The Voice Season 4 • Battle Rounds 3

As the fourth season of 'The Voice' continues, we see how well the two new judges meld with the two old judges. Both Shakira and Usher have been exuberant in their roles so far, with Shakira scooping up her two steals already, and Usher offering the first bitchslap of the season to a couple of contestants he felt needed to realize the opportunity they had in front of them. Returning judges Blake Shelton and Adam Levine, winners in three finals between them, seem to be hungry to win again. 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. We are halfway there, and between tonight and tomorrow night, the team will be set. 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 our 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 get the contestants ready to prove they deserve a shot at the finals once the Battle Rounds are complete.

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

As we begin tonight, we know Shakira has used both steals available to her, while Adam and Blake have used one a piece. Usher has both to use, having lost in his two attempts to Shakira and Adam. In fact, Usher is putting together the first Battle tonight, when he puts Jessica Childress and Vedo into the ring. They are talented singers, and Usher asks them to sing Bruno Mars' "Locked Out Of Heaven". Jessica isn't sure the song is the right key for her, but Pharrell tells her it is perfect. Vedo shines in the first rehearsal, but it is Jessica who sounded great in the last rehearsal. Who will Usher pick?

This is a wonderful duet, as both have strong voices with amazing rangers, just right for Pop music. Shakira thought it was a 'feel good performance', and Adam agreed, thinking they were both wonderful. Blake feels bad for Usher, for he feels they lit up the room. Usher is very proud, as both did exactly what he asked of them. They make the decision hard, but he has to give the answer. He picks Vedo, which leaves Jessica up for a steal, although no one picked her up. After the Battle, Vedo wishes his mother, who is in the hospital with Stage 4 cancer, was there to experience his success. Usher comes back stage to give him a hug. Next up, Team Shakira is going to the ring with Luke Edgemon and Monique Abbadie. With their first meeting, Monique admits coach Joel Madden was on her book covers in Middle School. Both Shakira and Joel were impressed with Luke's vocals, and the honesty he delivered. Monique, on the other hand, felt less real. Can Luke deliver in front of the audience, or can Monique connect to the song when it matters the most?

Both look nervous as they prep to enter the ring. Carson calls them to the ring, and Luke leads them off with a strong vocal. Monique starts with an affected line reading, but soon relaxes into the song. At the end of the day for me, Luke totally took over that performance. Adam agreed with me, thinking Luke was a revelation. Blake loved Luke as well, and Usher thought they were great together. Shakira decided to make a strategic decision, and picks Monique, assuming Luke will be picked via steal. As soon as he is available, Blake hits his button to steal, followed by Usher. Luke is a bit overwhelmed, and they take a commercial break so he can decide. Will Usher get his first steal, or will he lose out again? Luke surprises by picking Blake, leaving Usher with both his steals to use. Then it is time for Team Blake to take their turn in the ring. This Battle features Jacqui Sandell and Savannah Berry, singing Little Big Town's "Little White Church". At the first rehearsal, Sheryl Crow gives notes to both girls, and they have homework to do. For the final rehearsal with Blake, he is pleased with the progress made by Jacqui, but pushes Savannah to stay on tempo. Will Jacqui continue to grow under Blake's direction, or will Savannah finally nail the song?

Before the performance begins, I am interested in what will happen here. Savannah has a rich and gorgeous voice, but Jacqui can deliver the quirk that Blake seems to love. Carson calls them to the ring, and the battle begins. Savannah sings first, and she is in great voice. When Jacqui begins, her voice sounds a bit thin, like nerves are kicking in. Savannah stays on tempo, and in fact, a couple of times Jacqui fell behind a beat. I think Savannah really took the gold this time out. Adam thought they were both adorable. Usher thought they were wonderful, and couldn't decide. Shakira loved them too, and thinks it was Savannah by a nose. But it is time for Blake to make up his mind, and he picks Savannah. Jacqui thanks Blake for having such a strong influence on her as a singer. There is no steal, and it is time for Jacqui to go home. It is time for Team Shakria to take to the ring, with Kris Thomas and C.Perkins battling. They will be singing Bruno Mars' "It Will Rain". C.Perkins seems to have a problem with staying in tune. Kris sounds great, relaxed and feeling the song.

