American Idol '09

[Sam G]

So, is anyone watching this? For me, it's my guilty pleasure/trainwreck TV watching experience. I'll admit that AI has probably done more harm to the music industry than good by foisting people like Clay Aiken and Kellie Pickler on an unsuspecting public, but the show can be pretty addictive.

I've sat through the audition shows for the last two weeks, and one thing I've noticed is that I haven't heard a single contestant get through to the next round by singing a country song. Usually there's at least one or two people who could become country wannabes after Idol, but this year, everyone is singing pop or R&B or soul songs.

Anyone have any favorites so far? I think a couple of Nashville Star rejects are in the running this year, so it'll be interesting to see if there's any country music at all in this year's show.

[indulgedcountrymusic]

Anyone have any favorites so far? I think a couple of Nashville Star rejects are in the running this year, so it'll be interesting to see if there's any country music at all in this year's show.

There's always a country guy/gal almost every season; Josh Gracin, Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, Bucky Covington, and Kristy Lee Cook... and if there isn't a really "country" contestant, then they'll pluck one at random (Phil Stacey) and try to capitalize on it (and fail)

[Just Billy]

So far I like Adam (The guy who played Fiyero in Wicked), Jesus (The guy who had the little kids the other night), and the rocker girl from the first night.

[Stormy]

Blonde Girl who sang Dock of the Bay and Roughneck guy from the same round are the two they are going to try to shove in the country box this year.

[JR Journey]

Meh.

[Chris D]

I like the last 5 people from the Louisville night, especially the last girl from Cincinnati.

I loved her song "Nati" (Slang for Cincinnati, of course!), like when she sung:

"Nati, 5-1-3..."

513 is the area code for all the local phone numbers, including mine, I definitely see her as my favorite right now.

I also went to Churchill downs a while ago, so it was cool to recognize everything from the tour of the buildings and stuff.

I also liked the short clips of the good people at the end of the Louisville episode, as well as the country guy who got through on the Louisville episode. SO far all the people I like were from the Louisville episode. xD

[Brady]

I loved her song "Nati" (Slang for Cincinnati, of course!), like when she sung:

"Nati, 5-1-3..."

513 is the area code for all the local phone numbers, including mine,

I thought you were trying to say 9513 there for a second

[Occasional Hope]

So, is anyone watching this? For me, it's my guilty pleasure/trainwreck TV watching experience.

Me too. I'm not super-impressed by anyone so far this year. I did want to ask if anyone can identify the song they played (Bad Luck?)when they were doing the backstory on the guy who sang White Lightning in Louisville.

[Jordan Stacey]

I always watch the show, I'm kind of an addict with it. None of the people they let through so far interest me but that's actually usually the case so I'm not all that worried. Also indulge: Carmen Rasmusen and Kimberly Caldwell are doing country.

[indulgedcountrymusic]

Also indulge: Carmen Rasmusen and Kimberly Caldwell are doing country.

I knew Carmen Rasmusen had a country album out, Nothin' Like the Summer... she didn't do very well, the single failed and the album has only sold like 3,000 copies : / I do like the song "Nothin' Like the Summer" -- I've seen the vid on YouTube

Wasn't aware Kimberly was in country music

[Jordan Stacey]

Well Kimberley is supposedly trying to have a country career but I'm not sure how it's going... I do have like three singles from her though.

[Occasional Hope]

The official website has up short video clips with every single one of the 142 contestants at Hollywood week. They mostly said what kind of music they sang; one or two didn't say, and several did that irritating thing of claiming they liked all kinds of music, but for your benefit I sat through the entire lot and can tell you the following people claim to be at least partially country, so might be worth looking out for Hollywood week:

Alan Jackson (one feels he might need to change his name) - predominantly alternative rock, but also a little country: they don't seem very similar to me.
Anna Kaelin - she said country was her favourite, especially reworking old country songs with a jazz/blues influence: I understand she's the daughter of David Archuleta's former vocal coach.
Anne Marie Boskovich - country and pop, and she's currently living in Nashville, so is probably trying for a country career; she might be worth paying attention to because her audition got quite a lot of time - she was the girl they sent out to have an almost invisible makeover. She had a pretty good voice, although not noticeably country.
Brent Keith Smith - contemporary country and classic rock, and living in Nashville. I gather he was on Nashville Star a few years ago. He said his audition was a long one, 10 minutes, so I suspect the judges weren't quite sure about him.
Jackie Midkiff - country; preacher's son from Tennessee and started out singing on churches. We didn't see his audition AFAIR, which doesn't bode well for him.
Josh Cloud didn't actually say, but was living in Nashville, so lacking evidence to the contrary I'll put him in the potential country list. We didn't see his audition.
Kaylan Loyd - country. Only 16 but already lives in Nashville, so she may be being pushed/supported by her parents. I don't think her audition was shown.
Kendall Beard - country with a little blues, and Louisiana blues. I think we did see her in a brief montage of auditions (teenage blonde; she's from Austin, Texas, but auditioned in Puerto Rico).
Kiera Masters - country. Another young blonde, but we didn't see her.
Mallory Logue - ditto.
Mishavonna Henson - mix of country, folk and indie. I don't think we saw her.
Stephanie Rashea-Britt - country, comes from Dallas, audition not shown.
Steven Darden - poppy country, Rascal Flatts style. (The heart sinks.)

