American Idol News

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Jennifer Hudson to Deliver National Anthem at Convention - Democratic National Convention

Barack Obama has asked Jennifer Hudson to sing the national anthem on Thursday – the day of the presumptive Presidential candidate's much-anticipated address to the Democratic convention in Denver, her rep tells PEOPLE.

"His reps called and said we'd love for you to sing the anthem on Thursday," Hudson's rep tells PEOPLE. "She's thrilled and excited. It's a tremendous honor."

The DNC will not comment about Hudson's performance until the official schedule is announced.

The Dreamgirls Oscar winner and Sex and the City movie costar, whose self-titled album will be out Sept. 30, has previously expressed a desire to help the Obama campaign.

"I'm so proud and excited for him," Hudson, 26, told E! Online about Obama in June. "I haven't gotten a call from them yet, but he does have my support."

Hudson will not be the only vocalist Thursday. Bruce Springsteen is scheduled to close the convention that night.

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AMERICAN IDOL star JORDIN SPARKS was surprised to win the TV talent contest - because she was distracted by judge SIMON COWELL's good looks.
The singer won the U.S reality TV show last year (07) and has since dominated the international charts with her hit No Air.
But the 18-year-old was shocked to win the contest - because Cowell made her go weak at the knees.
She says, "I did have a crush on Simon before going on the show. He doesn't care about hurting people's feelings and doesn't hold back with that he says. For some reason, that's so attractive

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AMERICAN IDOL WINNER’S CONCERT PAYS TRIBUTE TO
MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS
Denver, CO, July 11 — Country music artist Carrie Underwood will perform a special
tribute concert, “A Celebration of Valor” to honor America’s national treasures – the
Medal of Honor recipients.
The concert, produced by AEGLive, will be held at the Pepsi Center on Tuesday,
September 16 as the kick-off event of the 2008 convention of the Medal of Honor
Society. The convention will be held September 16 – 20 in Denver. In addition to the
Medal of Honor recipients, over 3,000 active military from around the state will be
invited to attend.
Underwood, 25, won Season 4 of the popular TV series, “American Idol” in 2005.
Her first release, “Some Hearts,” is the leading American Idol album to date, having sold
more than six million copies in the U.S. alone. It has been the best-selling record by a
female country music star for three years running.
Underwood has two Grammys to her credit, as well as trophies from the Academy
of Country Music, Country Music Association, People’s Choice, and the American Music
Awards. She headed a USO tour during the 2007 Holiday Season and performed for U.S.
troops in Kuwait and Iraq. Recently, she was inducted as a member of Grand Old Opry.
Tickets will go on sale July 28, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. Please visit AEG Live
for ticket information.
Established by an act of Congress in 1862, the Medal of Honor is the highest
award for valor in action to be bestowed upon a member of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Awarded by Congress and usually presented by the President in a White House ceremony,
the Medal is without equal in its prestige and reverence. Of the 3,448 recipients to have
received it, 103 are still alive. More than 50 recipients are expected to attend the Denver
convention. At least five of the honorees have Colorado ties.
In addition to the Underwood concert, the Denver convention will feature the
Patriot Award Gala on September 19 where award-winning Hollywood actor, director,
and producer Clint Eastwood will accept the Bob Hope Award for Excellence in
Entertainment. The Bob Hope Award is presented to Americans who have favorably
portrayed the United States military, either in film or literature, and who have
distinguished themselves in the entertainment world.
The Hope Award is one of a number to have been created nearly 40 years ago by
the Congressional Medal of Honor Society to honor individuals who exemplify patriotism
and altruism.
The Society has instituted three other awards that will be presented during the
ceremonies – The Patriot Award, the John Reagan “Tex” McCrary Award for Excellence
in Journalism and Distinguished Citizen Award. Recipients of the 2008 awards in those
categories are yet to be announced. For more information, visit
Medal of Honor Convention 2008 - Denver, Colorado

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NSU To Honor Carrie Underwood

Northeastern State University in Tahlequah will be holding to a tribute to one of its former students on Friday.

The Centennial Countdown Tribute to Carrie Underwood will be taking place on Beta Field Friday starting at 6 p.m.

The tribute will feature NSU Downtown Country and is free to the public.

A reliable source has told the News On 6, Carrie Underwood plans to attend the event.

Checotah native, Carrie Underwood was the winner of the "American Idol" fourth-season competition.

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'American Idol' Finalist Phil Stacey Will Perform Sunday at Oxford County Fair

One year after reaching the Top 5 on TV juggernaut "American Idol," singer Phil Stacey still shakes off the nerves that jangled his network performances.

"It was pretty crazy," said the 30-year-old country artist who will headline the Oxford County Fair Sunday. "There was a lot to enjoy about the experience. On the flip side, when you know that somebody is going to criticize your performance on national TV right after you give it, it's a different vibe."

He worried about the technical issues of singing for TV - such as standing in the right spot for the cameras and coping with the audio monitor in his ear - and he tried not to get caught up in the music.

"I was nervous enough just trying to sing," he said. "You know if you get too into it, someone's going to make fun of you. It's a confusing process. If you give the karaoke performance of a lifetime, it's still a karaoke performance to them."

