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American Idol

1/13: “Idol” back tonight, new Kelly Clarkson single, catching up with Vonzell Solomon

9:55 am January 13, 2009, by Rodney Ho

As you see, ajc.com has made a major streamlined redesign today. That’s what the tech folks have been working on. It looks good! Hopefully, they can get to adding the embed video plugin here soon!

Anyway, I will be live blogging tonight, though I may not necessarily do so down the road for audition episodes. (I will have a blog entry up if you want to live comment, though, as usual.)

For newbies checking this blog out, welcome. We are on a new platform. I’m still getting used to it and haven’t figured out all the functionality yet. I provide some original content such as interviews, plenty of links, and when the show is on, commentary.

Here’s the link to hear Kelly Clarkson’s new single “My Life Would Suck Without You,” debuted this morning on Z100 in New York. This is the same place “Crush” was debuted a few months back.

The new song has gotten hit written all over it and Kelly sounds amazing as always. Much better than “Never Again” from the last album. All those rumors of her going country? Obviously, not to be. This is pop 100%. Tell me what you think!

If you want a basic Idol 101, msnbc was kind enough to provide one.

A Newnan singer who happened to be named Alan Jackson (no, not the famous country singer from the same city) tried out for “Idol.” The fact he’s talking about it to a local newspaper makes me think he didn’t make it to the top 50 but here he is.

Here’s a great interview with the guy who creates votefortheworst.com.

Who is the most annoying “Idol” finalist of all time?

Jason Castro. He’s so money-grubbing. He posted on his MySpace, something like, “Oh I’m so sad. I’m on tour, and I can’t write my music because I don’t have a laptop. I really wish I had a laptop.” He just went on tour and made money, and he’s complaining to his fans to get him a laptop. And his fans bought him a laptop!

And the least annoying?

Amanda Overmyer. I’ve been to a lot of her shows (post-”Idol”), and she’s really awesome. She was rolling her eyes the entire time she was on “Idol” singing those group numbers. She just put out an indie album, and it’s excellent because she got to sing rock songs. …

The people I like are people who don’t take the show too seriously. Someone like Amanda, Chris Sligh, Josiah Leming or Scott Savol. They’re there to try to win, but this isn’t the end of their life no matter what happens.

I’m scheduled to talk to Bo Bice, Anthony Fedorov and Nadia Turner today, all from season four. “American Idol Rewind” is in full promotion mode for the debut of season four later this month. Vonzell Solomon called me 24 hours early so I just winged it.

She was calling from Los Angeles. She had just moved out there from Florida to try to jumpstart her music career.

She has done a couple of tours the past three years and has been working on an album with an Atlanta guy named Kervin Jones. She said he’s “really really hot and undiscovered.” She hopes to have a single out within 30 to 60 days.

Solomon, who finished third season four, was a spokeswoman for the U.S. Postal Service and delivered mail for them pre-Idol. “I won’t go back to delivering mail but I’ll always work with the Postal Service in some capacity,” she said.

Last year, she did a dancing tour with Debbie Reynolds (yes, the legend) and Anthony Fedorov. She said after “Idol,” she had talks with labels but didn’t sign on, preferring to stay indie with her own label (Melodic Records). She would also like to get into acting after doing a cameo on an indie film “Still Green.”

She’s curious to see “Idol Rewind.” She recalls being “so nervous on stage. I couldn’t sing ot the best of my ability. Something in my throat is so tight. It’s everything. I was used to singing in front of audiences. That was fine. But you’ve got 1,000 cameras in front of you. The camera following you around up and down stairs. You have to look in the right camera. I was wearing heels and making sure I wouldn’t fall.”

She also reminded me her Web site address. It’s officialbabyv.com (based on her nickname.)

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55 comments Add your comment

linny ,,,=^..^=,,,

January 13th, 2009
10:16 am

Nice report, Rodney — we look forward to you “live blogging” !!!! with us????? i may have to watch TV in my computer room (hubby will be happier, and i can blog…this has some merit!) anyway, i liked vonzell, so this was interesting… will be interesting to see what bo and nadia are doing, as well — and … well … federov … ok, interesting to see where he’s at i suppose, LOL

later!

