. The performances kick off with Angie Miller singing “Diamonds” by Rihanna. She tells Harry she will be mixing it up, and putting her own spin on it. But first, let's hear Rihanna singing "Diamonds".

Angie and Harry are cutting it up, but it went on a bit too long. For the performance, the production is stripped back, with Angie on the piano to make the judges happy. I am not loving the arrangement, for the song was sluggish enough without adding to it. While she stays in tune for much of the song, toward the end she starts to strain, and falls off key. Keith didn't love the performance, felt it didn't go anywhere. It felt too stripped back for him. Nicki felt it was lackluster, like she was playing more to the cameras than from her heart. Basically, Randy and Mariah agreed, although Mariah refused to say she agreed with Nicki, prompting more articles about the panel, and not the singers, I am sure. Pardon me while I roll my eyes. After the commercial break, we see Amber Holcomb meeting with Harry, telling him she will be singing “Just Give Me A Reason”, originally sung by Pink and Nate Ruess. Amber forgets the words as she was singing for Harry, but he doesn't care, he just loves her voice. This is Pink and Nate Ruess singing "Just Give Me A Reason".

The song starts off in a nice place for her voice, showing some nice support. But the performance overall is a bit hollow, with the chorus being just a bit too staccato, almost sing-song. She did stay on key better than usual, although there were a few notes that strayed. It was fairly dull, and seemed like the wrong choice of songs to sing. Nicki didn't love it either, and felt it was lacking. Randy thought she looked nervous, or maybe preoccupied. She admits to being nervous about the lyrics. Mariah tried to brush off the mediocrity, looking forward to the next song. Keith loves her voice, but didn't love the performance. After what seemed like an endless commercial break, Crusty brought out Candice Glover for her first song of the night. In the video, Candice tells Harry she will be singing “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars. She wants to tell a story, not be the subject of the song. Well, cause she's not a man. Harry is trying really hard to be funny, and seems like he is trying too hard. But soon it is over, so let me share Bruno Mars singing "When I Was Your Man".

She is in exceptional voice, and plans to show that to everyone. The first verse sounds a bit nervous, but that soon disappears, and she delivers the goods. She puts an R&B spin on it, and really is able to soar on it. Randy loved it, and so did Mariah. She thought it was exceptional, and Keith didn't care about the gender bending, she sounded great. Nicki thought they were remiss for not giving her a standing ovation, and so Randy and Keith joined her in one for Candice. After they were done, Mariah stood to flicks some glitter at her, getting her own moment. Frankly, I thought Candice deserved more attention than the judges... Crusty tells us that after the break, it will be time to see Kree Harrison, who will be singing a song that Carrie Underwood sang on that stage just a few weeks ago. In the video clip, Kree tells Harry she will be singing “See You Again”. After she sang it for him, he loved it, and told her not to change a friggin' note. Here is Carrie singing "See You Again".

She begins the song with a sweet and warm tone to her voice, and it stays there. She sounds fantastic, and the song reacts well to her sparse arrangement. This allows her voice to be front and center, and she sounds amazing. I thought she was brilliant, and put Kree and Candice in a dead heat after the first round. Mariah loved it, and felt she was magnificent, and sounded so authentic. Keith didn't agree, and felt there was a disconnect between the song and the performance. Nicki thought Kree was totally connected to the song, and she loved it. Randy agreed, and thought her voice was flawless. Even Harry Connick, Jr, had to come out to say how much he loved the performance. As he was announcing the numbers, Crusty called her Kreedom, as if Nicki was now giving them all new names... If the first four performances featured the music of 'now', the next four will feature the music of 'then', as the contestants picked a classic standard from the Great American Songbook, just so we don't get to thinking they can seem current the whole show. As we start the rotation again, Angie is back with Harry, and tells him she will sing “Someone To Watch Over Me”. It was composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin from the 1926 musical 'Oh, Kay!', where it was introduced by Gertrude Lawrence. This is a recording by Sarah Vaughan from 1958.

Angie dedicates it to her Mom, who used to sing it around the house. She does a simple arrangement, soft and sweet. She begins nicely, but soon the slowed tempo of the song reveals her voice to be a bit uneven, and at times get covered by the band, while at other moments strains too be over the top. There were times her vibrato got a little abrasive, battering. Keith loved it, even if it did feel so old fashioned. Nicki thought she was like a Disney Princess, and how she only seemed engaged during the high end of her voice. Randy loved her vocals, even if he hated the arrangement. Mariah tried to disagree with Nicki, and lost the singer in the mix. After a break, Crusty reminds us the votes from last week are being added to those of last week for the results tomorrow night. In the video clip, Amber tells Harry she is singing “My Funny Valentine”, first recorded by Mitzi Green in the MGM Musical 'Babes In Arms'. It was written for the 1937 Broadway show by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. When she starts singing, Harry recognizes she doesn't understand the song at all, so he explains it to her. Connick thinks she has a beautiful voice, and hopes she connects with (and understands) the song in performance. But before that, give a listen to this recording by Ella Fitzgerald from 1956.

