The Unofficial Danny Gokey FanSite |  |
- Happy Birthday, Chris Richardson!
- More with Adam Lambert: Johnny Weir and NYC Fashion Week
- A ‘Canadian Idol’ moment
- Golightly-gate: the latest, plus Simon Cowell and Adam Lambert weigh in
- Producer Steve Lillywhite gunning to be Simon’s successor
- Idol reject Angela Martin gets a surprise boost from Ellen
| Happy Birthday, Chris Richardson! Posted: 20 Feb 2010 09:58 AM PST Season 6 finalist Chris Richardson celebrates his 26th birthday today. While Chris was a contestant on American Idol, he soared through the semifinals and into the finals. He did a good job of picking songs that suited his modern pop-rock vocals. It wasnt until American Idols seventh season when contestants could start playing musical instruments, so Chris was unable to showcase his talent on the piano, guitar, and drums during his season. Chris spent the summer after Season 6 touring around the country with his fellow Top 10 finalists. In early 2008, Chris released a single called All Alone that became available for download. During the Season 6 competition, he became close friends with runner-up Blake Lewis, and he even co-wrote a couple tracks, Whatcha Got 2 Lose? and Human, on Blakes debut album, Audio Day Dream. These days, Chris has been playing gigs in and around his hometown and is working on his music. Happy Birthday, Chris! View photos of Chris performing on American Idols Inspirational Songs week.
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| More with Adam Lambert: Johnny Weir and NYC Fashion Week Posted: 20 Feb 2010 09:58 AM PST  After our awesome hang with Adam Lambert on Thursday, we also took a few minutes to catch up with last season's runner-up, who had just returned from New York, where he performed alongside Kris Allen and Allison Iraheta at the Highline, hit the tents at Fashion Week, and taped an acoustic performance for VH1. Plus, since the men's figure skating finals were mere hours away when this interview was conducted, we just had to ask his thoughts on Johnny Weir, or, as we like to call him, Adam Lambert on ice. Since you're here to provide for a music class, we were curious if you learned an instrument in school… When How did it feel to hear "Whataya Want From Me" on recorders? It How was the reunion in N.Y. with you Kris and Alison? It was great. I love them so much. The three of us, we're like How much did you guys get to rehearse Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy?" We did it during soundcheck just one time through. All three of us knew the song and Kris and Allison are such incredible musicians. What we have in common is that we don't need to rehearse everything to death, we kind of like to free-form it and fly by the seat of our pants. We're all really comfortable with that. During your VH1 taping, we read, there were several false starts. Was that you just being a perfectionist or a drama queen? Well it was a taped performance and it was just getting my sound right. I am a perfectionist, but not in a drama queen kind of way. It was more like I needed to make sure the sound was right, because we were switching from electric to acoustic, so that makes things kind of difficult. So did you see that there's an Alex Lambert in the Top 24? Yeah! I saw that! No relation. That's hilarious, though. Alex and Adam are very similar. It's nice irony. And I actually heard a little clip of him and he had a nice voice, from what I remember. Tell us a little about fashion week. Oh my God, I had so much fun! I went to the Blonds show and they've actually designed some pieces for me. There was this jacket with spikes on the shoulders that I wore for my album shoot. And then I ended up taking off one of the epaulets and wearing it for the "For Your Entertainment" video. So I really like their aesthetic. It's awesome, and they gave me this glove thing to wear, so I had a blast. Have you seen Johnny Weir on the Olympics? People keep asking me about him, but I don't know much about him. I think it's funny that I keep getting asked about him. It's probably because he's gay. [Weir, it should be noted, prefers privacy on the matter of his sexuality.] He's not really my type, but I've seen a couple of photos, I should look him up. I heard he skated to Lady Gaga music, which I think is awesome. – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Photo: Johnny Weir at the Grand Prix "NHK Trophy" in Nagano Japan. Credit: Masato Yamada; Adam Lambert on the May 5 episode of "American Idol." Credit: Ray Mickshaw / Fox
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| Posted: 20 Feb 2010 09:58 AM PST It's easy to forget that some twenty-some countries have their own versions of "American Idol," each a star-making vehicle designed to discover and showcase local talent. But occasionally, you run smack into it. Like the time I visited Israel at the height of "Kochav Nolad" mania (translation: "A Star is Born") and witnessed a paparazzi stampede over its first winner, Ninet Tayeb. Or when I stumbled upon a 2008 "Canadian Idol" group number of "Money City Maniacs," originally sung by one of my all-time favorite bands, Toronto's Sloan. (See the original from their 1998 album "Navy Blues" and the "Idol" spin below.) Little known around these parts, Sloan is an incredibly influential indie rock band north of the border; so much so that this wasn't the only time its songs had been used in the competition. In 2006, 17-year-old contender Chad Doucette took on one of their later singles, the foreboding ballad "The Other Man," and in another group number from that season, a medley of Canadian hits, Sloan's "Rest of My Life" was ostensibly butchered. So why am I going on and on about some band you never heard of? Because they're playing L.A., of course. Sunday night at King King, to be specific (with Sloan über-fan Taylor Locke, of Rooney fame, opening), and this is what's called spreading the word. If you're into undeniable power pop coupled with savant-like skills (Sloan's four members are known to swap instruments multiple times in one set) at a high volume, then come rock out with me. I'll be the one cheering in the back — wearing a Fox-issued "Idol" hoodie, naturally. – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter
