Robin Lee Hatcher's Write Thinking

United Breaks Guitars

These songs are great and so is the story behind them. Here it is in the words of the songwriter/performer:

In the spring of 2008, Sons of Maxwell were traveling to Nebraska for a one-week tour and my Taylor guitar was witnessed being thrown by United Airlines baggage handlers in Chicago. I discovered later that the $3500 guitar was severely damaged. They didnt deny the experience occurred but for nine months the various people I communicated with put the responsibility for dealing with the damage on everyone other than themselves and finally said they would do nothing to compensate me for my loss. So I promised the last person to finally say no to compensation (Ms. Irlweg) that I would write and produce three songs about my experience with United Airlines and make videos for each to be viewed online by anyone in the world. United: Song 1 is the first of those songs. United: Song 2 has been written and video production is underway. United: Song 3 is coming. I promise.

Now sit back and enjoy the videos.

LOL!!! Love, love, love it.
~robin

Make Love, Make War by Brian Doerksen

Brian Doerksen is among my favorite worship leaders. I love his music and have several of his CDs. Most of the lyrics cut straight to my heart when I listen and when I sing along, both in church and by myself. So imagine my excitement when I saw that he had a book out that tells the stories behind some of his beautiful worship songs. I think my favorite song of his is "When You Shepherd Me (the 23rd Psalm)," and that isn't one of the covered songs. But that's okay. I loved the book anyway. Included in each chapter are tips for songwriters, a nice plus.

MAKE LOVE, MAKE WAR
NOW Is the Time to Worship

Award-winning songwriter Brian Doerksen shares insights behind some of the most beloved songs of our time as he provokes readers to love and war.

What is true worship?  It can elevate us into the presence of God, renew and refresh our spirits, and offer the deepest expression of love for our Savior.  Yet worship can also be a call to arms, a battle cry, a salvo in an ancient spiritual war that continues today.  In his first book, Make Love, Make War: Now Is the Time to Worship (David C Cook, August 2009), award-winning songwriter Brian Doerksen challenges Christians to make their lives an offering of radical worship.
 
An acclaimed songwriter, recording artist, author, conference speaker, and pastor, Doerksen believes God is calling us to love and to battle—to spread peace and wage spiritual warfare.  “Each is essential to our daily spiritual walk,” writes Doerksen.  “We do this through how we live, how we serve Him, and how we protect and fight for what matters most.  One of the ways I make love and war is through music.”
 
In Make Love, Make War, Doerksen shares the stories and inspirations behind some of today’s most influential songs of worship, including “Come, Now Is the Time to Worship,” “Hallelujah (Your Love Is Amazing),” and “Refiner’s Fire.”  While offering special tips for aspiring songwriters, Doerksen also reveals rich truths and insights about the nature of God, His calling for us, and how we can wage spiritual war and share His love through a life of radical worship.
 
“I believe that we know love and war are at the heart of everything inside us, and everything going on all around us,” says Doerksen.  “We sense that there is nothing that Satan hates more than the worship of Yahweh by those who are faithful to the Lamb.  He spends more than a little energy convincing us that there really is no war going on, and that the sum total of our lives’ calling is to be nice.  But God is provoking us to rise up and fight.  The war He calls us to make is always for the sake of love!”
 
Beginning August through September, the “Hear It First, Read It First” contest and promotion for Make Love, Make War will be sponsored by David C Cook, Integrity Music, HearItFirst.com, and Gibson/Epiphone Guitars.  By visiting HearItFirst.com, fans and readers will be able to enter to win prizes, as well as download free music video performances of Brian Doerksen (i.e., “It’s Time” and “Holy God”) and free sample chapters from Make Love, Make War.

Brian Doerksen has always had a passion for expressing worship through music.  He is an award-winning songwriter of some of today’s most popular songs of worship.  He is currently developing a musical of hope based on Luke 15 called “Return.”  Brian, his wife, Joyce, and their six children reside in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada.
 

Phil Stacey's Into The Light

I haven't been blogging very regularly this summer. Too much to do. Too many things on my mind. Chasing myself in circles some days. So I apologize to my most faithful blog readers. My regular blogging isn't apt to get better this month as I've got three trips coming up this month. Lucky for Poppet, I've got a house/dog sitter coming to stay. No boarding for her this summer. Happy dog!

Speaking of travel, it was last July in Orlando when I got to see American Idol alum Phil Stacey perform for the guests of my publisher, Zondervan, at Disney World. He was awesome, and even though I love his country sound, I'm looking forward to his new album. Here is the blurb from Christian Retailing:

Phil Stacey's Christian label debut next month, Into the Light (Reunion Records), brings the artist full circle, from his early days of singing gospel music at his local church and Christian university before gaining national prominence as a top five finalist on the sixth season of the hit TV show American Idol.

After the competition, Stacey performed with the American Idol finalists on a 55-city tour and appeared on Oprah, Live! With Regis and Kelly, The Tonight Show, Ellen, Today show, Larry King Live and Nickelodeon's Me:TV.

Although he has a strong gospel music background, Stacey was offered a chance to try out his country leanings by signing with Disney's Hollywood Records for his first post-Idol release, the self-titled Phil Stacey (2008). After connecting with Provident Music Group President Terry Hemmings at an event honoring Michael W. Smith, Stacey opted to follow that country release by taking the plunge into Christian music on Into the Light.

"Everything I did with American Idol has readied me for this platform and this album. This is where I feel at home, and I can't wait for people to hear these songs."

A bonus track on the album, "Old Glory," showcases Stacey's patriotic leanings. A member of the U.S. Navy Reserve, Stacey enlisted after the tragic events of 9/11.