As she starts singing, I don't really see a difference. She has plenty of vocal tricks, but again they seem more like a crutch than an expression. It was very paint by numbers, but I didn't feel it coming from her heart. It was fairly hollow. Of course, the judges greeted her with a standing ovation, and they loved it. They thought it was great the first time she sang it (with no understanding of the lyrics whatsoever), and even better now (after Harry explained it to her). She cries a little, and they try to lift her up. But they do seems to have come to the realization she was the weakest of the night, and stands a good shot at going home. Crusty chats with Harry in the audience, and he disagrees with the judges, and felt the run at the end of Amber's performance distracted from the song. Soon we see Candice going to see Harry again, telling him she will be singing “You’ve Changed”, originally written by Bill Carey and Carl Fischer in 1941. It was first released by Harry James's band with vocals by Dick Haymes. Harry helps her to simplify her performance, to mean what she is singing. Listen to this amazing version of the song recorded by Billie Holiday in 1958.

She comes out in perfect voice, and connects with the lyrics. She is singing from the heart, and her emotions are on her sleeve. There is an ebb and flow to the performance, and it was fantastic. Even when she brought some runs in the end, they were tied to emotion, not acrobatics. Randy loved it, and took the moment to tell Harry he is wrong (when he wasn't), and doesn't know what he is talking about (even if Connick was brought in as the expert mentor). Mariah thought it was brilliant, so touching and textured. Keith loved it, and Nicki thought no more was needed, and tossed it to Crusty. He reminded us that we still have Kree to sing tonight. In her clip with Harry, Kree tells him she will be singing “Stormy Weather”, a song written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler. Ethel Waters first sang it at The Cotton Club night club in Harlem in 1933 and recorded it that year. He tells her to cut the pyrotechnics, and sing the damn song. The song became a signature song for great Lena Horne after she sang it in the 1943 film of the same name, so enjoy her performance here.

She comes out looking beautiful, and sounded fantastic. Her tone is so crisp and so clear, and she sticks to the melody for most of the song. She puts in some embellishments toward the end, and gave it a Country feel to it. I thought it was stunning. Mariah is unsure it was the right song, going for something more bluesy. Keith thinks it was the wrong song as well. Nicki has a problem with Harry, and with song choice. Randy basically says Harry was wrong and taking them in a wrong direction, and she must be herself. And that means doing the Etta James version of the song. Harry gets hilarity of that statement, and even Nicki does, but it still seems lost on Randy. I am not sure, but I think Harry just nailed his audition to be a judge for American Idol Season 13. After all was said and done, they talked Kree down, while telling her her vocals were stellar. After a break, the ladies came down the aisles with their own dancers in two, and they were singing “Wings” by Little Mix.

This was nice, but sure sounded not live. It had a very 'Up With People' feeling, and not really connected to the rest of the show. It is time to recap, it comes down to the fact that Candice and Kree were the two best for the night for me. It wasn't close. There is a big gap, and then Angie's performances. At the bottom is Amber, who I suspect will be leaving tomorrow night. No amount of blowing smoke is going to make it sound any different to me. Of course, one never knows until the results are read on Thursday night, at 8PM. Well, to be honest, at 8:55PM on your local Fox station.

The Voice Season 4 • Knockout Rounds 2

The Season 4 Knockouts began last night, as Team Adam and Team Shakira brought their numbers down to four each, as Adam picked Amber Carrington, Caroline Glaser, Judith Hill, and Sarah Simmons for the finals, and Shakira picked Garrett Gardner, Kris Thomas, Karina Iglesias, and Sasha Allen. Tonight, Team Blake and Team Usher will be center stage, and their coaches are hoping they will be at their best. By the end of the night, all four teams will be down to four acts each, just right for the finals. It is time, ready or not, for the last of the Knockouts.

Left to right: Adam Levine, Usher, Blake Shelton, and Shakira.

Team Blake kicks off the night with Savannah Berry and Justin Rivers, two Country performers. Both will be finding their inspiration in Pop music, as Savannah will be singing Justin Bieber's "As Long As You Love Me" and Justin will be taking on Miley Cyrus' big hit, "The Climb". Blake loves him some Savannah in rehearsal, but worries about Justin, wanting him to show his range without adding in too many runs. Should be interesting. Let's hear Justin Bieber with "As Long As You Love Me".

Savannah is the first up, and I am not loving what she is doing. I feel lots of whine in her version of the song, and not much else. It just felt muddled and murky. Justin comes out to sing "The Climb", and is right on with his glory notes, but a tad off otherwise. But honestly, I would most likely go with Justin, although both were a bit underwhelming. I was surprised to hear Usher, Shakira and Adam suggest they would pick Justin, and finally, Blake agreed. Justin is going to the finals, and a teary Savannah is heading home. So it is time for Team Usher to show their stuff, and Usher picks Josiah Hawley and Jess Kellner to be the first Knockout round. Handsome Josiah will be singing "Back To Black" by Amy Winehouse, while Jess will take on James Morrison's "You Give Me Something". Usher wants his acts to show sincerity, and a vulnerability to the audience. Jess really needs to be careful, as she sings the song with her alcoholic mother in mind. But before we begin the competition, here is Amy Winehouse singing "Back To Black".