KPH

January 13th, 2009
10:20 am

WOOOO HOOOO!!!!! IDOL STARTS TONIGHT!!!!! errr…ummm… oh no what’s that running down my legs? Damn my depends is leaking! Hmmmm fells kinda good though my feet arent cold anymore. LOL! :-) :-)

kelly&carriefan

January 13th, 2009
10:22 am

Hi y’all! Well, I just heard the single…and I can definitely see this getting lots of airplay. Spring, windows down in my car, I’m there! Oh yeah, Idols on tonight too…almost forgot. ;)

harrietth

January 13th, 2009
10:25 am

Rodney, having you blog with us tonight will be a special treat! Thanks for all you do to make this blog go.

JTesla

January 13th, 2009
10:30 am

Thanks for all the info, looking forward to Kelly’s song and of course to Idol. By the way, Vonzell really shouldn’t use that photo for any sort of promotion. I won’t say why, but I know it won’t take long for someone to point it out :)

Rodney: I know you aren’t a big Nadia Turner fan, but some of us liked her back in the day. I’m curious as to what she is doing now.

Nana

January 13th, 2009
11:19 am

As always Rodney, you’re right on top of things. :-) :-)

Tonight will be exciting, watching AI and posting at the same time. I will have my notebook, pen and glass of tea ready and waiting. Oh, and my fingers on the keyboard. I feel like a kid with a new toy. I’m just so anxious about tonight. Hopefully, there will be no animosity here tonight, just friends enjoying each other’s company and AI.

Lara

January 13th, 2009
12:21 pm

I think you know what my questions for Bo would be – why aren’t you playing out more often and why not in Atlanta?

harrietth

January 13th, 2009
12:26 pm

I just read an article called “American Idol,” A Crash Course on MSNBC.com It is under the entertainment column and very interesting. They talk about such things as the fact that the performance clips at the end of each show are pre-taped from earlier and are not a repeat of the live performance just aired. It also says that contestants must join AFTRA and are paid AFTRA scale, which is substantial–over $900 per hour. Interesting.

rho

January 13th, 2009
12:40 pm

JTesla—> I’m a big fan of Nadia Turner. That MSNBC.com story is linked on my blog, harrieth. Lara-just spoke with Bo. He’s doing well. I will post that interview on a slow day…

JTesla

January 13th, 2009
12:52 pm

Sorry Rodney… I guess I’m not alone ;)

Woodpappy

January 13th, 2009
1:09 pm

Hey D. I usually ask them how many watch and only a few raise their hands. When I tell em we might get out a few minutes earlier if we had more viewers….the hands increase ten fold !

harrietth

January 13th, 2009
1:22 pm

Oops, Rodney! Busted! I did not read carefully enough. I missed the msnbc thing.

Deirdre

January 13th, 2009
1:37 pm

Hey…I’m back!

Woodpappy, typical students!!!! LOL

Rodney, thanks for all the info…it’ll be coming fast and furious now, you’ll have trouble keeping up.

And on that note. Michael Johns has written the sound track to a documentary about Shaun White…the Olympic gold medalist snow boarder. A duet with Michael and Brooke White has been released that’s really nice. Rodney, maybe you can get it uploaded for us. If not, y’all can hear it over at mj’s.

JSHW

January 13th, 2009
1:38 pm

The Kelly single is not all that. I don’t think this CD will ever reach the level ofb success as Breakaway. She has had her day in the sun, now it is all down hill. She has no audience. The pop culture didn’t follow her on her bid to sing country, and the country audience doesn’t take her serious.

Deirdre

January 13th, 2009
1:49 pm

JSHW …I don’t remember Kelly EVER trying to sing country. She did a tour with Reba McIntyre where they sang both styles…but Kelly never put out a country song or CD and never claimed that she wanted to be a country singer. I think it may be premature to write her off. She’s very talented and I hope this cd will do well.