These days, the panel of judges is gone and few people are making fun of him. His self-titled debut album drew good reviews and hit No. 8 on the country charts when it was launched in April. The record's first single, "If You Didn't Love Me," cracked the Top 30.

In the coming weeks, Stacey is scheduled to zigzag across the country, playing in Wisconsin one night and North Carolina the next.

Reached by phone Friday, he was somewhere in Virginia, though that was only a guess.

"It has a lot of trees," he said, looking out of his tour bus window. That evening, he was slated to perform at the 15th Annual American Music Festival in Virginia Beach. Other performers were slated to include the BoDeans, the B-52s and Los Lobos.

It's a long way from where he started.

The son and grandson of pastors, Stacey grew up in Kansas and began touring when he was still in junior high school. He performed in a family act as part of The Stacey Trio and on his own. He traveled to China with a gospel choir from Lee University in Tennessee. And when he joined the Navy after 9/11, he sang lead for a Navy band.

He married his wife, Kendra, while still in college. He missed the birth of their first child while enduring boot camp. He missed the birth of their second child, who arrived two weeks early, while auditioning for "American Idol."

The drama of the audition and the birth was played out for "Idol's" huge TV audience.

"I'm proud to have come from American Idol,'" Stacey said.

"I do want people to know the artist, Phil," he said. "I've been touring since I was 13 years old and I was out there selling independent records out of my trunk, and all of that stuff."

Excelling in such an incredibly competitive contest is a crucible of its own. After all, 16,000 people tried out when he auditioned in Memphis. Over the course of the season, 133,000 people tried out.

"I made the Top 5 show," he said.

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Happy Birthday, Justin Guarini! - American Idol News

Justin Guarini became well-known as 1st runner-up to Kelly Clarkson on the debut season of American Idol. Justin charmed everyone with his soulful voice, beautiful smile and that big head of curly hair.

Continuing his special relationship with Idol, Justin signed with the TV Guide Network in 2007 as co-host of "Idol Tonight," an exclusive live pre-show and red-carpet event preceding each episode of Idol. One of Justin's co-hosts on the program just happens to be none other than Season Two Finalist Kimberly Caldwell. Justin also serves as co-host of "Idol Wrap," a fast-paced re-cap of each episode of Idol.

Justin is currently recording his third album, and he has emerged as a leading advocate of music education. A national spokesperson for Support Music Education since 2004, Justin and a select delegation met with Congress in 2005 to discuss music in schools and later performed/emceed at a private gala concert for Congress, their families and staff. In 2006, he received the NAMM "Music for Life" Award for his work supporting music education. Justin also raises money for charities such as Habitat for Humanity, Broadway's Kitchen Sink, Foundation for Global Harmony, Children's World Organization, and various children's hospitals nationwide.

americanidol.com congratulates Justin on all of his success and wishes him a very happy birthday!

Justin recently traveled with Brandon Rogers, Gina Glocksen and Nadia Turner to Afghanistan to entertain the troops.

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On The Road With David Cook - American Idol News

With the summer tour nearing its final stretch, we thought it was high time to speak with the Season 7 winner himself, David Cook. In the midst of touring so many cities and doing so many performances, David is also recording a new album. We wanted to know what challenges he faced with such a busy schedule and what impressed him most about his newfound celebrity. We caught up this month while he and the other Idols were making their way across the East Coast.

“Both the tour and the record are going really well, we’re actually ahead of schedule on the record. And we’re now on the home stretch of the tour,” David reported. Touring holds special appeal for him because “getting immediate reaction from such a large crowd is huge. A lot of the people who come to the tour are obviously fans of the show. They know these songs and they’re able to sing along. It’s just a really celebratory vibe for all of us.”

But what about stage fright? Sure, there were tens of millions of people watching on Idol, but the studio audience was small compared to the 11,000 who come to tour shows. “It’s a weird psychology,” David explained, “I get nervous when I have to play in front of small crowds more than big crowds. I think with less people, you can feel the eyes burning a hole through you more.”

David was too polite to say which city had been his favorite to perform in to date, rather quipping that he appreciated Portland “because there’s no sales tax.” But he did share special praise for the Newark crowd. “They sang all the songs back to me… It was a really special vibe.”

Coming as no surprise to anyone who’s been on the road, the most challenging aspect of touring for David is “just getting comfortable.” David likes to joke that “for the first time in my life, I’m homeless. I don’t have a home base. You get in the vibe that the bus is home.” And so what happens after September 13, when tour comes to an end? “I’ll have to find a new place to live again, I guess.”

Despite all the challenges of performing in different cities all the time, progress on his new album is excellent, due in part to the fine rapport that exists between David and record producer Rob Cavallo. “It’s just a really organic relationship and to have him on board is obviously huge... I know Rob can do what I need to do on this record.” The yet unnamed album is expected out in November.

Many MyIdol users here on americanidol.com have expressed interest in the well-being of David’s brother, Adam, and so we asked David about this phenomenon. David told us that “A group of [his] fans had started raising money for the American Cancer Society with a goal of $10,000 and they exceeded it in 38 days which is massive!” This type of activity is the “best gift”, according to David. “It’s the stuff fans do for other people that I think is the coolest thing in the world."