I am happily surprised for Josiah, for I thought he sounded great, with a wonderful tone to his voice. I really enjoyed that. Jess came out, and I was not real impressed. I thought she had a problem staying on key, and she flailed at times on the song. Now I was pretty surprised to hear both Blake and Adam favored Jess in the round. As Usher was making the decision, it felt like he might be swayed by the other judges, but finally picked Josiah to go to the finals. Josiah is pleased to be moving one, while Jess a bit sad to be heading home. After a commercial break, we learn that Blake will be sending Holly Tucker and Luke Edgemon to the ring. Blake wanted to see how his power vocalists would do one on one. Holly will be singing "Live Like You Were Dying", made famous by Tim McGraw, while Luke changes up Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" to make it his own. In the rehearsals, Blake pushes Holly just to have more confidence, for he thinks she has the talent. At first he is unsure about Justin's song choice, but soon is enjoying it so much. Here is Katy Perry with "Teenage Dreams".

Holly starts off with the Country Pop tune, and she does a nice job, but it exposes her voice as a bit thin, at least for me. I think she could have been helped by relaxing some, for she seemed tense. It also seemed fairly karaoke to me, with little originality in the performance. Luke comes out with a slowed-down take on Katy Perry, and I am loving it his R&B spice. His voice sounds fantastic, and he has owned this song, completely. He easily showed artistic range, and yet Usher didn't like it very much. But Shakira and Adam disagree, and thought Luke was the clear winner. Blake thought it was a tough decision, and finally picked Holly, which confuses the hell out of me. I have yet to be impressed by her, and have been so enjoying Luke. Wow, that was really disappointing, for I thought Luke was the strongest voice on Blake's team. Well, time to move on to Usher, who is putting up Audrey Karrasch and Michelle Chamuel, his two indie artists. Audrey will be singing "How To Love" by Little Wayne, but during rehearsals, it wasn't pretty. She was having trouble, and needed much more work. Michelle will be singing "Raise Your Glass" by Pink, and her only problem during rehearsals was having the air to complete the song. Quickly, she and Usher are doing pushups on the stage! Here is Pink singing "Raise Your Glass".

Audrey is a train wreck from the start, somehow both straining and missing the notes. The only really positive thing I could say is she looked nice. Michelle came out like gangbusters, and stayed on top of the song, and giving it her own twist. She was moving all around the stage, giving an active performance. The coaches all enjoyed Michelle, and thought she won out. It seemed like and easy decision to me, but Blake made it clear there was no clear answer. So I was quite pleased when Usher said Michelle was the winner. Blake comes on to announce the next pairing, as he pits youngsters Danielle Bradbery and Taylor Beckham for this round. Blake thinks they both could use a bit more confidence, and hopes one will really step up. Danielle will be singing "Jesus Take The Wheel" by Carrie Underwood, while Taylor will be singing Rihanna's "Russian Roulette". In rehearsal, he loves Danielle's voice, and just loves her. When Taylor is done, he encourages her to invest more in the song, and really get him to buy the song. Before they perform, here is Carrie Underwood singing "Jesus Take The Wheel".

Danielle is the first to perform, and while she has a lovely voice, it feels like this is weaker than the rehearsal, and the ending has a few rough notes. It just felt to me that she let her nerves get the best of her. To be honest, I was a tad disappointed. Next it was time for Taylor to sing, and the opening bars were a little rough, but she seems to gain confidence, and really comes alive. She struggles with some pith issues along the way, but really sells the song. I kinda favored Taylor. However, Usher felt differently, and thought Danielle stole the show. Shakira and Adam agreed. It was time for Blake to decide, and he picks Danielle to go to the finals, and Taylor heads home. Afterwards, Blake admits it was an easy choice for him, for he didn't like Taylor's song choice, although he really liked her. So on to the next Knockout, as Usher announces he wants to see C. Perkins and VEDO competing, for he only has room for one R&B singer. C. Perkins will be singing "She Ain't You" by Chris Brown while VEDO takes on the Bryan Adams ballad, "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You". While C. Perkins seems to struggle a bit in rehearsal, VEDO seems to connect well to his song and deliver the goods for his coach. Give a listen to Bryan Adams on his wonderful song, "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You".

Right out of the gate, C. Perkins struggles with pitch, and you can hear how tentative he is in his vocals. This is just not an enjoyable performance for me. I was happy when it was over. VEDO came out ready to go, and since it was dedicated to his late mother, and the emotion showed in a great way. Shakira, Adam, and Blake all thought it was VEDO who took the battle. While I think it was very clear, Usher takes time to consider before announcing that VEDO will be moving on to the finals. After a commercial break, Blake has his final Knockout, as Grace Askew and The Swon Brothers take to the stage. This will be an interesting battle, for they both have a Country sound, big and bold. The Swon Brothers sing "Drift Away", the great song made popular by Dobie Gray, while Grace will be singing "I Can't Stand The Rain", originally sung by Ann Peebles, and later covered by the great Tina Turner. Check out Tina's version of the song.

