American Idol April 18th “These Songs ARE the Standards”  4/19/06

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What great classic American songs the contestants sang. And for the most part, they did a fine job. Rod Steward certainly was able to help with their timing and enunciation. He and Barry Manilow appear to have been the most helpful to the contestants.

Here is a recap:

With the strength of John Henry, Chris swung his sledge hammer and smashed through his previous rocker music style and created a new image. A softer and tender singer. His rendition of "What a Wonderful Life" suggests what versatility this man possesses. 

When I am in Paris, I am enthralled by the golden hue of the Eiffel Tower's night glow. When I listen to Paris sing, I am enthralled, enchanted and totally captivated by her abilities. Her "Foolish Things" song made almost all the other singers and contestants look foolish in comparison. Tonight was her very best performance and the best of any previous show. Paris, you are on your way. 

Taylor is a song salesman. He has the vocals, the stage presence and the confidence to weave himself into music. Tonight he sang "You Send Me" and although the ending was a little over the top, it was a good performance. 

Relaxed and confident, finally Elliott is back in the groove with "It Had to be You." He looked directly into our faces and we listened. He had been missing the mark for a couple of weeks, but he once again focused. 

What happened to my Kellie? This fresh as country air gal was somewhere else tonight. She definitely was not prepared and she never really gained ownership of "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered." With competition this tight, she may have made a fatal error and may be packing her bags. 

Greased and spit-shined hair is just not Ace's style. And the song, "That's All" was not the best selection for him. His falsetto just didn't add to the song's depth. I think he is not making good song selections and if he survives tonight's vote, and that survival is by no means assured, he needs to thoroughly re-evaluated how he selects the songs. Ace can do so much better than he did tonight. I think he should be given the chance of another round. 

Angelic Katherine scored big with her "Someone to Watch Over Me." She radiated a kind of soft vulnerability that invited us to become her protectors. She is a beautiful woman with a voice to match. 

Vote now and vote often. Every vote counts.

see also:

4/13/06 American Idol April 12th “The Door Slammed”

4/12/06 American Idol April 11th “Were You Rocked?”

4/6/06 American Idol April 5th “Shocked”

4/5/06 American Idol April 4th “Country Song Bus”

3/30/06 American Idol March 29th “The Tears Are Genuine”

3/29/06 American Idol March 28th “Dull Times at American Idol”

3/24/06 American Idol March 23rd “Gone and Not Missed”

3/22/06 American Idol March 21st “Half a Century Ago”

3/16/06 American Idol March 15th “A Parallel Universe”

3/15/06 American Idol March 14th “The Dueling Dozen”

3/10/06 American Idol March 9th “Shattered Dreams”