American Idol News

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‘American Idol’ Man Curse Strikes Again: Blake Lewis Cut Loose

Like a velvet painting of Jesus playing cards with Elvis, Bob Marley and Jim Morrison, somewhere out there, we hope, is a poker game in a smoke-filled basement featuring all the male “American Idol” ghosts of major-label-glory past.

Maybe Ruben Studdard is dealing, Taylor Hicks is mixing up some beer-tinis, Bo Bice is playing a bit of Skynyrd on an acoustic guitar in the corner, and the newest recruit to the Hall of “AI” Shame, Blake Lewis, is quietly beatboxing “You Give Love a Bad Name” while drowning his sorrows in a bowl of Funyuns.

A few months ago we told you that season-six runner-up Lewis was still with 19 Management, but had been dropped from his label, Arista, after one poorly selling record. (Hey, the Soul Patrol can feel you, dog. Taylor was one and done too.) But in a message recently sent out to his MySpace pals, Lewis revealed that the plug had been pulled all the way out.

“I’m sorry to inform you guys on some sad news,” he wrote. “My tour has been cut short. As of now. Me and the boys are touring from the 5th to the 16th. My frustration has been at an all-time high because of this. I am terribly sorry to all of you who wanted to come out and have boughten tickets. I really want to make it out to every state, but this time around it’s not happening.”

Boughten? Really?

The grammatically challenged beatboxer said he’s in the process of finding new management and a record label, stressing, “I’m hoping to do it right this time.” As opposed, we guess, to almost winning a TV talent show and being handed a major-label contract after years of struggling and getting nowhere. Hey, best of luck this time.

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Idhasoft: Hires Two American Idols to Record Christmas Album for Customers
American Idols RJ Helton and Vonzell Solomon sign contract with Idhasoft to create a Christmas album and perform for customers for the Holiday Season.

(PRWEB) September 18, 2008 -- Idhasoft, Inc., the world's fastest growing IT company, has signed two American Idols, RJ Helton and Vonzell Solomon, to a month-long contract for the upcoming holiday season. The Idols, along with recording an Idhasoft Christmas album, will be performing across the nation for some of Idhasoft's most strategic customers. "We thought what better way to give back to our customers than to provide them with a special performance for their holiday party," said Rich Velez, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development.

The Idols, RJ Helton and Vonzell Solomon will first record a private full length Christmas album to be sent to Idhasoft's entire customer base. They are in the studio recording this week with the album expected to be finished by the end of September. The Idols will then travel the country performing for some of Idhasoft's most important customers. "Our customers are the reason we grew from zero to $100,000,000 in one year. For this, we want to treat our customers to the best holiday celebration possible. This will allow our customers to give their employees a holiday party they'll never forget," stated Deke Johnson, President of Idhasoft's Oracle division.

"I love the Christmas Season and Christmas music even more. Vonzell and I look forward to celebrating the season with so many people. I hope we give people a holiday season to remember," RJ Helton.

Since starting on American Idol, both RJ Helton (season 1, 5th place) and Vonzell Solomon (season 4, 3rd place) have recorded and published albums, toured the country, and been seen by millions on TV shows such as Good Morning America, MTV, and Jay Leno's Tonight Show.

About Vonzell Solomon
Vonzell was born in Baxley, Georgia. She auditioned in Orlando for the fourth season of American Idol with little idea she would soon find herself finishing an astonishing third behind winner Carrie Underwood. Vonzelll has recorded a Christmas song on a compilation CD "Dear Santa Holiday Collection" with recording artists Nick Lachey, Alicia Keys, Nat King Cole and other well-known artists. She has made several appearances on several talk shows and awards shows including Good Morning America and the VH1 Big in " 05" Awards Show. In April 2004, Vonzell locally released a critically acclaimed CD, "My Struggle" and in 2007 completed a feature role in a movie called Still Green.