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Grace is up first, and seemed eager to show her Memphis Blues, but have to say that was her weakest vocals to date, at least for me. I was so looking forward to hearing her, and I was disappointed. The Swon Brothers were right on form, picking a great song, and bringing the audience with them. I thought they were the clear winners of the battle. Usher loved the Swon Brothers, while Shakira and Adam thought it could go either way. After some contemplation, Blake picks The Swon Brothers to go to the finals. And that leads us to the final Knockout Battle of the night, and the last of the season, as next week they all move on to the live finals. Team Usher closes out the evening when Ryan Innes and Cáthia are called to the stage. Usher is looking forward to hearing the two emotional singers going head-to-head. Cáthia will be singing "Mr Know It All" by Kelly Clarkson, and in rehearsal, Usher helps her with the stage moves, getting her more comfortable. Ryan will be taking on Gavin DeGraw's big hit, "I Don't Want To Be". Here is Gavin's original version.

Cáthia is up first, and I am confused by the tempo of the song, as her phrasing seems to be fighting it. She gains control in the chorus, but it seems to come and go a bit. I found this vocal to be sloppy, more about the vocal tricks than communication. Ryan comes out and shocks me, as the soulful singer turns in a shouty, soulless performance that seemed more angry than musical, with some rough notes to be sure. So very disappointing. Adam and Shakira both mentioned being disappointed with Ryan's performance, and Blake preferred Cáthia as well. When it came time to pick the winner, Usher went with Cáthia, who was better on the night. But it is a shame that the better performer was not given the coaching he needed to have a better showing. But the teams have been picked, and Team Blake turned out to be all Country singers, with Justin Rivers, Holly Tucker, Danielle Bradbery, and The Swon Brothers flying his banner. Team Usher will be Josiah Hawley, Michelle Chamuel, VEDO, and Cáthia, all eager to take their place in the spotlight. They will join Team Adam's talented Amber Carrington, Caroline Glaser, Judith Hill, and Sarah Simmons, and Team Shakira's bold competitors Garrett Gardner, Kris Thomas, Karina Iglesias, and Sasha Allen.

The Voice Season 4 Battle Rounds 1

In the fourth season of 'The Voice', the show welcomes two new judges to the panel, Shakira and Usher. Both have slipped into the revolving chairs of Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green, respectively, with a real ease. They join returning judges Blake Shelton and Adam Levine, winners in three finals between them. The auditions are over, and 48 acts have found mentors in the coaches, each of whom will bring 12 members of their teams into the battle rounds. And as he has for all three previous seasons, Carson Daly will be handling the duties of host, keeping things moving between the singers and the judges. At the top of the show, Usher tells us his teams will blow out mind... Each coach has great support, as Adam brings in Hillary Scott, lead singer of Lady Antebellum, while Blake has Sheryl Crow, Shakira has Joel Madden, lead singer of Good Charlotte and coach on The Voice Australia, and Usher has Pharrell Williams. They will all be on hand to help out with out next level of competition, the Battle Rounds.

Left to right: Shakira, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Usher, and Carson Daly.

Team Adam is the first to fight in the ring, as Amber Carrington and Sasha Allen will be singing "Try", by Pink. Amber is a Country singer, while Sasha has more of an R&B tone to her voice. Both tackle the song strongly, but I have to say there is more color to Amber's voice. Neither shied away from taking a strong line on the song.

The other coaches all loved them both, as did Adam. He mentioned that he thought Sasha would walk about with this battle, as Amber had so little experience. After deliberation, Adam picks Amber. As soon as Carson began speaking to Sasha, Usher pushed in for the steal, followed quickly by Shakira. Both plead to be her coach, and she picks Shakira, a real surprise. Especially to Usher, who was speechless. But all ended in hugs. And it is time for Team Shakra, with Garrett and J'Sun. They will be singing "How You Like Me Now" by The Heavy.

During the rehearsals, they go hard at work, and immediately react to notes from Shakira. Joel likes them both, too. But even before they take to the ring, Shakira is already worried about the position she put herself in with this battle. The boys do sound great, although so very different. J'Sun has that R&B sound, like Garrett has a gravelly Rock growl. J'Sun kicks off the song, and is in great voice. But Garrett surprises, and comes back so strong. The performance was greeted by Usher with a standing ovation, Shakira bowing to them both. Adam loved them both, Blake thought it was Garrett who won, while Usher picked J'Sun. This didn't help Shakira, who was unsure show to pick. After the commercial break, she chose Garrett, and I must agree with her. J'Sun is sweet to Shakira afterwards, and no coach hit the button for him. Holly Tucker and Michelle Raitzin are the first to come in and meet with Sheryl Crow. They will be singing "Blown Away" by Carrie Underwood, and Blake is afraid Holly's gorgeous voice is so sweet, maybe too sweet. And Michelle might be struggling with pitch. At the end of the second rehearsal, Blake is quite happy with both, but is sure he will not have an easy decision.

