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Jessica Sanchez is a shoo in for the top 13.

Clearly, Nigel Lythgoe told the judges tonight to be more critical than they were last night. He even had Ryan Seacrest feed Randy Jackson a question about it so Randy could acknowledge they were too “soft” on the guys.

The women, in the end, showed more highs and lows than the guys, who were relatively consistent overall. It was nice to hear the judges even occasionally be critical. (Yes, the word “nightmare” came out of Randy’s mouth twice!)

The highs were easy to pinpoint and these ladies will likely go through tomorrow: Jessica Sanchez, Skylar Laine, Hollie Cavanagh, Elise Testone. The fifth in will probably be Erika Van Pelt, who …

Continue reading ‘American Idol’ season 11 recap: top 12 girls »

Here’s the spot for live blogging “American Idol” top 12 girls tonight. You can stay here or go to the regular recap blog entry to comment.

American Idol live blogging top 12 girls

Continue reading ‘American Idol’ live blogging top 12 girls »

Spiff and Janet Carner with a then 50-year-old Davy Jones in May, 1996 at the Ultimate Oldies concert at the Georgia Dome for Fox 97. Photo courtesy of Spiff Carner

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In May, 1996, I attended a Fox 97 Ultimate Oldies concert which featured Monkees frontman Davy Jones, who died today at age 66 of a heart attack in Florida.

Fox 97 morning host Spiff Carner staged a wedding reception of sorts with his wife Janet at the Georgia Dome. I got back stage and spoke with Jones briefly. Here’s what I wrote at the time AJC’s Peach Buzz:

MONKEE BUSINESS: As lead singer of the comeback-minded Monkees, Davy Jones had plenty of thoughts to share with Fox 97 (WFOX-FM, 97.1) morning DJ Spiff Carner during Saturday night’s Ultimate Oldies Concert at the Georgia …

Continue reading Spiff Carner recalls Davy Jones, who was at his 1996 ‘wedding’ reception »

Egypt Sherrod

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When Ramona DeBreaux was rewarded the mid-day spot on V-103 a year ago, it seemed as if Atlanta’s No. 1 station had finally found the right personality for that time slot.

But management has changed its mind again.

In an exclusive, General Manager Rick Caffey and Program Director Reggie Rouse said they are bringing New York personality Egypt Sherrod down south to take over the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. slot. She starts Monday, March 19.

“We’ve been looking at her for a long time,” Caffey said. “This was an opportunity to bring a superstar to our station.”

So who is Egypt Sherrod? She most recently hosted mid-days on New York City’s venerable R&B station WBLS-FM. She has done correspondence work for “The Maury Show” and is new host …

Continue reading Exclusive: V-103 nabs new mid-day host Egypt Sherrod »

Joshua Ledet virtually guaranteed himself a spot in the top 13 tonight. CREDIT: Fox

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For “Idol’s” first live show, the producers back-ended the stronger performers into the second hour. That’s typical. They also created fake “suspense” by waiting until the end for the 13th guy to show up.

It was Jermaine Jones, the baritone mama’s boy. Although I would have preferred Johnny Keyser or David Leathers Jr. but as Randy Jackson said, they have  a surfeit of sopranos this year and needed a lower voiced man to mix things up.

Overall, the male talent was good, not stupendous. I think it’s stronger than season 9, weaker than season 10. But that judgment could change. The judges, if …

Continue reading ‘American Idol’ recap, season 11, semifinal top 13 men »

You have two choices. You can comment in the recap blog entry or live blog here from 8 to 10 p.m. EST for the first live show of “Idol.”

‘American Idol’ live recap, semifinal men

Continue reading ‘American Idol’ semifinal mens live blogging (if you dare) »

Mark Owens and the Regular Guys survived what could have been a tragic fire but wasn’t. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com

At about 6:25 a.m. this morning, Rock 100.5’s the Regular Guys were returning from a break when they heard a pop as they were putting on their headphones.

The morning team spied smoke coming out of one of the headphone jacks used by Sebastian “Sebas” Daskawicz-Davis.

“It sounded like a little firecracker,” said “Mixmaster” Mark Owens, the producer (who also does between-innings entertainment during Braves games at Turner Field.) The wiring had shorted and started smoking up the room. “The smoke got worse and worse,” Owens said. He even saw a bit of a flame.

“Is this about to catch on to something?” he thought.

Owens quickly switched to commercials and “best of” bits while most of the team vacated the room.

Eric Von Haessler considered they call the fire department. “Southside” Steve Rickman used a fire extinguisher on the wiring. Larry Wachs videotaped …

Continue reading Rock 100.5’s Regular Guys survive minor studio fire »

Sera Hill was the final person picked by Christina Aguilera on the Feb. 27 episode. CREDIT: NBC

Metro Atlanta did well in the first round of NBC’s “The Voice” over the past month’s pre-taped episodes: at least five singers who live here made it into the semifinals. Each of the four judges have picked 12 singers each for a total of 48.

Adam Levine nabbed three of them that I know of: Pip of Marietta, Chris Cauley of Atlanta and Mathai, who moved to Atlanta a year ago but is identified as a Dallas resident.

Blake Shelton picked Jordan Rager, a country singer from Loganville during the fourth episode.

Christina Aguilera took in her 12th and final member of her team last night: Sera Hill of Lithonia.

Ironically, the one Atlanta judge, Cee Lo Green, ended up with no Georgians on his team that I know of.

Next Monday starts the battle rounds, where each coach will pick two singers to go one on one and pare them down to six, then to three. Of the four, Mathai is the standout in my …

Continue reading ‘The Voice’ features at least five metro Atlantans »

Gladys Knight holds up the Legends Award she received during the Soul Train Awards on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)

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Georgia has been well represented in recent seasons by the likes of Kyle Massey (third, season 11), Hines Ward (winner, season 12), Nancy Grace (fifth, season 13) and J.R. Martinez (winner, season 13).

This time around for seaseon 14, we get Atlanta native and R&B legend Gladys Knight. The season begins March 19 on ABC.

Overall, the 12-person cast lacks a truly polarizing figure, iconic star or genuine A- list performer. But it’s the usual mix that “DWTS” likes to create: two sports figures, three singers, a soap star, a Disney child actor, a TV host and several actors, mostly well past their prime. Interestingly, there …

Continue reading ‘Dancing With the Stars 14′ cast: Atlanta native Gladys Knight, Sherri Shepherd, Urkel, Melissa Gilbert, Martina Navratilova »

While on 99X for more than 12 years, former morning host Jimmy Baron loved doing interviews, be it with regular people or celebrities such as the Dalai Lama or Paul McCartney.

Out of radio since November after rock station 92.9/Dave FM let him go following a two-year stint, Baron is now pursuing an idea to parlay his interviewing skills: talk to average folks and create “stories of your life” videos.

About 30 years ago, he did a video of his grandmother. “That planted the seed,” Baron said, “a seed that stayed dormant for 20-some-odd years.” (He found the VHS tape years later but sadly found out that he had taped a Wrestlemania match over most of it. “That was one my ultimate big fat fails,” he noted archly, referencing his former daily radio bit.)

In 2008, while Baron was between radio gigs, he did one for a friend’s father. “Hearing him tell the story of his life and relating his memories is priceless for the family,” Baron said. “I tell people, ‘Think about  it if your old …

Continue reading Catching up with Jimmy Baron and his new ‘Stories of a Life’ business »