I think any of the above who make it to the top 10 or so would be looking at breaking the country market subsequently.

Among those who claimed no special favourite style, but included country as one:
Alexis Grace - she was the young blonde single mother whose fiance was in the army, I think.
Ashley Anderson -she said she started doing musical theatre, then discovered country, then listed a whole range of other genres. She wasn't very good in her audition, IIRC.
J B Ahfua - country was one of the last on his long list of genres.
Jasmine Murray - I think she was the young African American girl with lots of sisters in Florida; she mentioned country the first in her list of many genres she liked.
Jessie Lawrence - male African American singer included country as one of his list.
Julicia (or Julica) Kelly - African American singer, "all types from country to rock" or WTTE.
Kenny Hoffpauler - "everything from pop to rock to country" - he was in the same montage as Kendall above.
I don't think they are seriously likely to be pushed as country singers.

In related genres, Margo May said she was Americana and folk-rock; and Matt Breitzke included southern rock in his list of genres.

NOT claiming to be country were two former Nashville Star contestants: Kristen MacNamara (claiming AC and pop) and Tasha Valentine (old soul, R&B, Motown).

I missed one or two.

[indulgedcountrymusic]

Cool, that's a lot of country artist in this American Idol seaon - I smell a potential country hit

[Stormy]

Truth is, none of them are country or they wouldn't be auditioning for a show guarenteed to garner them a pop following. The question is which one will they sell as country?

[Razor X]

Truth is, none of them are country or they wouldn't be auditioning for a show guarenteed to garner them a pop following. The question is which one will they sell as country?

Which ones are blonde?

[indulgedcountrymusic]

Truth is, none of them are country or they wouldn't be auditioning for a show guarenteed to garner them a pop following. The question is which one will they sell as country?

There was Bucky Covington, and he is definitely country and could never be considered "pop"

I like his voice, and its a very country one at that

[Rainbow]

Truth is, none of them are country or they wouldn't be auditioning for a show guarenteed to garner them a pop following. The question is which one will they sell as country?

There was Bucky Covington, and he is definitely country and could never be considered "pop"

I like his voice, and its a very country one at that

Brady, I swear to God, if you don't get me that vomit emoticon soon...

Apart from Josh Gracin, Kristy Lee Cook is the best vocalist to emerge from that show. I just wish she would record some material as good as that voice of hers.

[Stormy]

Truth is, none of them are country or they wouldn't be auditioning for a show guarenteed to garner them a pop following. The question is which one will they sell as country?

There was Bucky Covington, and he is definitely country and could never be considered "pop"

I like his voice, and its a very country one at that

Not pop, but very light Southern Rock.

[indulgedcountrymusic]

Brady, I swear to God, if you don't get me that vomit emoticon soon...

Apart from Josh Gracin, Kristy Lee Cook is the best vocalist to emerge from that show. I just wish she would record some material as good as that voice of hers.

I need the barf emoticon too - Kristy Lee Cook is by far one of the worst contestants to ever grace the American Idol stage - she can't sing to save her life

She's absolutely bland as can be, she's got a terrible voice, and she hung on my a thread on that show for like 6 or 7 weeks before finally getting cut -- I absolutely flipped when she finally got the axe: 'Bout time people!

[Rainbow]

Brady, I swear to God, if you don't get me that vomit emoticon soon...

Apart from Josh Gracin, Kristy Lee Cook is the best vocalist to emerge from that show. I just wish she would record some material as good as that voice of hers.

I need the barf emoticon too - Kristy Lee Cook is by far one of the worst contestants to ever grace the American Idol stage - she can't sing to save her life

She's absolutely bland as can be, she's got a terrible voice, and she hung on my a thread on that show for like 6 or 7 weeks before finally getting cut -- I absolutely flipped when she finally got the axe: 'Bout time people!

That is not a crap voice.


That is a crap voice.