Kris leads off the song, and is just right on the vocals. C. joins him, and by comparison, his voice sounds a little thin. They duet on the song, and the song was a bit odd for me, didn't really give them a chance to show their best. I would pick Kris, but who knows? Adam thinks they were both something, and Blake enjoyed it, but thinks they were holding back a bit. Usher wished he could have coached them. But it is Shakira's choice, and she picks Kris as the winner. C.Perkins thanks Shakria for all he learned from her, but didn't get the Steal, well, until C. was giving a hug goodbye, so he will now be on Team Usher. Now it is time for Team Adam as he pits Midas Whale against Patrick Dodd on "Burning Love" by Elvis Presley. There is a tightness to the Midas Whale, with former American Idol finalist Jon Peter Lewis. Patrick has a strong voice, and it has a rich rasp. Both know they have to be at the top of their game to win the battle. Who will Adam choose?

Patrick kicks off with that raspy voice, and Midas Whale chimes in sounding great. With the Bluegrass feel, the song travels more places than the original lite radio feel, for I kinda expected more from this Battle. Patrick came off kinda one note, milking that rasp for all it was worth, and showing no real range. Midas Whale had the character choked out of them with the speed of the song, not allowed to have their harmonies shine. The other coaches loved them, but offered on help to Adam. He agonizes over a decision, saying this was his toughest on the show yet. I'd pick Midas Whale, but that is more of the negative of the performance making the choice. I think both are better than they showed. Apparently, it was better live, but finally, Adam picks Midas Whale. Patrick thanks Adam for the support he has offered, and leaves, with Usher not using his final steal. And soon it was his team to battle. Usher and Pharrell try to talk to Orlando Dixon and Ryan Innes as they rehearse with Bill Withers "Ain't No Sunshine". Pharrell tells Ryan he is doing it right, just be sure to be clean with his notes. Usher and Pharrell pull Orlando aside, and tell him to connect to the song, and not hide behind his voice, to let it tell the story. At the final rehearsal, Usher is pleased with both, and fears it will be a tough decision come show time. Who will make it to the finals?

Carson calls Orlando and Ryan to the ring, the final battle of the night. Ryan starts off the quiet arrangement, his voice in fine form. Orlando's performance tries to combine the Soul inherent in the song with modern R&B. Ryan has a richer, fuller-bodied voice, while Orlando has a greater range with beautiful control. Both were in great voice. Shakira loved them, but couldn't decide. Adam had no problem picking Orlando, while Blake loved Ryan. Usher struggles with a choice. Finally, he picks Ryan, the big man with the deep voice. Finally, it is time for Orlando to thank his coach, and Adam takes the opportunity to use his last steal. Tomorrow night is the final Battle Round, with all the teams needing more singers. Usher is the only coach left with a steal, and we promise it will be used wisely...

Another Sunday with Elvis Presley

It has been just over a year since we last spent Sunday Morning with the late and great Elvis Presley, so I thought we could visit him once again. Many thought Elvis did his best work when singing Gospel music, and it is easy to hear he had a great connection to it. While he might not have been a saint, this sinner sure knew how to repent. You can hear it in his voice when you listen to his recording of "Take My Hand, Precious Lord". The song had lyrics written by Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey, during the period of grieving after the death of his wife, who passed during childbirth in 1932. The melody was written by George Nelson Allen, as the melody for the song 'Maitland' was the melody Dorsey used when writing the lyrics. The song can be foudn on the 1957 release, 'Elvis' Christmas Album'.

Elvis also sang "Where Could I Go But To The Lord", written by James B. Coats in the first half of the last century. The song was off the 1967 release of Gospel songs, 'How Great Thou Art'. This is a video of Elvis performing the song in 1968.