About RJ Helton
A native of Cumming's, GA, RJ Helton was thrust into the TV and music stardom via the breakout hit TV series American Idol, where he quickly rose to fame with his captivating performance as a Top 5 Finalist in the first season. RJ was one of the featured performers on the American Idol cast album which went Gold and reached #1 status on the Billboard charts in the Soundtrack category. His debut album, Real Life hit the top 20 on Bill Board and was nominated for a prestigious Dove award. With a passion for positive, uplifting music and finding comfort in faith, RJ found a natural home at B-Rite Music/Zomba Records, the pop music imprint of the music industry powerhouse Gospo Centric Records by Tommy Sims. RJ released his debut album Christian-oriented REAL LIFE which made the Billboard Christian Top 20. The silky-voiced tenor has since appeared on numerous television talk shows including MTV's Total Request Live, Good Morning America and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno plus many other major television outlets.

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Apple named in lawsuit against singer Chris Daughtry

Apple has been named in a lawsuit against former American Idol and rock singer Chris Daughtry.

Daughtry is being sued by Randy Mazick because Mazick alleges that the song “Feels Like Tonight” on the album “Daughtry” is a copy of Mazick's own song called “Tonight.” The lawsuit says Mazick said his band, The Asphalt, first performed the song in 2005, ahead of Daughtry's 2006 release.

The lawsuit names Apple as one of the defendants because Apple distributed the song on its iTunes Store. Mazick also named producer and songwriter Lukasz Gottwald, music publishing company Kasz Money Publishing, songwriter Martin Karl Sandberg, music publishing company Maratone, songwriter Sheppard Solomon, Bertelsmann Music Group, and RCA records.

Mazick is asking the court for damages and the defendant’s profits, as well as other monetary awards the court deems suitable

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reality blurred + Jason Castro fan bought him a computer; family called "greedy, pathetic" for soliciting money

American Idol 7 finalist Jason Castro and his family have reportedly been asking fans of his for monetary and other donations, and unbelievably, one fan even bought Jason a computer after his broke.
Vote for the Worst criticizes them for that, saying “Jason Castro and his family … are milking his idiot fans for money… and the fans are going along with it.” A fan actually bought Jason a new laptop.
In addition, the site reports that “Jason Castro’s greedy, pathetic family actually propositioned Idol Forums posters to fund a mission trip for Jason’s girlfriend.” In addition, Top Idol reported on drama between his fans, who “are trying to convince the others that giving the object of their sick devotion [Jason] $1000 is NECESSARY.”
More recently, his mother Betsy sent a cease-and-desist notice to fans who create their own Jason Castro paraphernalia. She demanded that they buy “his official merchandise” because “[i]t is illegal to make any type of profit on Jason’s likeness and image.”
Apparently, fans wanting to send money for their favorite Idol isn’t unusual, but as Vote for the Worst notes, “Michael Johns and David Cook have been much more tactful and are encouraging their fans to send any donations to Luke Menard’s family, as Luke is currently battling cancer and his medical bills are very high.”

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Happy Birthday Matt Rogers! - American Idol News

Matt Rogers charmed the AI viewers and judges alike with his boyish charm and smooth vocals on season three. He had a rather unconventional background compared to most other contestants, having been an offensive lineman in college for the University of Washington Huskies. Most people probably remember him for his size, although he says he actually lost weight while on the show. Matt made it into the Top 12 that season, but was voted off after he sang "Amazed" during Country Week.

In an interview with fansofrealitytv.com, Matt says he wishes he would have gone for it more that week, saying, "If I could go back in time for Country Week, that was my thing. I would have thrown on my cowboy hat, sung a Toby Keith song, and I would have rocked the whole show. You know, you listen to all these people saying, 'America wants to see your sensitive side', and I end up doing that." He also said he wishes he would have shown off his "opera voice" more.