Both girls seem a bit nervous, feeling the pressure of the night and reminding them of what they need to prove. Holly started the song with a vocal that was on point, and was joined beautifully by Michelle. But on the chorus, Holly really took control of the battle, powering through the notes. Usher loved them, and Shakira thought they were fierce. Adam loved them, but thought Holly gave the best tonight. Blake loved them both, and struggled with his decision. But he went with Holly, but thought it was oh-so-close. Michelle took her bows, but left the stage with no coach. Team Usher is up next, with Jess Kellner and Taylor Beckham taking on "You Know I'm No Good" written and performed by the late Amy Winehouse. There is some concern after the rehearsals, for neither girl was really on top of her performance. While Winehouse had the voice for the song, she also had that special something that told you she not only understood, but also lived her song.

The performance starts out nicely, but doesn't really go anywhere. The coaches were nice, with Adam and Shakira picking Taylor, while Blake liked Jess. For Usher, it was Jess who took the night. As Taylor was saying a tearful thanks to Usher, Blake pushed his button and saved her. Which leads us to the next battle, as Team Blake will take the stage. Christian Porter and The Swon Brothers will be taking on Tom Petty's "Won't Back Down". After the first rehearsal, Christian is needing to put in some hard work. With the second rehearsal, Christian did the work, and it seems like the Swon Brothers didn't. So when they come back for the Battle Round, who will deliver the knock out punch?

In the ring, it is Christian who leads off on the song, and he sounds great. He is joined by the Swon Brothers, who had auditioned with a Tom Petty song, so we know this is in their wheelhouse. The battle is an odd one, with one voice trying to compete with two. For me, Christian sounded great, and took command of the stage. He also put his own spin on the song, while the Swon Brothers sounded like a cover band. Usher was non-committal, Shakira picked the Swon Brothers, and Adam preferred Christian. Blake is unsure, feeling neither really owned the performance for him. I will admit, neither seemed like a real threat to win the competition. After a break, he picked the Swon Brothers, once again using the excuse of sticking with Country artists. Christian said his goodbyes, and left the competition. For the final battle of the night, Team Adam returns to the stage, with Judith Hill and Karina Iglesias entering the ring. They will be singing "It's A Man's, Man's Man's World" made famous by James Brown and written by Brown and Betty Jean Newsome. The song is just so iconic, tackling it will not be easy. During the first rehearsal, they need a little bit of what the other has. Karina could use a little bit of subtlety, while Judith needs more to find the emotional core of the song. After the second rehearsal, Adam is regretting his choice of pairing them together, knowing one will be ripe for the steal.

On the night of the show, both are feeling confident and ready to sing, and bow to one another before the song begins. Karina kicked off the vocals, and Judith came in strong. They are both in top form, and this is definitely the performance of the night. They were wonderful, but I would have to go with Judith, who had such wonderful nuance in her vocals. The judges gave them a standing ovation, and couldn't find much to complain about, save the silliness of Adam putting them together. After much contemplation, he picks Judith, and we know what is coming. As Karina speaks to Adam, Shakira uses her final steal, and is excited to add Karina to her team.

After the first night of Battle Rounds, with six battles completed, three singers have been eliminated, and three have new teams. Adam didn't use a steal, and has both still available. Usher has both his steals waiting for the right artists. But Blake used one of his, while Shakira has used both.

Carrie Underwood & Vince Gill • How Great Thou Art

I just thought I would share a wonderful duet, of sorts, this fine Sunday morning. Country superstar Carrie Underwood is graced with a wonderful accompaniment from Vince Gill on a live performance of "How Great Thou Art", a traditional Swedish folk song bsed on a poem by Carl Gustav Boberg. It was translated by British missionary Stuart K. Hine, who apparently felt the need to add two verses while translating. The song has been sung by some of the great names in Country music, including Elvis Presley, Alan Jackson, Burl Ives, Dixie Carter, Charlie Daniels, Tennessee Ernie Ford with The Jordanaires, The Statler Brothers, Roy Rogers, and Connie Smith. Now you can add Carrie's name to that impressive roster.

American Idol Season 11 • Top 5 Results

Tonight, we will see what the voters thought of the performances last night, with 1960s hits and British Pop hits were pulled from the archives. The reviews of the night were mixed, so no one is sure who will be leaving tonight. If the last few years are any indication, one of the three girls should be packing their bags. But there are many who think it might be time for frontrunner Phillip, the only remaining contestant to have not been in the bottom three, to go home. Or might it be a surprising exit for Skylar, who has come on strong? Or maybe Jessica, who was spared the bottom last week after being saved from elimination by the judges in the Top 7? Or Joshua, told by Jennifer Lopez last night he was the best singer of the last 50 years, eclipsing the late Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, and, well, everyone who has raised their voice in song since 1960? How about Hollie, who is definitely saving her best for last, as she continues to get stronger as the competition goes on? Only Crusty and the producers know so far.



Top: Phillip; Hollie; Joshua; Skylar; and Jessica. Bottom: Carrie Underwood; and Coldplay.