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AMERICAN IDOL - FANTASIA COMES CLEAN ABOUT TUMOUR SURGERY

Former AMERICAN IDOL star FANTASIA BARRINO has revealed a tumour on her throat was the reason behind her decision to pull out of Broadway show THE COLOR PURPLE.
The singer, who was a hit as Celie in the stage spectacular last year (07), sparked rumours of pregnancy when she missed a run of shows - and her publicist merely told the media Barrino was unwell.
Now, the star has confirmed her battle to stay healthy took a lot out of her and left her feeling drained and too tired to perform every night.
She tells urban magazine Sister 2 Sister, "I couldn't get enough sleep and sometimes onstage, I could taste blood... every now and then.
"They (producers) would send me to the hospitals and they would say, 'Well, she's dehydrated; that's what's making her tired.' They would put IVs in me. But it just wasn't enough."
Eventually, Barrino realised something more serious was wrong and she called on the advice of a top throat doctor in Los Angeles, who put a camera down her throat and discovered she had what he thought was a cyst.
The singer recalls, "I went into surgery and he (doctor) came out and told my mother it was a tumour."
Now healthy again, Barrino is still frustrated about all the negative publicity she received for pulling out of shows.
She adds, "It really hurt my feelings... I told my manager, `Please, somebody protect me,' because I've never missed a show... I like to perform.
"I felt like, after I had my surgery, nobody knew about it. The Color Purple didn't know about it, my record company didn't know about it, and I was very hurt that... I wasn't receiving any flowers, any balloons."

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AMERICAN IDOL - ARCHULETA WON'T TALK ABOUT ROMANCES

AMERICAN IDOL runner-up DAVID ARCHULETA is terrified of discussing his love life in the media after his female friend received hate mail.
The Crush singer recently invited his gal pal to watch him at a concert, and was stunned after his companion was bombarded with hateful messages from jealous fans who spotted her in the audience.
And the 17-year-old insists the experience has left him wary of talking about his personal life to the press.
He says, "I'm just afraid to mention anything now. They said (to her), 'You're not good enough for him, and you're ugly.'
"I can see why people (celebrities) want to keep things to themselves."

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New CD, TV special make Pickler a busy girl

September is a big month for Albemarle native Kellie Pickler. The “American Idol” alum co-hosts “CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock” with Taylor Swift and Julianne Hough at 9 p.m. Sept. 8 on ABC, and her second CD is due Sept. 30. Following are excerpts from an interview with staff writer Mark Price.

Q. You do a lot of TV work: What do TV producers like so much about you?

I don't know. It's so crazy. This has been going on since “American Idol.” I'm so nervous when I'm doing it, especially when I'm asked to interview people. I'm used to being interviewed, not doing interviews. It tears me apart and my nerves are shot all to hell for the week. But hosting the ABC special wasn't so bad, because I knew all the acts, like Rascal Flatts. They're like my big brothers. If I had to say what producers like about me, I guess it's that I'm being myself. I think people eventually see through someone who is not real.

Q. Any embarrassing moments?

When I was on “Are you Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” and I didn't know the capital of Hungary. I'm sorry, but I guarantee that if you walk the streets of Albemarle and ask somebody what is the capital of Hungary, most wouldn't know it was Budapest. There were people who made fun of me, like people make fun of you in high school. But I'm proud that I raised $50,000 for charity on that show.

What you have to keep in mind is that I was 19 when I first auditioned for “American Idol.” I'd never been on an airplane; I'd never been outside of my hometown, except to go to Myrtle Beach. I'm 22 now. I'm learning a lot about life, and it's all in front of the cameras.

Q. How will this new CD be different from the last?

I worked on the first album on the days I was off from the “American Idol” tour, so it was difficult and rushed. It wasn't the greatest experience, but I've taken more time with this one and spent two years writing songs. Plus, I've been singing every night for the past three years, so there's a drastic difference in my voice. I think five of my songs will definitely make the album. Taylor (Swift) and I wrote one song and she sings harmony on it, which was cool.

Q. Do you get home to Albemarle much?

I live in Nashville now and I don't get back that much. I'm too busy. I'm on a tour bus and haven't had a chance to do anything but work. It's always good when I come home and catch up with familiar faces. It's cool to go back and see people are proud of me and supportive. I will never forget what my hometown did for me when I was on “American Idol.” They had voting parties, and everything shut down and they had big screens up and watched the show outside. Whatever I do, I try hard to represent North Carolina as best I can. I always try to take into consideration that I'm a reflection of Albemarle. I don't want to reflect badly on anyone.

Q. Are you happy?

Yes, I am. It has taken awhile. I still have these moments where I get on the tour bus, where I cry, and I think to myself, ‘Why am I crying?' My life is just so surreal, with so much happening in such a short amount of time. I'm lonely and I miss my friends. I've missed out on a lot of things. My best friend got married and I was supposed to be the maid of honor and I couldn't even go to the wedding because I had a show. I guess I'm paying my dues now. Maybe when I'm better established, I can find more time for my family and friends.