Matt has seen quite a bit of success as a correspondent since his time on "Idol," appearing on shows like "American Idol Extra," "Access Hollywood," "Entertainment Tonight," and "The Best Damn Sports Show Period." He currently hosts the appropriately named "Really Big Things" on The Discovery Channel. You probably saw him most recently in David Archuleta's hometown for the season seven AI finale, where he held his post as a correspondent. Staying true to his roots, Matt is currently the football coach at Mission Viejo High School in Mission Viejo, California.

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Happy Birthday Constantine! - American Idol News

Constantine Maroulis' American Idol legacy will always be his chilling rendition of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," for which he received high praise, even from the ornery Simon Cowell! Since he appeared on season four, Constantine has been making quite a name for himself in entertainment. He has been particularly successful in theater. In August of 2006, he secured a role in the Broadway musical, "The Wedding Singer," as Sammy. Not long after, he took part in the Off-Broadway musical revue, "Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris." Most recently, Constantine landed the lead role in "Rock Of Ages," which is set to preview at Off-Broadway's New World Stages on September 30, with the production officially opening on October 16. Much like "The Wedding Singer," Rock is set in the '80s, so the play will include a lot of music from that era.

Constantine is also no stranger to the world of television, as he landed a part on the drama, "The Bold and the Beautiful." He played a nearly non-fictional role as Constantine Parros, a singer and record producer, for thirteen weeks. In addition, he joined the cast of FOX Reality Channel's "American Idol Extra" this past season alongside fellow AI rocker alum, Gina Glocksen.

Constantine's true love remains music, however, and he released his debut album under his own label in August of '07. The self-titled CD debuted at #75 on the Billboard charts. He used this momentum for his solo tour, and ended up playing to sold-out venues in cities like Boston, Philadelphia, Annapolis, and New York.

Happy Birthday, Constantine!

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David Archuleta's Debut Album - American Idol News

With David Archuleta's first single, "Crush," making a huge splash by debuting at #2 on the Billboard's Hot 100 chart, it's no wonder that the "Archies" have been chomping at the bit for news of the debut album. It has now been confirmed that David's self-titled CD will be released by 19 Recordings/Jive Records on November 11, one week before AI winner David Cook. Both albums have been named as EW's "20 Fall Albums We Can't Wait to Hear."

David Archuleta had a clear idea of the direction he wanted to head in for his debut effort even just after being voted off the show. As Realitytvworld.com reports: "I'd love to still do the pop thing," he told reporters. "I'm still a teenager. On the show, I was getting a little mature with my songs -- even though I love to do that stuff. But I still want to be able to relate to kids my age. I like pop music but I still want to have meaning in my music. So I could do some fun stuff along with songs that have more meaning in them."

As reported on E! Online, David definitely knows what works and what doesn't, and he's taking cues from some of the best in the industry, including Miley Cyrus. David "recently met with Rock Mafia producers Antonina Armato and Tim James, who cowrote and coproduced eight of the tracks on Cyrus' latest album, Breakout. They have also worked with Mariah Carey, Vanessa Hudgens and Aly & AJ." David and his father reportedly said they want a "Miley touch" to the album.

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Kellie Pickler to Co-Host New Year's Rockin' Eve - People.com

Kellie Pickler

She may have been booted from American Idol, but Kellie Pickler has no hard feelings.

The country star will team up with the show's host, Ryan Seacrest, to emcee one of the hottest New Year's parties around.

A thrilled Pickler, 22, broke the news Thursday on her MySpace celebrity blog, telling fans she's been tapped to co-host this year's Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.

"I am so excited I can barely type!" writes the singer. "I have known about this for over a month now and I am shocked that I have kept it secret for this long."

The North Carolinian says she is looking forward to being in Manhattan's Times Square for the 37th annual event. "I can't think of a better way to bring in 2009," she says.

In the post, the 2006 Idol alumna also expressed glee about the upcoming release of her second CD. "My brand new album is going to be in stores on September 30," she writes. "That's less than 2 weeks away. WAHOOOOO! I cannot wait for you all to hear it."