Sunday Morning with Elvis Presley

It just occurred to me that we needed a little bit of Gospel from Elvis. I mean, how about having the King bring a little bit of Sunday morning to everyone. We can start with Elvis singing a gospel music arrangement of an 18th century hymn. That would be Oh Happy Day.



And then we can give a listen to How Great Thou Art?, a Christian hymn based on a Swedish poem written by Carl Gustav Boberg in 1885, set to the melody of a Swedish folk song. British missionary Stuart K. Hine made the English translation, and also added two original verses of his own composition. It has been performed by some of the biggest names in the music business, but not sure if any would be bigger than Elvis.



Peace In The Valley was a song written in 1937 by Thomas A. Dorsey for the great Mahalia Jackson. Elvis began singing it in the 1950s, with the support of the legendary The Jordanaires. The song also managed to make it on the soundtrack of the Broadway smash Million Dollar Quartet, sung by "Elvis" on Broadway eight times a week. Here is Elvis from the Ed Sullivan Show, with The Jordanaires behind him.



Thank you very much, y'all.

GLEE Redux • Extraordinary Merry Christmas

Clockwise: Band Aid; The Waitresses; Julie Andrews; Bruce Springsteen; Joni Mitchell; Vaughn Monroe; Mariah Carey; and Elvis Presley.

It is time once again for the GLEE holiday episode, and it kicks off with Mercedes dancing with tinsel garland and the other kids as she sings Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You.



Finn is at a loss as to what he can get Rachel for Christmas. So Rachel makes up a list of 15 things, and Finn can pick any five of the gifts to give her. It is that moment that Finn realizes he is dating a Kardashian... Sue forgives Kurt, Blaine, and Artie for ruining the great American Songbook with endless mash-ups, and wants the Glee club to join her wishing a happy holidays to the homeless. She is moved this year, since the passing of her beloved sister. They agree. Rory announces his family won't be joining him this Christmas, for tickets from Ireland are expensive. To make him feel closer to his family, so he wants to sing Elvis Presley's Blue Christmas.



After that, Sam asks Rory if he would spend Christmas with his family, cause he could use the a friend on the drive home to keep him awake. Artie agrees to direct a Christmas special for Lima PBS. Rachel is the first up, and she decides to sing Joni Mitchell's River for the holiday special.



Artie isn't buying into it, and wants a lighter tone. More European gay chalet meets Frosty the Snowman, Judy Garland meets Stars Wars Christmas Special. Sam speaks up that Frosty melts at the end, and has a fight with Arty. Sam walks out, alone. Rory will be sticking around for the special. In the hallway, Rachel asks if Finn has an early present for her, and he gives her a card with a wild boar on it, for that is what he can afford - a monthly stipend that will feed the boar till it is butchered for a lucky family in Africa. Rachel just says no, she wants items from the list. So Finn will perhaps give the boar to his mother. Rachel and Blaine sing a new song for Artie, Extraordinary Merry Christmas.



Artie loves it. Coach Sue comes in, and asks if they are ready to perform for the homeless on Friday night. Only that is when the kids are taping the Christmas special, and they turn her down. She is hurt, and leaves. After a break, we see the opening for the show, featuring the kids. After that, we go right into a version of Let It Snow, originally made popular by Vaughn Monroe.



We quickly see a sanitized version of Blaine and Kurt living in the bachelor chalet. Soon they are joined by Rachel and Mercedes. It quickly becomes fifties/sixties sitcom. Soon, Rachel starts singing My Favorite Things, originally sung by Julie Andrews in The Sound Of Music.



She was quickly joined by the others, and a GLEE-ful time was had by all. And it is time for a word from the sponsors. After that, there are jokes about global warming and weather patterns, with Kurt being very Mary Tyler Moore to Blaine's Dick Van Dyke. With a bit of Lucille Ball thrown in. Kurt thinks he hears jingle bells, only to discover Finn and Puck, dressed in Stars Wars costumes. They sing Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, a hit for Bruce Springsteen.