I've got a note to myself to order the new album as soon as it becomes available.

~robin

Here's why I'm a Danny Gokey fan

I just finished watching the five-part Idolatry interview of Danny Gokey. Thank goodness the very mean-spirited, Danny-hating Kristen Baldwin didn't participate. But I think that Danny Gokey is such a nice guy that he would have come through the interview with KB there just fine. He has class and a kind heart.

So if you watched season 8 of American Idol, treat yourself and watch this interview (all five parts).

Danny, when you cut an album (do they still use the term "cut" in this sense in the music industry or did it go away when "records" did?), I will buy it. I love your voice and I admire you as a person. What you want to do with your music and your mission has my whole-hearted support.

~robin

Kris Allen on The Tonight Show

Okay, I always liked Kris Allen during American Idol, voted for him some through the season, and he got all my votes on the final night of the competition. But this video has made me an even bigger fan.

Isn't he just too adorable?

~robin

Idol 8: And the new American Idol is ...

Well, folks, the night has arrived. You want to know the truth. For the first season out of the five I've watched, I really don't care too much about watching the finale. Last night (which in retrospect I think was an uninspired finals night), I tried for 90 minutes to cast some phone votes and never did get through. But I did send a bunch of text votes from my iPhone. I'm not going to blog all of the various performances by stars and other finalists alike, but I may mention a few. (Just don't count on me for the most thorough coverage.)

Kris Allen's duet is with Keith Urban singing Kiss a Girl. Wow, Kris, what a perfect song for you. Folks in Nashville must be sitting up and taking notice.

Followed by a little silliness: Bikini Girl and Kara (also in bikini at the end) singing together. Money went to Kara's favorite charity for doing that.

Danny Gokey sang Hello! to introduce Lionel Ritchie, then they sang together, Just Go, followed by All Night Long. Great duet. I enjoyed it lots.

Adam Lambert's duet is with KISS. Here is the outrageous kid we've come to know and love. The costume looks like something Michael Jackson would wear. His intro is "pretty," but then we go into rock god mode with KISS and they sort of overpower him (except for when he's in scream mode; then I recognized his voice).

Steve Martin was there playing a banjo (did you know that?) while Michael Sarver and Megan Joy sing. Okay, that was fun.

I started having trouble with my cable DVR at this point. Pain in the neck. Missed some things. Unfortunately I got the cable problem fixed in time to catch Tatiana's return to the stage. Oh, thank heaven we didn't have to put up with the drama queen of all drama queens for too many shows this season. She makes my teeth ache

The night is drawing to a close and Adam and Kris do a duet of We are the Champions, sharing the stage with Queen and lots of fog and the other finalists. The guys had lots of fun doing that one. Good job, Kris and Adam.

And the winner is ... KRIS ALLEN!!! (Which is why I couldn't get through on the phone lines.)

Congratulations, Kris! You seem like such a super nice guy, and I wish the very best to you, your wife, and your family. It was fun seeing the dark horse come through and finish strong.

Idol 8: the final 2

Okay, let's just be clear. I sure wish Danny Gokey was singing tonight. I miss him. I would have loved to see what he did on this big night. (Really interesting article on Idol Chatter called Where Does Danny Gokey Go from American Idol?)

First round songs were chosen by the finalists themselves. Adam kicked off the night with Mad World. Excellent. My favorite kind of Adam performance. The kind he does too seldom. Kris sang Ain't No Sunshine at the piano. Superb. I love this kid. Yes, yes, yes.

Simon gives Round 1 to Kris, and I agree.

The songs for Round 2 were chosen by Simon Fuller. Adam gets Change is Gonna Come. It starts great but then goes a bit out of control and into his favorite scream-mode. Audience loves it. Judges rave about it. I'm so-so. Kris gets What's Going On? I liked it, although not as much as his first performance. Simon was right that it was a bit too laid back for this kind of night.

Simon calls Round 2 for Adam. I thought it was a toss-up.

The song for Round 3 is co-written by Kara and named No Boundaries. Hmm. The expected power ballad, it's not the worst song the two finalists have been given to sing on this night but I didn't like it. Adam does okay with it but I'm not blown away. Kris also did okay with the song, but again, I wasn't swept away; he did seem to struggle more with it than Adam. Simon didn't name a winner of this round. The judges just praised both singers.

Carrie Underwood brought the show to a close singing Home Sweet Home.

Tomorrow will tell the tale. Who will be the next Idol? I'm not even going to try to guess who will win. Either one could, although I give the evening to Kris with just the slightest edge.

Idol 8: from 3 to the final 2

Wednesday, 4:00 pm MDT

Last night, I started writing about the "hate Danny" posts I've read on Internet blogs almost from the start of this season. Most years I like to read the EW Idol posts and watch their Idolatry podcasts. However, the "hate speech" that they've spewed toward Danny week in and week out took the enjoyment out of it this year. It's one thing to have a favorite singer on AI. It's another to hate someone you don't know and hammer away at that hate week in and week out.

Anyway, I started writing my comments but they weren't as developed as I wanted them to be, and I ended up deleting them because I hadn't the time to be more detailed. Today, I read Cindy Swan's piece on the same subject. Bravo. She said so well what I wanted to say. If you have a moment, read it here.

Well, the votes have been cast and it's only a few hours until the results will be announced. Me, I cast votes for two of the three finalists and I'd love to see both of them make it to next week. Time will tell.

