In 2006 Martina McBride stole the show at the CMA Music Festival. Despite performances from the likes of Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Brooks & Dunn, and Wynonna, it was the straight-up, plant-your-feet-and-sing set from Kansas-born McBride that took the prize. In its festival wrap-up, the Nashville Tennessean pronounced hers the "best performance — hands down, for sure, no question."
Except that McBride herself doesn't quite agree. "My memory is of that show completely sucking — I thought it was a mess!" she says now. "They used smoke for the TV filming that I have an allergy to, so while I was waiting to go on, I started to get this reaction, like I had a wool sweater in my throat. I was coughing between lines, and it took five songs to get to where it felt like it had passed."
This year, though, there was every reason to expect an even better show from McBride: She has a new album, Waking Up Laughing, which has already spawned a couple of hi
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Ah, the glamorous life of a newly minted American Idol: Mere hours after a Badgley Mischka-clad Jordin Sparks beat out Blake Lewis for the coveted title on May 23, the effusive 17-year-old Arizona native had changed into jeans and was wolfing down a roast-beef sandwich. "Sorry," she said, politely covering her mouth. "I haven't eaten since breakfast." While Sparks seemed like a clear victor after nailing her final performances, she swears she didn't see it that way: "I had no idea what was going to happen. When Blake and I were standing up there [waiting to hear who'd won], he was just like, 'I love you, sweetheart,' and he squeezed my hand, and I realized that no matter what happened, everything was going to be OK."
OK, indeed. Here is TV Guide's post-fina
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Before I give away too much for those of you who haven’t watched the results show and haven’t heard the news — and obviously live in a vacuum, because this news will be everywhere — let's just say that Ryan walked past the Idols as he does every Wednesday and looked at Sanjy when he asked the fateful question, “Is your favorite safe?”But first, Simon and the “eye-roll” warranted commentary from he, himself. He broke his rule never to discuss press frenzies, not wanting to be thought of as that guy who finds tragedy worth ridiculing. And my how they went on about it. They spent more time explaining what actually happened on the show last night than they did making any intelligible or coherent comment the night before about the VT tragedy. Ryan told Simon that if he did less talking and more listening, we would not have to spend so much time reviewing the tapes to see what really happened.Ryan announced the kids would sing “I’m Alright...
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“... that love was meant for beauty queens and high-school girls with clear-skinned smiles....” Who could this be about?Martina McBride, country superstar and mentor to the Idols, showed up. And after she won award after award, year after year, with the same haircut, Martina got a weave for the Idolites. Her advice to the Idols was to “tell the story” of the song — sounds like the same advice Tony gave them, J.Lo gave them; I think even Diana Ross may have said something similar. Only Gwen neglected to share with them that bit of wisdom. So with Martina, her weave and Phil Stacey’s shiny noggin, we began the top-seven countdown.Philly boy, nice save. With the help of Keith Urban’s “Where the Blacktop Ends,” Phil was able to come back from the depths of never-never and skid into middle earth. He actually sung the song from beginning to end. He brought it with the first note, and he took it all the way through to the last note. The song was...
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As part of American Idol's first night of viewer-decided eliminations, it was officially announced that both Jennifer Lopez and Gwen Stefani will be performing on the show later this season. Also slated for stop-bys are Jon Bon Jovi, Martina McBride (one of my favorite tennis players), Diana Ross (maybe that fueled the Jacko rumor?), Barry Gibb, and Lulu and Peter Noone from Herman's Hermits (fronting a "British Invasion" theme night. Start shuddering now). In other Idol news, Season 5 finalist Kellie Pickler will perform her new single, "I Wonder," on next week's results show.
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