Soon, Brittney is there to sing Christmas Wrapping, originally sun by The Waitresses, of I Know What Boys Want fame, in 1981. She is dancing with the rest of the Cheerios.



Soon Rory, playing a Christmas Elf, is brought in give a quick reading. He changes it up a bit, and goes back to the story of the First Christmas. Then we see Quinn and Sam helping Sue at the homeless shelter. Quinn fears they will run out of food, and Sue regrets that with bad times, often giving decreases. On cue, the other kids come through the doors, carrying a Christmas turkey, and wanting to help out. They save the last song form the special for the shelter, and they sing Do They Know It's Christmas?, the song by Band Aid in 1984. The single raised money for the African famine.



Rachel is at her locker, and she tells Finn she loves the boar, who she names Barbra. Finn also gives her the stars. Well, one named Finn Hudson. Cause there is already a star named Rachel Berry. She is truly moved, and then Finn pulls out the earrings he bought for her. She is moved, but thinks it is too much. So she takes inn by the hand and they leave school. Rory is thanking Sam for being a great Christmas sponsor, showing him the real meaning of the holiday. They are on the street, ringing a bell to raise money for those less fortunate. Rachel and Finn put the money from the return of the earrings, and the iPod she bought for Finn. And they help the boys ring that bell. After all, Christmas is for giving, right?

RIP Jerry Leiber

On Monday we lost another notable songwriter, Jerry Leiber. Writing with his professional partner Mike Stoller, they became one of the top teams of the 50s, 60s,and 70s. For the last decade, their music has become a staple on shows like American Idol, which dedicated a week to them on a few different occasions. The duo are perhaps best known for their song Stand By Me, which they co-wrote with Ben E. King who also recorded the most iconic version in 1961.



Hound Dog was first released in 1953 by Big Mama Thorton, to much critical praise. But it was brought into Pop History by a relative newcomer to the music industry, Elvis Presley. Here is Elvis singing it on Milton Berle's television show in 1956.



In 1963, Leiber and Stoller collaborated with Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, another hugely successful team. There result was On Broadway, a Top 10 hit for The Drifters. It has since been covered by countless people, including by George Benson in a jazz-flavored version featured in the movie All That Jazz. But here is the original, sung by The Drifters.



In 1969, Miss Peggy Lee had what I would call an unlikely hit with another of their songs, Is That All There Is. The song is essentially an existential musing on the meaning of life.



Rest In Peace, Mr. Leiber.

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.

The Hits of 1960

Middle: Me with my father when I came home from the hospital. Bottom: the same day, with my Aunt Peg.

Well, I thought it was a clever idea to list the top pop songs of the year I was born, 1960. And before anyone hurts themselves doing the math, it is true, I celebrated by 50th today. That is, until I started doing the research. There seems to be some disagreement over what the Billboard songs were, as people compiled them in different ways - from the numbers of weeks spent at #1, to other, more arcane methods. This was the early days of the charts, so I have decided to let that go. Instead, I looked over the lists, and just decided to offer up the songs, as I really was a bit too young to tie them to any memories whatsoever.

Theme from A Summer Place by the Percy Faith & his Orchestra was an instrumental, and I have to say I do remember this one, for it played for years. It also set a record, being #1 for nine weeks, from February 22 to April 24.



The Everly Brothers had a hit on their guitars with Cathy's Clown, which held the top spot on the chart for 6 weeks, May 23 to June 26.



Elvis Presley was the king, and had three different songs hit #1 in 1960, including It's Now Or Never, which held it for 5 weeks, August 15 to September 18. I chose this song because I liked the video.



Women were not shut out, as Brenda Lee had a huge hit with I'm Sorry. Brenda, the little girl with the big voice, held the top spot for 4 weeks, July 18 to August 7.