---

Wednesday, 8:00 - 9:00 pm MDT

I'm back to my laptop after half an hour of working out. I was feeling very tempted to go on-line and find out the results, so I figured I should go ride my cycle so I could resist the temptation. It is now about 9 minutes to the hour. All three finalists have had their time in the spotlight while viewers watched their visits to their hometowns. I always enjoy these moments. But I agree with Danny. Let's get to the results. (And doesn't it seem that some of these singers they bring in to "entertain" us must be on the show to prove how good the finalists are? I'm just sayin'...)

I read on another blog the prediction that Adam will go home tonight. That would be a stunner. Personally, I'd love to see what happens in a Danny-Kris match up. On the other hand, the smart money for months has been on an Adam-Danny finals. Who is going home? My prediction is this: If Adam will be in the finals, they will announce his name first. If Adam is going home, they will announce the other finalist first.

Four minutes to the hour. Here comes the announcement.

First person in the finals is Kris.

Waiting ... waiting ... and here it comes ...

The other finalist is going to be ... Adam.

Well, my prediction was wrong (based on who was announced first), and I'm sorry to see Danny go home. I believe he'll make it despite not going all the way and despite those who spewed hate for this very likable guy.

Danny, I wish you the very best in your career and in your life. And now I'm going to go download last night's performance of You Are So Beautiful on iTunes.

~robin

Idol 8: the 3 perform

Well, we are down to the final three. I think we've got three fine finalists, and I also think that whoever wins this year will be deserving. I've got my favorite, but I will rejoice for the two who move into the finals.

First songs tonight were judges' picks.

Danny kicked off the night with Paula's pick: Terence Trent D'Arby's Dance Little Sister. I enjoyed it. Very strong performance. His voice was great. A couple of judges picked on his dancing. I didn't think it was all that bad.

Randy and Kara selected Kris's song: OneRepublic's Apologize. He sang at the piano. A more subdued performance, but very nice.

Adam's song choice came from Simon: U2's One. Started mellow and lovely but he goes into shriek mode in the second half of the song. Judges loved it, but it definitely wasn't a favorite performance of mine. The shrieking parts were pitchy (as if the shrieking wasn't enough). I never go for the screaming-singing. Loses me every time.

Now it was time for the contestants to choose any sort of song they want (no theme night, no mentors or judges giving input).

Danny's choice was You Are So Beautiful. What can I say? I loved it. A beautiful performance. Judges raved, ending with Simon calling it a "vocal master class."

Kris goes for Heartless. Kris and his guitar nailed it!!!!!!! Awesome. Judges loved it. Me too.

Adam's choice was Cryin'. I thought the arrangement and the band were poor, and I can't praise Adam's performance as much as the judges did although I think he will surely go on to be a rock star.

Adding each performer's two songs together, I would rank them this way tonight:

1. Danny
2. Kris
3. Adam

It will be interesting to see who goes home tomorrow. I think it could be anybody just because I think any of the three could also win.

Good luck, guys.

~robin

Idol 8: from 4 to 3

And then there were three.

Ryan told us at the top of the show that they got 64 million votes last night, the most for any show except for a finals night.

The group sing, with Slash, was a disaster IMHO. Paula Abdul performed. Looked lip synced to me and her voice was put through that vocal thingamabob (processor?) which I think was too bad. Then we had to watch No Doubt. Hmm. Pretty lousy performance, I thought. All four of the Idol finalists were way better last week. Maybe even last night. (I should have watched the first half hour of LOST.)

Finally we got the name of one person who was safe: Kris. Since they weren't naming a bottom three or bottom two tonight, announcements made "in random order," my guess was they left Adam and Danny in limbo for suspense purposes.

Another way to keep up suspense was to ... make us wait while we watched another performance, this time from Chris Daughtry, someone who didn't make it to the finals (went out at this same stage of the competition) but who has done well with his career. I always liked him, and I enjoyed him tonight as well.

And finally we get to what we've waited for. Who will stay and who will go? Wait for it. Wait for it. Adam is safe and ... and ... Danny is safe. Allison is the one going home.

Girl, there is no doubt that you are going places. And I don't just mean home. You have the voice, and despite what Simon kept saying, you have plenty of personality, too. I expect to see you return to the Idol stage in a future year to sing one of your singles. Best of luck!

Idol 8: the 4 perform

Rock week. I was thinking, "Ought to be an opportunity for Adam to scream and wail." Slash (Guns & Roses) was the mentor. And we were promised duets. Hmm. How would they be paired up? (I guessed Allison would be with Adam, rocker chick and rocker guy together, and I was right.) Oh, one more thing. Accidents on the set (literally some of the set falling apart) kept the performers from being able to rehearse on the stage earlier in the day. Would it impact tonight's show?

Adam was first up, and he did scream and wail Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love, but I gotta say he was in his element. Judges all raved, and Simon said no one could top it.

Allison went with Janis Joplin's Cry Baby. I liked it, although I thought there were other song choices I might have enjoyed more.

Next up was the first duet, Danny and Kris, with Styx's Renegade. I thought they sounded good together, but the ending was a little weak. Still, I enjoyed it.

Then it was Kris's turn who chose to sing the Beatle's Come Together. I loved it (more than the judges did). I loved that he was singing and not shouting. Simon said he was still right, that no one would top Adam tonight.

Danny went with Aerosmith's Dream On. I've gotta say, he did better with the song than I might have expected. He sort of got the scream but sort of missed it, too.

And to close out the show, we had the Allison and Adam duet, singing Foghat's Slow Ride. Yeah, okay. Not my favorite performance.

I'm not naming a favorite tonight. I thought they were all very close, and I don't think any of them were nearly as good as they were last week (which was, IMHO, the best show of the season). And I suppose anybody could be in danger, although I think it will most likely be either Kris or Allison.