The self-titled effort is the follow-up to her October 2006 debut, Small Town Girl, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard country chart. Its success helped her earn a Best New Artist nomination at this year's Country Music Association Awards, airing live from Nashville on CBS Nov. 12.

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American Idol's Chris Daughtry Sued for Plagiarism for "Feels like Tonight" - Associated Content

American Idol alumnus Chris Daughtry and Apple are being sued by an individual that maintains that Daughtry's song "Feels Like Tonight" is actually derivative of his band's song, "Tonight," which was recorded a year earlier than when Daughtry's tune was recorded. Randy Mazick, lead man for the Arizona band The Asphalt, alleges that "Feels Like Tonight" sounds like "Tonight," which he says his band performed live a year before (2005) Daughtry recorded and released his album, "Daughtry" (2006).

Mazick and The Asphalt are a four-man band out of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, according to their MySpace page.

Daughtry is the band formed around the fourth place finisher on American Idol's Season 5 (won by Taylor Hicks), Chris Daughtry. Daughtry quickly cashed in on his American Idol fame (many felt he was destined to win and were shocked when he was voted off), recording his first album and releasing it in November 2006. "Daughtry" was the best-selling album of 2007, topping acts like Akon, Fergie, the "Hannah Montana" soundtrack and Carrie Underwood (another American Idol alumnus - and winner, Season 4) with 3.2 million units sold (Billboard).

Daughtry Isn't The First Artist To Be Sued For Plagiarism

Many songs sound similar to others. Some of these artists or songwriters sue the other artists, especially if one artist has a hit or makes money (or both) off of the song in question. Coming under plagiarism laws, there is always the possibility of fortunes changing hands. Some win; some lose.

Rick James sued M.C. Hammer for infringement of copyright for using the music from his hit, "Super Freak," and settled out of court, not only getting royalties for the music, but also receiving a Grammy for songwriting when M.C. Hammer's "U Can't Touch This" won Best R&B Song in 1990.

Huey Lewis and the News sued Ray Parker, Jr. because his song "Ghostbusters" had the same background rhythm as "I Want A New Drug." Lewis won.

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Carrie Underwood's Latest Nomination & Tour News - American Idol News

Carrie Underwood’s highly successful album CARNIVAL RIDE was recently nominated as CMA Album of The Year, and her headline tour of the same name, the "Carnival Ride Tour," has shared tremendous success as well since launching earlier this year. Over 700,000 fans have attended the tour so far, with 51 more shows planned this fall in the U.S. and Canada. By the end of the year, Carrie will have performed 137 live shows in 2008, in addition to her many Opry and TV performances. The fall leg of the tour will begin tomorrow in Cleveland, Ohio and will feature special guest Little Big Town.

Carrie has received strong critical acclaim for her live performances on the "Carnival Ride Tour." The Kansas City Star claimed her performance "requires some Herculean vocals, and she absolutely smoked it." The Pittsburgh Post Gazette said, "Underwood brought pure star power and those golden pipes" to their arena earlier this summer, and the Grand Rapids Press stated "Underwood is truly remarkable, quite possible the most gifted vocalist working in popular music. Beyond her immense vocal talent, the singer–songwriter exhibits a poise and confidence that belies her young age."

Carrie was recently nominated for two 2008 CMA awards, Female Vocalist of The Year, a title she currently holds for 2006 & 2007, and Album of The Year for CARNIVAL RIDE. In May, she was inducted as the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry and named Top Female Vocalist at the 2008 Academy of Country Music Awards for the second consecutive time. CARNIVAL RIDE contains the current smash "Just A Dream" as well as the #1 co-written smash hits "So Small," "All-American Girl" and "Last Name." Since her debut in 2005, Carrie's two albums have sold nearly 10 million copies and she is the all-time U.S. top-selling American Idol contestant