And, finally, there was the new rock 'n roll movement, which included Chubby Checker singing about a dance craze, The Twist. Chubby was #1 for two weeks, September 19 to September 25. And who doesn't know how to do the twist.

AI9 What Will Wise Men Say?

Tonight, we know that season 8 runner up Adam Lambert has been announced to be the mentor, making him, to the best of my knowledge, the first former-contestant to make the step to the mentor role. Certainly many have come back to perform, often showcasing their latest effort. To me, it seems like an odd choice, but this season, AI producers seem to be making some odd ones.

Crusty welcomes back the nine finalists to compete on the 'Top 8' show. He reminds us about the excitement of last week, when Big Mike was on the block to go home, only to be saved by the judges. It is Elvis Presley night on Idol, considered one on the greatest rock singers of all time. Will the remaining Idols be able to bring the classic songs back to life and sound current, or just sound like karaoke night in your home town. And the introduce Lambert as the mentor. Adam declares he thinks they are great, but will be demanding more energy from them.

First up is Crystal, singing Saved, a gospel number. She does a great job, sounding fantastic. She brings out the electric guitar is nice - she changed things up a bit. The judges all loved it - I just wish Randy would stop calling her the second coming of Bonnie Raitt - a singer who hasn't had a hit song in a long time. Don't get me wrong, I love Raitt, but to me, it points out the slightly dated feel to Crystal that I can't shake. But I will venture to say with this performance, Crystal will remain one of the highlights of the night. Next up was Andrew, who is performing Hound Dog, the 1956 hit for Elvis. Working with Adam, Andrew did the traditional arrangement, and Adam encouraged his to change things up, and Andrew comes out with his own take on the song. While it is an interesting arrangement, it tends to showcase his rather unspectacular vocals for me. Randy thought it was bad karaoke, while Ellen liked it. Kara didn't like it very much, missing much swagger. Simon thinks it lacks star quality, and his coolness has been sucked out of him.

Tim is up next, and before the commercial we get a shot of his electric smile. When we return, we meet Mama crusty, who introduces Tim. Adam likes Tim, and his version of Can't Help Falling In Love. He is doing a nice job, sounding like a more current acoustic song. I think Tim did really good with that one. Randy really liked it, as did Ellen and Kara. Simon thinks he has gone from zero to hero in a matter of weeks. Lee is on board next, and Adam points out there is nothing going on facially when Lee sings. He sings A Little Less Conversation, opening with just him and the acoustic guitar. In the chorus, we get added instruments, and in the second bridge, we get background singers. I have to say Lee is surprising me tonight, actually hitting most of the notes. He is still a bit boring to watch, but that song did sound more current than either Andrew and Crystal. The judges love it, although Kara would like a little more playfulness, and Simon disagrees. Lee credits Adam with his renewed performance.

Aaron is next, singing Blue Suede Shoes, and Adam is impressed with the teens vocals. He is in great voice, but uses a rather traditional arrangement, and comes off a bit karaoke, until the breakdown at the end. The judges are not loving it, save Kara. She thinks it made him feel younger and edgier, while Simon completely disagrees, thinking just the opposite.Crusty points out Aaron was in the bottom but sent back to safety last week, so he needs votes to keep him safe. Interesting, Crusty. Then he teases the idea of Siobhan and Adam in the same room together - what will happen?

In the commercial break, we are reminded GLEE is back, following Idol. Sad, but I am more excited about GLEE than Idol, to be sure.