~robin

Today I Choose . . . to Follow Jesus

idol 8: from 5 to 4

Was there a collectable intake of breath across the nation when it was announced that Adam was in the bottom three (his first time there, I believe)? I think there must have been. But really, why? There were only five contestants this week, so the odds were high that someone's fans would be surprised. And while Adam is very talented, so are tonight's top two — Allison and Danny. For that matter, so are the other two in the bottom three, Kris and Matt. But at the half hour point, I remained convinced that the singer going home would be Matt.

We had performances from Natalie Cole and Taylor Hicks. It was fun to see Taylor on the Idol stage again. I like that guy a lot. There's just something real about him. After Taylor left the stage, Kris got sent to safety.

Okay, there was no doubt in my mind at that point who was going home. I think the producers were so delighted to have Adam in the bottom three just so they could ramp up the tension. But I knew he had more fans than that. Matt would go home and Adam would survive to sing again.

Next up was mentor Jamie Foxx's performance. His music isn't my cup of tea, and I confess I'm no fan after his rude remarks about Miley Cyrus. It was mostly a time filler for me.

And finally we learned who was going home.

Matt, here's to great success for you. Thanks for giving us some great performances.

Idol 8: the 5 perform

Ah, the night when the contestants sing "the standards." Music from the Rat Pack era. Some of my favorite music.

Kris kicked off the night with "The Way You Look Tonight," and he won my heart. He won all the judges, too, except for Simon. This kid could make it to the final two. He made me feel like someone was singing that love song to me.

Allison sang "Someone to Watch over Me." Gracious, that girl is ridiculously good. I love her voice. And she celebrated her 17th birthday yesterday. I may have to buy this rendition on iTunes. It was that good.

Matt chose "My Funny Valentine." This is his bailiwick, and it was good. But it wasn't my favorite of the night. Again, I'm disagreeing with Simon who found it brilliant.

Danny sang "Come Rain or Come Shine." Oh, that young man melted my heart as he sang. And although I'm not a jazz fan, I even loved that jazzy ending. Loved it, loved it, loved it!!!! And this time Simon and I were in agreement. He raved along with the other judges, calling it outstanding.

Adam was last up with "Feeling Good." It's a performance fit for the Broadway stage, and unfortunately, he did his share of screeching. Not my favorite of the night, but there's no disputing his vocal chops and theatrical flare.

---

No doubt about it. This was my favorite show of the season. Not a bad performance the whole night. All five of these kids should go on to fine careers. Great job from start to finish.

Who will go home tomorrow night? I'm thinking Matt, but I suppose it could be Allison. If they do a bottom three, I would imagine Kris will be in it. But to be fair, they were all so good tonight that it will come down to fans more than because someone was awful.

My favorite of the night? No doubt about it. Danny Gokey. Now I'm off to vote.

  

Idol 8: from 7 to 5

The show began with a dance number from the final 7, choreographed by Paula. I enjoyed it. The kids did a good job singing and dancing.

The producers of Idol must have figured that America had no doubts that Lil Rounds would go home tonight because they let us know we were right very early in the show.

Lil's goodbye performance was followed by a medley of songs from three disco artists (Freda Payne, Thelma Houston, and Harry "K.C." Casey). I gotta say, it was ... strange. Or maybe the 80's disco scene was always strange and the passage of 20+ years magnified it. <g> The Freda seemed really winded by the song, and K.C. just seemed plastic.

Back to the eliminations: My top three all made it through very quickly — Kris, Adam, Danny. Who went to the remaining two "bottom" stools? Yesterday I guessed it could be any of the remaining kids (Matt, Allison or Anoop). Matt was safe and I was kind of glad to see the judges' save didn't go to waste. So Anoop and Allison had to await their fate. Which of them would join Lil and exit the show?

But, of course, we wouldn't know the answer to that question until we had another guest performer — David Archuleta. Such a cute kid, isn't he? It was fun to see him perform again. Then after the break we had our answer: Anoop sang his Idol swan song.

Lil and Anoop, here's a ton of good wishes for you to know success in your future careers.

~robin

Idol 8: the 7 perform (again)

How about a quick recap?

• Lil's performance of "Every Woman" was a mess. No other word for it. Just a mess. If she doesn't go home this week, I'll be so surprised.
• Kris chose a Donna Summers' song (She Works Hard for the Money) and turned it on its head. Wow! Awesome. Loved it!
• Danny was terrific with "September," and Paula is so right that he has a very sexy voice. It's a WOW from me. Loved it!
• Allison sang "Hot Stuff" but the arrangement was flawed. I thought it both showed how good she is and how limited in regard to maturity.
• Adam went with "If I Can't Have You" and does a fantastic job. My one quibble was the little bit of screech he worked in. Not as bad as most weeks though. Two thumbs up.
• Matt went with "Stayin' Alive." It was good but didn't hold up to the other three guys who went before him.
• Last up was Anoop with "Dim All the Lights." Good but not great. No wow factor.

Absolutely my faves of the night were Kris, Danny, and Adam (not in any particular order). The rest were also-rans. Lil should definitely go home, and the second one to go home could be Matt, Allison, or Anoop, all three of whom have talent and were good tonight.

~rlh~

Idol 8: from 7 to 6

Another Wednesday, another AI elimination.

Allison and Adam were safe right off the bat, but Anoop was in the bottom three. I don't think he deserved to be there (and I was fairly certain he wouldn't stay there).

Jennifer Hudson was one of the guest performers, her first time back to the Idol stage since she was eliminated back in Season 3 (the year before I started watching the show). She looked pretty and poised, and I couldn't help feeling a bit heartbroken for her, knowing the tragedy that touched her life last year.