The show starts with a quick look back at last night, including Jennifer's idiotic comment about the best singer in 50 years. The judges are brought out to the stage, and are joined by Crusty, looking all kinds of perky. He tells us Coldplay will be on the show, as is Carrie Underwood, the most successful Idol to date. Crusty mentions the tour, and then jumps into the results. He calls Joshua, and Steven calls him one of the top two Idols ever, while Randy thought he is the best Idol ever. Jimmy I thinks his To Love Somebody is the best performance on Idol, and thinks he is safe. According to the voters, he is safe. After the break, the contestants are featured in the latest Ford Music Video, features Cobbie Caillat's latest single, Dream Life. Quickly, Crusty introduces Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, and Will Champion. They are better known as mega-band Coldplay, there to perform Paradise, off the album Mylo Xyloto. Here is their music video for Paradise.



You can purchase Mylo Xyloto on iTunes and Amazon. I am just grateful I don't have to review that performance. Woof. It is time for more results, and Hollie and Phillip are called to join Crusty. Jimmy loved Hollie's first performance, and okay the second. For Phillip, Jimmy feels he should be in the bottom for two weak performances, no matter how bad Phillip feels. For the results, we learn Hollie is in the bottom two, and Phillip will win this competition. Well, I would surmise that if he can sound that bad and not even be in danger, well, that says a lot. After a break, Crusty proudly introduces Season 3 winner Carrie Underwood, whose new album, Blown Away, is taking over the charts this week. She performs the title track.



I have to say, this is a great song, and she sings it so damn well. And she looks great with the fake hurricane behind her. You can purchase Carrie's brand new album, Blown Away, on iTunes and Amazon. She will be heading out on tour this September, and you can check out when she is playing near you on her official website. After another break, it is time for Skylar and Jessica to discover what the night holds for them. The judges loved Skylar, but Jimmy wasn't as sold. He is complaining about the production behind her, which I find ridiculous. Jessica is up next, and Jimmy loved You Are So Beautiful, but he hated Proud Mary, and felt she was too sexy. Crusty tells us Jessica is safe, and Skylar is in the bottom 2. I am sorry, but there is no way Skylar should be in the bottom, and Phillip safe. And the judges are of no help at all, with a complete lack of critical appraisal performance after performance. Coldplay comes back out for a rare second song, as they dive into a performance of Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall.



It is another song off Mylo Xyloto, which can be purchased on iTunes and Amazon. After a commercial break, and perhaps the top two performers of last night are waiting to see who goes home. While we wait, Jennifer tells us the Top 3 belong in safety, which makes me shake my head. After nearly 60 million votes, we learn that Skylar is going home tonight. And the judges let it happen. And Phillip is still in the singing competition. I hope someone smarter than Jimmy I signs this girl.

American Idol Season 4

As we approach the competition starting up on the most recent season of American Idol, it allows me to do something the other similar shows can't do. That is to look back over the last decade of the show, and visit with the performers I really thought were due another look and listen. Hard to believe it has been a decade, but this summer, it will be 10 years since Fox aired the show that caught the imagination of the viewers.

In 2005, we had Season 4 of American Idol, basking in the glory of Season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson and her second album, Breakaway, which was selling like hotcakes, with massive singles like Since U Been Gone, Behind These Hazel Eyes, and Because of You, all Platinum-sellers. And with the auditions, we saw that Idol was also looking to expand on what they have been presenting. There were different types of singers being seen, and getting through. This was lining up to be an interesting season, indeed. If that wasn't enough, the season also began with a bit of intrigue while still in the semi-final stage.

From auditions through the semis, Mario Vazquez was thought be be a front-runner. The handsome Latino from the Bronx has a great look, and a wonderful voice. HE was delivering some great R&B-flavored vocals, easily the most contemporary male voice the show has seen so far. He fared well during the Top 24 and Top 20, and sang well for the Top 16. However, rather than signing an exclusive contract with 19 Entertainment after making it to the Top 12, Mario decided he was better off without the show, and quit. This sent shock waves in Idoldom, for it had never happened before. Mario disappeared for a bit, and Idol said there was family matters he needed to attend to, but few believed that. By the end of the summer, with the tour going on, it was announced quietly that Mario had been signed to J Records by Clive Davis. In the fall of 2006 his eponymous album was released. The first single, Gallery, got some good airplay.

Turns out, I thought it was a pretty good album, one I am listening to as I write. However, it did not catch on with the audience, and sold shy of 60,000 units. In 2007, there was a controversy involving sexual harassment, and Mario was released from his contract with J Records. I found he recently had a few dance tracks, working with DJ Sharam. You can find his album on iTunes and Amazon. To catch up with Mario and the music he is making now, check out his official website here. You can also find Marion on Twitter here.

One of the things about the season was that there were a couple of serious contenders thought to be rockers. One of those was Constantine Maroulis. Constantine was featured during auditions, not only for the audition, but also when the cameras returned with him to announce to his band, Pray For The Soul Of Betty, that he was leaving the band to compete on Idol. They were not pleased, making for a notorious beginning to Constantine's time on the show. He made it to 6th place on the show, and many of his performances were legendary, both for his fans and those who didn't seem to appreciate his work. From his non-stop flirtation with the camera, to the different choices he made, it seemed the voters never really figured out the rocker. After the show, he went back to the band for about a year, when he opted to go the solo route. In 2007 he released Constantine on an indie label, and went on to The Young & The Restless soap opera to promote it. This is the video fro the single Girl Like You, which features his Y&R costar.