Siobhan admits to Crusty she is a true Elvis fan, and loves his rags to riches story. She sings Suspicious Minds, a 1969 hit, and Adam suggests she ups the tempo, giving her a more rhythmic basis for her vocals. There is also a bit of a mutual admiration thing going on, both enjoying the outsider role. Siobhan gives an interesting performance, the first half being a bit karaoke for me, but the second half comes alive, although it is a bit uneven. She might have been better served checking out the cover by Fine Young Cannibals. The judges aren't thrilled with the performance, and Siobhan talks about not wanting to be labeled as a singer, no matter how hard Kara wants to do it. And we hear Big Mike will defend his save next. Idol Gives Back is next week, and Crusty will be handling the main stage, and Queen Latifah will be covering the all-star second stage. Big Mike will be singing In The Ghetto, and Adam wants more theatricality, even if Simon has pounded Mike for that. He is doing an interesting version, keeping the beginning very current, sitting on the edge of the stage with the acoustic guitar. Not karaoke in the slightest, nor does it sound college frat party, my biggest worry with him. Randy loved the vocals, Ellen was glad they saved him, Kara dug it, and Simon thought it was his favorite Mike performance to date. They are running behind, and GLEE is starting at 9:28, so the judges are giving shorter reviews, and for that I am grateful. Katie snarls from the perch, and she will be the next to sing.

Katie sings Baby What You Want Me To Do. Adam wants her to bring her frustration with the judges comments to the song. I will say she is singing the heck out of the song, adding lots of growl and spark, selling the blues song. Randy liked it, made him move, and Ellen loved it. Kara thought she showed the judges. Simon didn't like it, thought it was loud and annoying. Simon, get over yourself. That leaves Casey to close the show, a genre that should suit his style so very well. His Southern rock/blues performances have been good, but now put to the test with a direct comparison to Elvis. The cast of GLEE is in the audience! Casey is doing Lawdy Miss Claudy. It is old school Elvis, and old school blues. It is an interesting song choice, not sure if it serves him well. Randy thinks it is a solid performance, and the rest of the judges were also not enthralled.

In the recap, we get to see last 85 minutes in about 60 seconds, reminding voters of the earlier performances. and I notice there were several I forgot about myself, including Tim, Andrew and Big Mike. Does that mean something? Crusty also points out there will be two going home tomorrow night, and there are no more saves from the judges. And. most impressively, they are finishing on time, even with yet another GLEE promotion.

Million Dollar Quartet Opens Tonight

Million Dollar Quartet, the story of a historic night when Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis in the studio together at Sun Studios. Among the stars is Levi Kreis, a favorite of mine as a recording artists, and now as a Broadway actor as well.



Check out the official website here to get more information, or to order tickets. I'll tell you, when I saw it in previews, it had me outta my seat and happy as can be. If you can, go see it!

‘Million Dollar Quartet’ Scores Its Broadway Cast

From the New York Times, By Dave Itzkoff

Finding an Elvis Presley impersonator in New York probably isn’t too much of a challenge; hiring convincing doubles for Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins is probably a few degrees of difficulty harder. But why bother when you’ve already got a cast that can do it, and has been doing it for more than a year?

The principal foursome from the Chicago production of the musical “Million Dollar Quartet” will reprise their roles when it transfers to Broadway, joined by a pair of New York stage veterans, the show’s producers said on Thursday. The musical, about a 1956 jam session that brought together four of the biggest names in rock and roll, will star Eddie Clendening (as Elvis Presley), Lance Guest (Johnny Cash), Levi Kreis (Jerry Lee Lewis) and Rob Lyons (Carl Perkins), all making their Broadway debuts. Added to the cast are Hunter Foster (of “Urinetown” and “Little Shop of Horrors”), who will be playing the Sun Records producer Sam Phillips, and Elizabeth Stanley (Broadway’s “Cry-Baby,” “Company”) who will play Elvis’s girlfriend, Dyanne.

The musical, which includes songs like “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “Folsom Prison Blues” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” is to begin previews on March 13 at the Nederlander Theater and open on April 11. It is directed by Eric Schaeffer with a book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux.

I am near-giddy about this. I cannot wait to see this live, and to see Levi Kreis live on stage. I have featured Kreis on this blog a couple of times, and have yet to see him live. For information about the show or for tickets, click here.

Sunday Worship - How Great Thou Art

Yes, it is The King singing about the Lord. What could be better?