Next round of singers: Kris was safe and Lil was sent to the bottom three. Two left: Matt and Danny. Matt was sent to the bottom three. I had predicted Matt and Lil but I would have put Adam in the bottom three instead of Anoop. And Anoop is who they sent back to the sofa.

Miley Cyrus performed (I understand it was taped earlier, so there was no chatting with Ryan after she sang). And may I say that Jamie Foxx is an idiot for saying what he did about this young girl. Calling a teenage girl what he did isn't funny. There is no excuse for it, and saying he was just doing his job as a comic is baloney. Shame on you, Mr. Foxx.

Now back to AI: Two big surprises (at least to me) happened in the last ten minutes of the show. First surprise: It wasn't Lil at the very bottom. It was Matt. Second surprise: The judges actually used their one and only save this week. Matt didn't have to go home after all (although his performance still didn't do it for me).

Bad news: Two people will go home next week after Disco night.

~rlh~

Idol 8: the 7 perform

Tonight's theme was songs from the movies with Quentin Tarantino as the guest coach. Because the show ran long last week and had a lot of upset fans of American Idol and/or the show that follows, they are judging in pairs tonight. Randy and Kara judged some performances and Paula and Simon judged the others.

Allison was good but didn't blow me away. I really liked Anoop's Everything I Do. And while Paula was ga-ga over Adam's frenetic Born to Be Wild, I'm afraid that the screeching notes he likes to throw into nearly every performance caused me to mark it down to a non-favorite. (Hey, did I tell you Adam is following me in Twitter? LOL! I feel so hip.)

Matt didn't do it for me tonight; the performance fell flat for the judges too. Danny sang Endless Love, and the judges liked it but Simon was disappointed he made it such a traditional version. Huh? I thought the simplicity was just right. And while Randy found Kris's performance pitchy, Kara loved it and so did I.

Finally, Lil sang The Rose. It was okay but not great, and Simon told her so. I predict she will be in the bottom three, joined by Matt. I would put Adam in that bottom three, too, but I don't think his fans will let that happen.

My favorites of the night:

Anoop | Danny | Kris

Idol 8: from 8 to 7

No real surprise tonight. Scott went home. And as much as I like him and agree with Paula that he was a real inspiration to everyone, it was time for him to go from this particular competition. I did think to myself that Jennifer Hudson went out at #7, so going out at #8 doesn't mean he won't go places in the music business.

Wishing you great success, Scott. God bless!

Idol 8: the 8 perform

Tonight's performances were from the year of each singer's birth.

Danny started off the night great, although it wasn't his best performance of the season. Kris didn't quite live up to previous weeks when he became one of my favorites; good but not great. Lil failed to engage me with a sort of poor-girl's-Tina-Turner performance. Anoop was good; he's always better in ballad mode.

Scott, I'm sorry to say, was totally off his game; I thought he fell flat and will probably be in danger. Allison was terrific, and she looked so pretty tonight. Matt was great, too. But the final performance by Adam brought even Simon to his feet for a Standing O.

My favorites of the night were:

Adam | Danny | Allison

Who's in danger?

Scott will most likely go home. Lil could be in the bottom three again, but I'm not sure who else will land there. Guess we'll know in about 24 hours.

~rlh~

Idol 8: from 9 to 8

No big surprise tonight (although I was a little surprised to see Allison in the bottom three, along with Anoop and Megan). Megan was the one to go home. I didn't anticipate her getting saved by the judges, but she eliminated even a chance at singing for her spot when she said she didn't care what Simon thought. I think she was just ready to go home to her kid. She's a girl with talent, but she didn't sparkle in the last few shows.

Wishing you well, Megan.

Idol 8: the 9 perform

No major rundown for you tonight. I was on the cycle for a good part of the performances so wasn't keeping notes.

Once again, the night belonged to the guys. Megan fell flat. Lil was okay but not rising to the challenge. Allison was better than the other two but did seem to do more shouting than singing and that always lowers a singer's marks from me.

Danny, as Simon said, was brilliant tonight. Kris, Adam, and Scott also had great performances. That leaves Anoop and Matt in the bottom among the fellas.

Who's in jeopardy tomorrow night? Megan, Lil, Anoop, and Matt. I'm convinced that the bottom two will be from among those four.

My favorites (by a mile) tonight:

Danny | Kris

Idol 8: from 10 to 9

So here I am in my hotel room in Peabody, Mass. My alarm went off this morning at 3:30 am. I ate a scrambled egg at 4:30 (way too early for breakfast). Then it was off to the airport. But I was there way early. I totally forgot that my original time to leave for the airport included a stop to board my dog. But since Mom came home from rehab and is there with her caregiver, I didn't need to board Poppet. Oh well.

My flight stopped in SLC, but I didn't have to change planes. I also didn't have anything nutritious to eat the rest of the day. Some cheese snacks I brought with me, a teeny-tiny packet of peanuts, and those cookies the airlines hand out. So I was pretty hungry when I got to my room right around 6:00 pm. So I indulged in a rather large meal. Now I feel stuffed and bloated. You overindulge, you pay for it, eh?

American Idol comes on an hour later on the east coast, and for a change I saw it live instead of taped. Almost right off the bat they named the first two in the bottom three: Matt and Michael. I was surprised about Matt (he was great and got some of my votes last night). I wasn't surprised at Michael being there. I knew I would be knock-me-down-stunned if Megan wasn't the singer to join them.

Well, they knocked me down. It was Scott who joined the other guys. They immediately sent him back as safe. I was pretty sure that sealed the fate of Michael. I couldn't believe Matt would go home. This time, no surprise.

Michael, wishing you great success.