While Maroulis had not followed up that album with a new one, he has certainly found himself a solid career on Broadway. First he got rave reviews when he went in to the show The Wedding Singer, for the Fall and Winter of 2006. He went Off-Broadway next, in Jacques Brel Is Alive And Well And Living In Paris, before he joined Y&R to promote the album. Soon he was back on Broadway, this time starring in the original cast of the Rock Of Ages, first Off-Broadway, then moving to Broadway in 2009. He earned a Tony Award nomination for his fine work, the first AI alumnus to achieve that honor. Later this year, he is scheduled to be star in Jekyll and Hyde on tour before bringing it to Broadway in 2013. You can find Constantine on iTunes and Amazon. You can keep track of him on his official website here or on Twitter here.

Much was made of the cute Ukrainian boy who finished in fourth place, from his early childhood in the Ukraine, including the tale of the young boy with the tracheotomy, and fears he wouldn't speak again, let alone sing. That is the backstory of Anthony Fedorov. To many, it seemed like Anthony went quiet for a few years, until last year, when he released Never Again, a six-song EP. Here is a clip of Anthony singing Never Over, a track off the EP.

While some might have thought Anthony was laying low, that was far from the truth. He was doing many things, including joining the Off-Broadway production of The Fantasicks, the world's longest running musical. He also appeared in various productions of touring shows, including Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in Japan at the time of the earthquake/tsunami. There have also been appearances in production of Cinderella and Hairspray. And he has shown non-stop support for the Sarcoma Foundation of America, battling the disease that took his brother, Denis. You can find Never Again on iTunes and Amazon. You can keep up with all that is new with Anthony on his official website here. You can also find him on Facebook here.

Early on in the competition, Constantine was dominating the coverage, being the rocker. However, during Hollywood week, I heard a voice I had not heard in the auditions, and it was certainly one that grabbed my attention, and made me want more. That voice belonged to Bo Bice, the long-haired rocker from Alabama, who was more Lynyrd Skynyrd than Jim Morrison, and easier for the producers to ignore. His audition for the show wasn't seen until the later in the season. However, the viewers never did, liking his easy-going nature, combined with a natural and easy sensuality that had the women screaming for more. Bo went on to finish second this season, always making music on his own terms, and never letting the judges or producers put him in a box. A couple of his performances are looked at as iconic and quite memorable, including his brilliant acapella version of Badland's In A Dream. After the tour, he was signed by RCA Records, and released The Real Thing, an album of Pop/Rock music. Here is a version of the title song, The Real Thing (Unplugged).

Bo and RCA agreed to part company, and he was quite happy to have his music back under his own control. He released a self-produced album in 2007, See The Light. The album had strong reviews, but without the big label support, he sold much less. It was the music Bo wanted to make, with a strong flavor of southern rock and a bit of roots music. He continued to tour, and as a working musician he has taken few breaks. In 2010, he released 3, his third album. His music continues to be bold and strong. You can learn more about Bo on his official website here. You can also find him on Twitter and Facebook.

And while some of the guys might have been looked at as front-runners at some points in the season, it seems as though someone forget to send the memo to the eventual winner Carrie Underwood, who never was in the bottom three for the run of the season. While she ventured into all the genres covered on the season, Carrie was also the first strong contestant to come in as a Country singer, and when she was crowned the winner of Season 4, Nashville was waiting for her with open arms. Her first release, Some Hearts, was practically flying off the shelves, selling more than 7 million copies, and serving up hit after hit, playing on both Country and Pop radio. Here is the video for one of the hits off that album, Before He Cheats.

Carrie followed up that album with two more hits, Carnival Ride and Play On. Both sold in the multiple millions, and has kept her at the head of the list of Country artists today. She has had her own television special, hosted awards shows, won just about every award possible, and has not yet reached 29. She has found the time to be courted by and marry NHL hockey player, Mike Fisher. He plays for the Nashville Predators, making their home in Nashville convenient for both. And here is the 2010 video for Undo It, off the Play On album.

This whole time, Carrie has never backed away from the Idol franchise, always proudly wearing the banner. Recently, Carrie played CMT Crossroads with current Idol judge Steven Tyler. And Idol has been proud of her, as well they should be. She is the #1 selling Idol, with only more to come. You can learn more about what Carrie has been up to since the show by visiting her official website here. You can also find her on Facebook here. You can purchase her latest album, Play On, on iTunes and Amazon. She is also scheduled to be releasing a new album later this spring.