JTesla

January 13th, 2009
1:54 pm

I guess Kelly might as well give up now and retire, to the house next to mine. We could play ping pong and drink beer. Anyone have a ping pong table that I can borrow?

Deirdre

January 13th, 2009
1:55 pm

Here’s an interesting game. Who, in y’all’s opinion are the most talented singers to come out of Idol?

Certainly the most famous are Carrie and Kelly. JHud. Maybe Daughtry, too. But for pure talent….sometimes it isn’t the winners who come to mind.

Melinda Doolittle…great voice and style.
LaToya London
Bo Bice
Chris Daughtry

JSHW

January 13th, 2009
1:56 pm

I never said she was not talented. She is a great songstress, but unfortunetly it takes more than a great voice to be successful these days. Her last CD flopped. No radio play at all, then the whole Reba thing just confused people. She is lost in translation.

Deirdre

January 13th, 2009
1:56 pm

JSHW…name somebody besides Josiah…we know he’s on your list.

JTesla

January 13th, 2009
2:04 pm

Interesting game Deirdre. The most talented singers in my view organized by year:

Kelly Clarkson
Carrie Underwood
Elliott Yamin
Melinda Doolittle
LaKisha Jones
David Cook

Deirdre

January 13th, 2009
2:07 pm

I might add Kimberly Locke to my list. Great voice and managed to make it to 3rd in the Studdard/Aiken year after starting out very slow.

JSHW

January 13th, 2009
2:24 pm

Of course Josiah is my fav, I also liked Jasmine Trois, Carrie U,(that would be a great song title for her) and Kimberly Locke.

harrietth

January 13th, 2009
2:28 pm

Here are mine

Kelly Clarkson
Tamyra Gray
Rueben Studdard (sp?)
Ricky Smith
Carrie Underwood
Elliott Yamin (waaay more than the winner that year)
Melinda Doolittle
Archie and Cook

Deirdre

January 13th, 2009
2:40 pm

Best performances? That one is hard!

Ruben’s version of Superstar…first time I liked anybody singing that song over Karen Carpenter.

Kelly’s Stuff Like That There

Clay’s Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Daughtry’s Walk The Line

Fantasia’s Summertime

Melinda’s My Funny Valentine.

Katharine’s Black Horse and a Cherry Tree

Cook’s Billie Jean

John’s It’s All Wrong But It’s Alright

Carrie’s Independence Day

Bo’s Vehicle

There’s more, I think.

JTesla

January 13th, 2009
2:49 pm

Deirdre: I’ll add Scott Savol’s “She’s Gone.” The guy was a turd, but that performance really stood out. The first time Katharine McPhee performed “Black Horse and a Cherry Tree” and “Somewhere over the rainbow” were both incredible. However, the follow up performances of those songs fell short.

Nana

January 13th, 2009
2:51 pm

Gotta headed out of the office and drive 2 hours (from Griffin to Duluth)to see the doc. You better believe I will be home in time to watch Idol tonight. Ya’ll be safe, be good and catch ya later.

JSHW

January 13th, 2009
2:55 pm

Josiah’s version of “stand by me”

JTesla

January 13th, 2009
2:58 pm

Now I know your just messing with us.

kelly&carriefan

January 13th, 2009
2:59 pm

Great game, D. Do I even have to answer, though? I mean, other than Stuff Like That There and Alone… ;) JT, I’d lend you my table, but that would defeat the purpose. *g* I’ll send you a postcard from Texas…we’ll be at the stables getting the horses ready for a ride.

Deirdre

January 13th, 2009
2:59 pm

I hated Scott Savol but I admit that he did a very good job with She’s Gone.

I think second performances of something that blew your socks off the first time are destined to fail. You can’t match what is virtually unmatchable.

JTesla

January 13th, 2009
2:59 pm

I’d like to buy an apostrophe and an “e”

JTesla

January 13th, 2009
3:04 pm

K&CF… Carrie’s Alone! That was one of the top performances of all time. Carrie also had the best non-competition song during the first Idol Gives Back. Oh and invite me down, I’m ok working in the stable.