Idol 8: the 10 perform

Wow! There were some great vocals tonight — but none of them belonged to the girls. I thought both Megan and Lil had poor performances. I like Megan's smoky voice and quirky vibe. I think Lil has an incredible instrument. Neither of them sang songs that brought out the best that they have to give. Allison was better than those two but only marginally so.

Who's in danger? Who do I think could be in the bottom three? My guesses are: Megan, Michael, and Scott.

I gotta say that Adam was brilliant. He had a young-Kurt-Russell-playing-a-young-Elvis thing going on in that silver suit and that special 1950's hairdo. And the thing is, the other guys I'm mentioning below had great performances, but oh my gosh, Adam's performance of Tracks of My Tears just gave me chills up and down my spine.

I put these five guys at the top (and some, but not all, are getting my votes):

Matt | Kris | Anoop | Adam | Danny

Hope I'll get to see the results in my hotel in Peabody tomorrow night.

~rlh~

Four believers among the ten

Among the remaining ten finalists on American Idol, apparently four of them are Christians (thanks to Cindy Swanson for letting me know about it). This article says a little about Danny Gokey, Lil Rounds, and Scott MacIntyre, but it's focus is on Michael Sarver. Take a moment to read it. You'll be glad you did.

We all know about Michael Sarver's journey. He is the oil field worker who can sing and loves music. He wants to make a life for his young family before he dies in one of the most dangerous jobs in America. This is what we all thought American Idol was about, didn’t we? The talented amateur pursuing a dream that could change their life is the great American dream and we can watch it play out over five months every year. But Michael Sarver is about more than that.

“This is Jasper, Texas, and for 10 years there has been a cloud over our city …” Sarver said during a brief visit home. “This is more than about Michael Sarver. It’s about Jasper, Texas, and a city that has more to give the world than hate.”

Go here to read the full article.

~rlh~

Idol 8: from 11 to 10

  

Big night. Randy Travis and Carrie Underwood sang together on the Idol stage. These are two of my favorite country singers so I was in (pardon the expression) hog heaven! Extra cool because Randy was the one who got to tell Carrie she was being inducted (or whatever they call it) into the Grand Ole Opry. (Gotta say I wasn't too crazy about her hair. Has she cut it off or was it was tucked up?) But I got goosebumps listening to them sing "I Told You So."

Not only that, but we got Brad Paisley too. Another favorite singer of mine. I use one of Brad's songs as a ring tone, and I love it every time the person it's assigned to calls me because I get to hear Brad sing for a few seconds.

Side Note: Don't you think Danny Gokey is doing for glasses on guys the same thing that Sarah Palin did for glasses on girls? Regardless, I love those specs he wears. What would Randy say? They're the bomb.

The bottom three tonight were Allison, Michael, and Alexis. The two girls in the bottom three surprised me. Right now there are seven guys to four girls this season. More shocking. It wasn't Michael at the bottom. It was Alexis. The judges said they were considering saving her, depending upon her performance. However, I was fairly certain they wouldn't use their "rescue" vote this early in the season. Plus, her performance wasn't that great. Emotions, I'm thinking. And I was right. They didn't save her.

Wishing you the best, Alexis.

~rlh~

Idol 8: the 11 perform

I've got a cold. Achy. Low grade fever. Head full of cotton. Blech! And my crazy dog never let me take a nap today. Every time I was close to nodding off, she would go on a barking spree. And those sprees start with a high pitched screech as she sails off the couch on her way to the entry window. I love her but...

Cold or no cold, I sat down to watch two hours of country week on American Idol. I am a fan of country music. Simon is not. So I was pretty sure that I was going to enjoy the night more than he would. However, I wasn't feeling good enough to give a full Write Thinking recap. You'll have to be satisfied with my favorites of the night and who I think is in danger.

Tonight belonged to the guys, IMHO. Here are my top four picks from tonight:

Anoop | Danny | Kris | Matt

In danger? I think Michael and Scott are teetering on the brink. They were good. I'm just not sure they were good enough.

(And I thought Adam was atrocious.)

Time to send my votes, then have some OJ and go to bed.

~rlh~

Idol 8: from 13 to 11

The big surprise rule change is this: One time (and only one time) during the season, the judges can save someone who is voted off that week. It must be a unanimous decision. However, the next week after a judges' save two kids will go home. The judges can do this until they're down to five contestants. (I think I got that right. I was on the cycle and may not have heard right.)

Tonight, there was no save used. Jasmine and Jorge went home. They were two of the four I thought were at risk (and the other two I chose were forced to stand with them, so I guess others thought those four were the at-risk singers, too).

Good luck, Jasmine and Jorge.

Idol 8: the final 13 perform

Well, here we go, AI fans. I hope it's a great season for all of us. Tonight's songs were from the Michael Jackson catalog. I assumed he would be coaching as well, as has been done in past years, but Lil came out onto the stage without any shots of her with Jackson and I breathed a sigh of relief. (Too much weirdness in recent years.)

Another surprise tonight: They gave us 13 finalists, but two will go home tomorrow instead of just one, so we didn't get the extra finalist for long. But they have a schedule to return to so it's understandable.

Oh, I learned something from EW. The usual phone numbers for Idol votes only go to 12. When the folks in charge tried to get the consecutive phone number ending in 13, they found out it was a sex call-in line. Yikes! So everyone is hoping that singer #13 won't lose votes because people aren't paying attention. (I text my votes so no worries.)

---

Lil did a fine job of "The Way You Make Me Feel." Very solid performance. She will sail through.

Idol 8: Wild Card Round (Judges' Picks)

Okay, since the judges will do the picking in this round (3 out of the 8), I'm hoping for at least three of them to be so much better than Tatiana that they can't pick her and still have a shred of credibility left.