AI10 Today & Yesterday

For the tenth time in it's illustrious history, American Idol offers up a top five to the audience to enjoy, and then take an active role in their careers. James, Lauren, Jacob, Haley and Scotty will all be performing two songs this evening, one from our modern times, and one from the 60s. If there is a greater philosophy behind this, other than filling 90 minutes of airtime so Fox can charge a bun of money for commercials, it is lost on me. And since they decidedly left up without a clue as to the identity of the bottom 3 last week, all five of the remaining contestants are on equal footing, or at least that is the impression the producers want to give us. After all, until last week, we knew that Lauren, Scotty and James had not been in the bottom 3. Did that change last week, and they just didn't tell us? Or did Haley and Jacob complete the bottom 3, still leaving the record of the others unblemished? I doubt we'll ever know, but soon, we will know who was in good form, and who wasn't.

Everyone is introduced, and we find out that tonight is important, cause, as Randy says, America and the Judges want to know who is in it to win it. This tells me that I will soon be tiring of this statement, for Randy will be going there time after time. James starts out the evening with the contemporary entry, as he performs Closer To The Edge by 30 Seconds To Mars. He does a nice job, although there are times when he really drifts off the notes. I just find his technique to be really lacking at times, he can get pretty sloppy with his notes, and his breath control is lacking. Of course, the judges all love him, and see none of that. In fact, Randy calls 30 Seconds To Mars a great band, which is somewhat surprising...



Jacob is up next, and he picks No Air, by Jordin Sparks and features Chris Brown. Jacob goes it alone on the duet song, which was a beautiful one perfectly suited to the former AI champions voice. Not so perfect for Jacob. He is incredibly sharp and shrill, and makes a wonderful song and makes it a muddied mess. Jennifer seems to appreciate he has defined himself as the next Chris Brown, and ignores the bad performance. Surprisingly, Randy agrees with me, and he and J-Lo argue about who is right, rather than about the guy in front of them. Steven agrees, but with what, I am not sure.



Lauren is up next, and she is going to sing Flat On My Feet by Carrie Underwood, a true vocal powerhouse and winner of the fourth season of Idol. Cheryl Crow offers the useful advice that Lauren plant herself and sing the damn song, and when Lauren takes the stage, she really takes control of the stage. She owns it, and does a great job. The judges agree.



Scotty is next, singing Gone by Montgomery Gentry. Cheryl loves it, and thinks he sounds great. Frankly, I thought the song showed a certain thinness in his voice, a bit of a hole in his range. But it was certainly more energetic than I thought Scotty capable of being, at least on stage. Apparently, once again, I listen alone, as the judges drool over the performance, and is the 3rd outta four who is in it to win it. Sorry Jacob.



Haley is up next, and we are told she is singing an unreleased song by Lady GaGa, which fascinates me. How does Haley get to sing a song like that? Apparently, Jimmy Iovine suggested this song, which GaGa did at concerts, but not recorded yet. Haley got permission from GaGa herself to sing You And I. Cheryl Crow promises an elusive 'moment' on the show, and I think she sang it well, with perhaps the best vocals of the night. OF course, the judges see it differently. Jennifer thinks it was silly to sing a song no one knows, the audience isn't smart enough to see the singer. She Randy agrees, and even insults the song and Lady GaGa. Steven, as is often the case, says nothing.



James comes back to lead off the 'Songs of the 60s' portion of the night, and sings Harry Nilsson's Without You. That is a great song, and right up his alley. There is all kinds of slippage going on, moving from on key to sharp, and he loses his emotions, as well as a bit of vocal control. Again, he highlights his weaknesses. For the judges, however, not so much. Randy considers it his to lose at this point. Sure there were some bad notes, but that is OK. After all, it's not a singing competition, right? Steven also acknowledges the bum notes, but chooses to ignore them. Jennifer does the same, emphasizing the emotional mess of the situation. Got it.



Jacob sings Nazareth. Go figure. He sings Love Hurts, and hits some notes that are not anywhere on the paper, nor should they. He plows through much of the song, and then pulls out his bag of tricks at the end. What a steaming pot of mess. Shockingly, the judges see it differently, as an amazing performance that put him back in the competition.



Lauren is up next, and is singing Simon Cowell's favorite songs, Unchained Melody. It is a favorite of her parents, sung by the Righteous Brothers. She does a lovely job with it, but is a bit too tentative to me. No bad notes, but a bit hollow. However, the judges think it was beautiful, with nary a bad thought allowed.



Scotty sings Always On My Mind, by Elvis Presley. I think of it as a Willie Nelsen song, but hey, it is a great song. It is kinda sweet, and a bit vapid. A little weak at moments, but no bad notes. The judges love it, and think there is nothing to criticize. I cringe a bit when Crusty starts talking about there being some Puerto Rican in Scotty...



Haley will close out the show with some great 60s rock by The Animals. She will sing House Of The Rising Sun, a brilliant piece, to be sure. Cheryl convinces her to come out singing a cappella, and she just tears the house down. She sings the crap outta this song. Surprisingly enough, the judges agree, and call her the performance of the night. I just don't follow them.



The recap goes on, and it is very obvious that Jacob is the weak link of the night. I thought both performances went way outta control. But it also featured some wonky notes from James, and how Scotty was carried by the back up singers in his first song. The ladies had good edits on their songs, but who knows what America will do.... Guess we will learn tomorrow.