Deirdre

January 13th, 2009
3:10 pm

ooooo Carrie’s Alone!!! I forgot about that one

KPH

January 13th, 2009
3:21 pm

I cant remember the name of the song but Melinda Dolittle had the best performance of her season on Country night. That song and her performance brought the house down. Anyone remember the name of the tune? It was something about a woman maybe Thing about a woman?

linny ,,,=^..^=,,,

January 13th, 2009
3:24 pm

Cookies “Music of the Night” was flipping incredible imho; much as i don’t like fantasia, she did have the one performance that was mind blowing with Summertime; there were others, but those two stick in my head righ tnow….

kelly&carriefan

January 13th, 2009
3:28 pm

Agreed, JT, I’ll Stand By You: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=viBIH_NxEYk was amazing and hearbreaking. And you are definitely invited!

kelly&carriefan

January 13th, 2009
3:28 pm

oh, and I have another one: Tamyra’s A House is Not a Home.

Deirdre

January 13th, 2009
3:32 pm

Beautiful, k&cf…thank you.

Deirdre

January 13th, 2009
3:35 pm

KPH.. Trouble is a Woman and she sang it great!

KPH

January 13th, 2009
3:37 pm

Yes D. thats it thanks. :-)

Harm

January 13th, 2009
3:44 pm

It’s me, another mindless idiot that is going to wet her pants because Idol is coming on tonight! I wonder if we will see the next idol tonight? I remember seeing David Cook for the first time and thinking he would go pretty far in the competition. My favorite idol is David Cook. I still upset my the injustice of Melinda Doolittle not winning! I don’t know if I can blog while Idol is on, my husband likes to hog the computer around that time of night.

JTesla

January 13th, 2009
3:47 pm

You won’t be alone Harmony. For me, when Idol starts, everyone else will have finished blogging an hour before.

Harm

January 13th, 2009
3:49 pm

I didn’t proofread what I wrote,too anxious to hit the submit comment button.

Harm

January 13th, 2009
3:51 pm

I’ll be here after idol for sure.

JSHW

January 13th, 2009
3:52 pm

Also Melinda’s version of Since you been gone, was great.

Deirdre

January 13th, 2009
3:57 pm

Harm…same for me. It’s kinda hard for me to type and watch at the same time. I throw out comments during the commercials and show up after the show.

Poor JT and GAgirl miss most of the fun. West coasters have great views and even better weather but they get shafted with some things. Like my son told me that he watched the Golden Globes and the guy flipping the bird was blacked out. I mean…that’s just sad! :-)

harrietth

January 13th, 2009
3:59 pm

I loved Tamyra’s A House is Not a Home more than about anything.

I agree about Ruben’s Superstar and like linny, I was blown away by David Cook’s Music of the Night.

Harm

January 13th, 2009
4:01 pm

I’ll see you all after idol, I have to finish up some chores so I can watch idol uninterrupted!

Topkat

January 13th, 2009
4:09 pm

What about Bo’s version of In A Dream. Just mesmerizing!

kelly&carriefan

January 13th, 2009
4:10 pm

I’m gonna have to blog tomorrow…I’m taking Kacey to the vet (her boosters) and then hitting the gym all before Idol. So, I’ll be ready to sit and relax with the roomies. I’ll try to remember our best lines to share. :)

Deirdre

January 13th, 2009
4:22 pm

I agree Topkat.

harrietth

January 13th, 2009
4:56 pm

Headed home. See you all later on the blog.

Vonzell Solomon Update - Carrie Underwood Fans

January 14th, 2009
3:31 am

[...] Solomon Update AJC Blog 1/13: “Idol” back tonight, new Kelly Clarkson single, catching up with Vonzell Solomon |… I

Lulu1001

January 14th, 2009
8:53 am

This is for Lara upthread … Bo is announcing new tour dates for next year – he’ll be on the road from February all through the year. So far they have only announced a few of the dates in the north east and midwest, but I’m sure southern dates are on the way. Keep an eye on his website!

Negativo

January 14th, 2009
10:13 am

Kelly’s baaack…her new tune sounds like our hit machine has come back home to roost.