• Jesse was okay but didn't make a fan of me.
• Matt was pretty cool; he's different and could be a great addition to the finalist mixture.
• Megan stood out; she's got a unique vibe and picked a perfect song for her style.
• Von started weak, ended better, but I don't think he's got a chance of moving on.
• Jasmine wowed the judges, and I liked her too, although not as much as the judges did.
• Ricky had me in his corner. I thought he was the best of the night so far, but Simon didn't agree with me.
• Tatiana was good. Ack! And then it was straight into the obnoxious drama queen the moment the music stopped.
• Anoop's good but I didn't think the song showed off enough of his vocals. But I'll bet the judges put him through.

Tick, tock, tick, tock. The waiting began. Tick, tock, tick, tock. Up next, the results.

And here are the judges' decisions — SURPRISE — they went with a final 13!

  
Jasmine | Megan | Matt | Anoop

I was disappointed that Ricky didn't make it, but I was placated somewhat because neither did Tatiana. I suppose I should be thankful for her behavior when she was done singing because it probably helped seal her fate.

~rlh~

Idol 8: Third 3 of the final 12

Tonight, they wasted no time in letting us know that Lil Rounds had made it to the finals. Just as well because I don't think anyone had any doubts about this gal being one of the top vote getters.

A few singers later, we had Kendall and Scott standing together awaiting their fate. I was pretty sure it would be Scott, and I was right. I hope Kendall is brought back as a wild card. There ought to be at least one country girl, shouldn't there?

My money was on Jorge to be the third. They took it down to Jorge and Ju'Not (who both got votes from me last night). And it was Jorge.

Next came the judges' eight picks to try for the three wild card seats. They will perform tomorrow night and the judges will vote for them. Most I'm really happy about (especially Ricky Braddy and Anoop Desai), but I was not happy about Tatiana. Groan! The producers of American Idol and/or the judges need their heads examined. Sorry. It's how I feel. She makes my teeth ache.

The wild card eight are:

Von Smith | Jasmine Murray | Ricky Braddy | Megan Corkrey

Tatiana del Toro | Matt Giraud | Jesse Lanseth | Anoop Desai

See you tomorrow night.

~rlh~

Idol 8: Third Group of 12 Sings

I was on my cycle for the first part of tonight's show, so it's a bit hard for me to give much of a commentary. I hope I can do the post justice when done from memory.

Von Smith kicked off the show well. He was followed by two so-so performances and one that was just plain dreadful (ABBA massacred). I was beginning to worry we were in for a string of duds, and then Ju'Not Joyner came out and I loved him. And he was followed by a number of other fine performances.

r. I really liked Scott. He had a few pitchy moments, but I want this guy to go through. I liked Kendall, but then I'm a country fan. Jorge was great, and he made me want to hug him. And Lil finished the show with a splash.

All in all, I had a hard time deciding who was going to get my texted votes. (I don't have an unlimited texting plan so I have to limit my votes and make them count.) But here's who I settled on, some getting more votes than others (listed alphabetically by first name):

Jorge Nunez Mendez | Ju'Not Joyner | Kendall Beard | Lil Rounds | Scott MacIntyre

Idol 8: Second 3 of the final 12

My batting average is turning out to be pretty good this year. By the half hour mark, the two finalists announced were two of the kids I voted for last night.  Allison and Kris were through. (Surely Megan will be a wild card pick in a couple of weeks.)

At six minutes til the hour, we were down to two guys. Or was it three guys? Nick/Norman and Adam. I wasn't the least bit worried at this point. No way was Nick/Norman going to beat Adam. And I should say that Nick is a funny, funny guy, and I think he's got an entertainment career ahead of him if he wants it (and I'm sure he wants it!). I just don't think American Idol is the venue to get him where he wants to go.

And at four minutes to the hour, my suspicions were confirmed. Adam was the third one through. (Four guys and only two girls thus far; wild cards will probably even things out.)

Congratulations, Allison, Kris, and Adam.

~rlh~

Idol 8: Second Group of 12 Sings

Nick-Norman/Norman-Nick ... No! No! No! Okay, now that I've got that out of my system, I feel better.

Tonight's show started off in a pretty bad way. I like Jasmine, but she wasn't good for this performance. Matt picked a really bad song. Jeanine was so off-key and over-the-top it was painful to listen to her (and her begging after the judges gave their opinion didn't endear her to me). Then it was Nick-Norman/Norman-Nick. Spare me. He's not as annoying as Tatiana, but almost.

And then Allison performed. Wow! Like Simon said, her interview was boring. Then she sang and blew me away. Kris was the first guy that I liked. Wasn't the best ever, but he was good. Megan was next. She's different, funky, unique, has lots of potential.

Although Matt disagreed with the judges that his performance was boring, I agreed with them. Good voice, boring performance, wrong song choice. Jesse did an okay performance of "Bette Davis Eyes," but it wasn't a wow. Kai was interesting and likable, but he isn't a top choice for me. Mishavonna was okay, but there were a couple of girls better.

And finally Adam came out and sang "Satisfaction." Paula was crazy about it, and Simon said it was a mixture of brilliant and awful. I think I agree with him. But he was the stand-out guy of the night.

So here are my picks for the night:

Adam Lambert | Allison Iraheta | Kris Allen | Megan Corkrey

Now I'm off to vote.

~rlh~

Idol 8: First 3 of the final 12

As the result show began, I found myself feeling anxious. I actually do have some favorites after all, and I wanted to see them go through. But the reason for my anxiety was the idea of the judges putting Tatiana through as the wild card 4th spot. I didn't believe America would vote enough to give her the third spot, and I was certain that she wouldn't be the top gal. But what would her fate be? Would the judges put her through just to torture America a little longer? Mercy, I hoped not.