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| Golightly-gate: the latest, plus Simon Cowell and Adam Lambert weigh in Posted: 20 Feb 2010 09:58 AM PST It wasn't the first "American Idol" surprise disqualification — and probably not the last — but something about Chris Golightly's journey cut short, from foster child to boy band hopeful to top-24 contender, seems to have hit a nerve with "Idol" viewers and judges alike. "I honestly don't have a clue why he's been removed from the competition," Simon Cowell said on Thursday. "I'm guessing it's some sort of technical reason, but it's a shame for him. He needed this opportunity." Indeed, Golightly's plight had all the trappings of the perfect tug-at-your-heartstrings back-story. The Orange County native was an orphan with lofty goals, which he thought he was on his way to achieving, first through a boy band endeavor called D.R.E.A.M. 5 that never quite came together, and then by making it to the top 50 of "Idol." But two days before the top 24 were to be announced, Golightly got a phone call that would forever shatter his dream. "On Monday, they said I was automatically disqualified," he told Idol Tracker of news delivered by one of the attorneys for the show. "He told me, 'Your talent speaks volumes, you had a good run.'" The reason given, according to Golightly: He had not divulged a previous professional contract, one he claims was binding until June 2009, the month before he auditioned in Los Angeles. Once his former manager located the contract, Golightly says an e-mail was sent to the appropriate parties at "Idol" producer 19 Entertainment but he was told it was too late and that he would not be allowed to continue or to try out again next year. Golightly's former manager, Lawrence Franklin, told USA Today that while waiting on release documents to clear Golightly, "time kind of ran out for Chris" when a replacement, Tim Urban, was named. He also contends that Golightly re-upped with his company, Dream Projects Entertainment, in May 2009 but that the company was willing to work with the show to release him of any contractual obligations. Adam Lambert, for one, can relate. Last year, he had to contend with unreleased music that a former associate wanted to put on the market. "The way the entertainment industry works is the minute you get any notoriety, people want to capitalize on it," Lambert said. "It can be really difficult because those things are sometimes out of your control and, like it or not, people can be sneaky or kind of heartless in trying to get something from you once you get to a certain point." But Lambert is careful to point out that when it comes to situations like Golightly's, the facts can be convoluted and the stakes only complicate matters."This guy who got disqualified feels screwed, but it's not 19's fault; they're just trying to be fair," Lambert said. "Sometimes these things are just out of your control and business is business." For what it's worth, Golightly (yes, that's his real last name) insists his Hollywood experience was a positive one. "The vocal coaches guaranteed I would be in the top three or four," he said. His three-audition run included the song "Note to God" by JoJo, "Get Ready" as a group number and Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror," which he says "opened the judges' eyes." As for their criticisms? "They said I should stop being so somber," he recalled. "So on the group rounds, I was singing and dancing. … I was so happy!" Cowell doesn't disagree. "I remember Chris' first audition very well because Kara [DioGuardi] was completely and utterly besotted with him," he said Thursday. "I wasn't quite so keen on him, and then the second time we saw him, he wasn't as strong as he was on his first audition." Golightly says he started getting the heave-ho hint three weeks ago. "I noticed they didn't show any of my Hollywood week performances," he said. "They didn't show me sing!" Understandably, this 25-year-old, who's crashing on a friend's floor in Reseda after giving up his apartment lease, is angered, so much so that he's thrown any promise of confidentiality, written or otherwise, out the window. "I've been telling the truth," he said. "I don't know how this happened or what else it could be. I thought it was maybe some juvenile hall stuff from me running away, but it wasn't even that bad." He's not the only one who's perplexed as to what went down. Fox hasn't offered any comment on the show's action, and Cowell himself vowed to "find out what the reason is" and even encouraged Golightly to try out for "The X Factor." Still, Golightly is having a hard time coming to terms with this rejection. Despite his efforts, he said "nothing has progressed" in his bid to return to the top 24, or, as has been suggested (mainly by him), a top 25. "They did a top 13," Golightly said with a resigned sigh. "I've had such bad luck, growing up in the system, living in foster homes all my life. … I've never tried to use it as a crutch, but when does the pain end and the sunshine begin?" Check out Chris Golightly's slightly more optimistic Golden Ticket interview here: – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter
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| Producer Steve Lillywhite gunning to be Simon’s successor Posted: 20 Feb 2010 09:58 AM PST In a surprising video appeal, legendary producer Steve Lillywhite is publicly campaigning to take over Simon Cowell's spot on "American Idol." The man who brought to life seminal albums by U2, Talking Heads, the Dave Matthews Band, Jason Mraz and Matchbox Twenty, among others, boasts the compulsory British accent and music business chops, he's sassy and saucy, and, let's face it, artists — rock bands in particular — love him. Lillywhite hasn't had too many flops, either. You can't even count his short-lived stint as a senior VP of A&R at Columbia Records. It lasted a little over a year, but in that time, he signed MGMT, who garnered a Grammy nomination this year. Simon Cowell didn't seem opposed to the prospect when Lillywhite's name was mentioned on Thursday's conference call. "Is he handsome?" Cowell cracked, adding that any potential replacement has "got to be good looking." What do you think? Would Lillywhite cut it? Check out the video below and chime in! – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter
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| Idol reject Angela Martin gets a surprise boost from Ellen Posted: 20 Feb 2010 09:58 AM PST Angela Martin is one of those Idol contestants with a heartbreaking story that makes you want to root for her. She auditioned for the show twice before this year, but in each instance she was hampered by fate: The first time she tried out, her father was murdered just before Hollywood Week. The second time, she says she ended up in jail for parking violations she couldn't pay. This time, it seemed like she had a chance when we watched her back in January at the Chicago auditions. Alas, she didn't make the top 24, and it looked like she'd missed her chance, since she'll be over the show's age limit next year. But today, she appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," and the new Idol judge dropped a happy bombshell on her. After Angela chatted and performed, Ellen revealed that fellow judge Kara DioGuardi had decided to write and produce a song for the young singer. "We are going to get you a record label!" Ellen assured her, as the two hugged. Watch the moment here:
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