No surprise when Alexis Grace made it through. And when she sang, I liked her even better tonight than last night.

I was sorry to see Ricky Braddy be eliminated. On the other hand, I was tickled for Michael Sarver. Although I wasn't nuts over the song he sang, he was among the most appealing during the audition weeks.

It was 35 after the hour and two slots were filled. Ryan said that only 20,000 votes separated Michael from Anoop. So does that mean Michael got the top votes for the guys or was he the next top vote getter? Couldn't be. Because I was confident that Danny would get the top number of votes for the guys.

Surprise, surprise. Danny and Tatiana were the last two left to take the third spot. Drama and the Drama Queen. American Idol producers were stretching it out to make the most of it. My clock said 9 minutes to the hour. Wait for it. Wait for it.

Yea!!!!!!!!!!! Danny Gokey took that third spot. He deserved it. Whew! America came through for us. (But will the judges/producers/whoever do us dirt by giving Tatiana a wild card slot?)

Okay, I made my word goal for today's writing AND I picked two of the three finalists chosen this week. I can sleep good tonight.

Idol 8: First Group of 12 Sings

Well, well, well. What do you think of the new elimination method to get to the top 12? I've got to say, I think I like it. It should weed out the merely good singers from the best ones. I guess we'll know come Wednesday night if I'm right about that.

Tonight's votes are for Top Gal, Top Guy, next highest top vote getter, and then there will be a fourth chosen (by the judges, I think) as a wild card.

It's too soon for me to give a blow by blow. Not enough time invested in these singers yet. I think I'll settle for just sharing my favorite performances from these 12 kids. I want to make the most of my votes tonight.

I didn't really have any Big Wow moments through the show. That isn't to say there weren't some fine performances. There were. But there was also an abundance of bad song choices. I was really sorry to see that happen to so many. Tatiana was pretty good (not great, but good), but I still hope she doesn't come back. Even her interaction with the judges during their comments put me on edge. And she was definitely not among the very best of the night's performances. And my early favorite, Danny Gokey, was the best of the night, IMHO. Great song. Solid performance with lots of emotion.

So here were my favorites of the night (alphabetical by first name):

  

Alexis Grace | Danny Gokey | Ricky Braddy

And your favorites?

~rlh~

Idol Thoughts: 54 to 36

Okay, I have other matters on my mind at present that are more important to me than American Idol, but I can't let tonight go by without having my say about tonight's show.

• The American Idol folks have upped the torture factor. Do they have to be so cruel to both those whose dreams are denied and to those who are continuing on? Sheesh! It is really over the top.
• I'm happy Danny Gokey made it to the 36 and I hope he goes a long way in the competition. I really like that guy. (So must the folks at Idol since they've made sure we got to see lots of him early on.)
• I'm really sorry that Danny's good buddy, Jamar Rogers, didn't make it to the top 36.
• And finally, if I have to hear Tatiana speak, laugh, scream, or cry one more time, I may start screaming myself. Please, America, if the judges fail to get rid of her in the early rounds, vote her off at the first opportunity. Take pity on sane people everywhere. Do not punish us.

Idol Thoughts: Hollywood Week, night 2

I didn't bother to post after night #1 of Hollywood week. I didn't feel any investment at that point. No major standouts yet. But after night #2, I just have to say how glad I am that "bikini girl" went home. I don't think I could have watched her preen and pose even one more episode. Her departure was the best thing to come out of tonight's episode.

I did hear some great voices tonight and have begun to root for a few kids, but I haven't learned any names yet to go with the faces. That will have to wait until there are fewer than 95 contestants remaining. Ninety-five? Is that really what they said? I'm pretty sure that's what I heard.

See you next week.

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Now, how about LOST? I'm thinking it's off to a great start but the time switches back and forth are a wee bit confusing if you aren't paying close attention. You can't watch LOST and do email at the same time. If you try, you'll be lost over LOST. {{grin}}

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Totally different subject, I got the almost final version of my cover for my November 2009 release. I am over the moon about it. It is such a perfect companion for the cover of A Vote of Confidence. I can't share it with you until the last couple of tweaks are done, but I promise, you're going to love it.

~rlh~

American Idol returns

Well, boys and girls. It's that time again. Just when I despaired of having enough to blog about, American Idol returned to the living rooms of millions last night. For a couple of weeks or so, viewers will be subjected to a lot of people living in a state of delusion.

"But my family and friends all say I sing good."

"Honey, your family and friends lied to you."

Last night was a replay of all past auditions. Strange. Painful. We had the guy with the weird hair. We had the rocker who cried. We had strange costumes. We had the folks who screamed rather than crooned. And we caught those few rare glimpses of some young people with real talent. One of them might even be the next American Idol.

I suppose the big deal about the first night was the new fourth judge, Kara DioGuardi. Looks to me like she's going to hold her own and probably fit right in. But the audition weeks are so weird, I'm not sure any of us will know how Kara fits into the mix until we are passed Hollywood week and get down to the singing and scoring.

Oh, and if that isn't enough, just one week until the new season of LOST begins.

The best thing for me is the return of these two shows mean I'll be riding my cycle on a more regular basis. At least ever Tuesday and Wednesday.

-rlh-

P.S. Am I the only one who got all teary-eyed over Scott, the blind guy at the end of those two hours of American Idol.

Faith Hill's A Baby Changes Everything

I just purchased Faith Hill's new Christmas album, Joy to the World, and listened to the awesome new song, A Baby Changes Everything. Wow. Sit back and enjoy.

Merry Christmas!