Ace Young News

On American Idol, they hold nothing back when criticizing or complimenting the contestants.

But isn't it about time Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell were the ones under the spotlight? Entertainment Weekly thought so, as the magazine gathered together past finalists Ace Young, Kimberley Locke and Anthony Federov for a judgment on the judges.

Here's what they had to say:

RANDY
One of the only standouts from a lackluster guys' night, Blake Lewis still came under criticism from Randy for not breaking out his mad beatboxing skills during his rendition of Keane's ''Somewhere Only We Know.'' Randy even suggested Blake should beatbox every week.

Ace: Well, it's a singing competition. Taylor [Hicks] is really talented on harmonica, but he can't play the harmonica as part of the competition.

Kimberley: That's where the confusion comes in, I think. We all know he can't beatbox every week. That's not how the show works. I guess if he can incorporate beatboxing into every genre, that would make an interesting show; I don't know how far it would get him through the competition, though.

Randy also laid into Nicole Tranquillo — one of the two women voted off this week — for tackling Chaka Khan's ''Stay,'' a song Randy felt was ''too urban'' for her.

Anthony: I agreed with him on that. She does have a pop voice. I don't know — if that's the kind of music she likes singing, that's fine, but I think he was on point with that one. Every performance I watched, [Randy] was literally taking the words out of my mouth. He was dead-on every single performance.

Ace: I don't know what [Randy] meant by it, but I think if a song's too anything — if it's too country or too pop or whatever — I think they're saying they didn't fall into the feeling of the song. The hardest thing with Idol is you only get a minute and a half [to sing]. So ''Stairway to Heaven'' is the wrong song. Song selection is key.

Kimberley: I didn't like [Randy's] comment. I do think [the song] was a little bit unnatural for [Tranquillo], with some of her facial expressions. I think she went in for it too deep instead of just being herself. But come on, that girl hit those notes. I was very impressed with her. I know Randy Jackson of all people is not a prejudiced guy, but had I been standing there, I would've said, ''So what are you saying, I'm not black enough to sing that song?'' I was kind of offended by his comments, and that's the first time Randy's ever really offended me. Most of the time it's Simon.

PAULA
Paula, meanwhile, went easy on Tranquillo, repeatedly brushing off Randy and Simon's criticisms of her by exclaiming that the girl can sing.

Anthony: I disagreed with Paula on that one. What she's doing is great; she's trying to give the performers more confidence. I think she heard a very good voice, [but] she was a little bit off in terms of judging.

Kimberley: Paula's an artist and she can be sympathetic with us, but sometimes I think she just flat-out lies just to make us feel better. She told the one girl [Haley Scarnato], with the black one-piece pantsuit with the high-waisted belt, [that] she was great, and I didn't think she was great.

After Simon commented that erstwhile bluesman Sundance Head didn't know what to do with his hands, Paula, well, started rubbing her chest and telling Sundance he should do the same. What was that about?

Ace: I have no idea, honestly. The judges have their own inside jokes that sometimes don't even pertain to the person on stage. They've known each other for so long that they can just pass [insider] signals [to each other] and have a whole conversation.

And then there was Paula's volume-tastic hair.

Kimberley: Paula's hair looked a little dry. She has a lot of hair right now, a whole up-down thing going all at the same time — like, she had a pony in the back, but it was all really down. But Paula's beautiful, so she can take hair risks.

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Some of our favorite American Idol also-rans appeared on Larry King last week.

The most talkative and seemingly intelligent? Bucky Covington, who's single - "A Different World" - is climbing the country charts.

Also on the show, near the end of this clip? William Hung. Apparently, the awful singer has made over $1 million so far during his post-Idol run. In other words: You don't need to sound like Sundance Head in order to bring in the bucks.

Ace Young wants to know whether he's really connecting with his fans.

"I need to know if 'it' is working," he said to The Grand Rapids Press before meeting nearly 1,200 fans who congregated Saturday outside Van Andel Arena.

At least two fans believe Young's link with his fans is in fine form.

"He represents everybody, and he's so down to earth," said Michelle Flint, 26, of Grand Rapids, who was waiting to meet the former American Idol contestant before his appearance at the first intermission of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey game.

"Ace is so nice, and he hasn't let his fame go to his head," said Brittany Duba, 18, of Grand Rapids.

Young, who finished seventh during last season's American Idol contest, was excited about sharing songs old and new with the sold-out crowd.

"I'm singing 'Scattered,' my first single, and 'Dream On' by Aerosmith," he said. "I want my fans to know you can always dream for the future."

As much as the Denver native is thrilled about performing and writing music with Desmond Child for a forthcoming album, his greatest joy is in giving back through his charitable efforts.

"On my website, I feature some kids with cancer, and one of them, McKenzie, is 3, and she just relapsed and needs a bone marrow transplant," he said.

"To see so many of my fans get tested to see if they are a match is amazing."

Because of his brother's car accident ten years ago, Young is especially sensitive to the needs of families with hospitalized children.

Along with his fan club, Highrollers with Heart, Young has raised more then $80,000 for a "family amenities" area at Denver Children's Hospital.

Keep those chins up, Sundance Head, Porcelana Patino and other American Idol Six contestants: Even if you don't win this season, there are big things ahead.

Just ask former, supposed losers on the show.

Bucky Covington (pictured) said he likes to think he wasn't "kicked-off" as a finalist on the fifth season of American Idol. He described it as being "invited to leave."

"I definitely got the boot, hard. But, hey, you know, the good thing about American Idol is you don't have to win it to do something with it. I think that's the biggest thing about the show is that a lot of people that don't win still end up [with entertainment] careers," Covington said during Thursday night's broadcast of CNN's Larry King Live.

Kimberly Caldwell said when she was eliminated from the second season of Idol as one its finalists, it took a while to sink in.

"When it first happened, I just thought, you know, I'll go back to the house and I'll just, you know, practice my song and come back next week and sing Cher. But that didn't happen," Caldwell told King. "So, I mean, yes, it was sad at first. It really was. And then I realized, listen, I can take this opportunity and I can make it into something for myself or I can decide to go back to Katy, Texas and sit there and try to sing at like a local pub. And that's not what I wanted for myself. So I decided to take the bigger step and stay in Los Angeles and really pursue everything."

Caldwell said she's been "really lucky" since that day she left Idol, first landing a job on Fox Sports' 54321 television show and later as co-host of the TV Guide Channel's Idol Tonight. She's also working on a "country rock" album, just filmed a movie in Vancouver and is the new spokesmodel for Michael Antonio shoes, the catalogue of which just came out and was seen by original runner-up Justin Guarini.

"It looks good. It looked very good," said Guarini about Caldwell's appearance in the catalogue.

Guarini said although he finished second to Kelly Clarkson during Idol's inaugural season, the experience was definitely worth it. He's currently working on his third album, just finished filming the movie Fast Girl and will be co-hosting the upcoming second season of Idol Tonight alongside Caldwell.

"Honestly, [American Idol] gave all of us the keys to a career. I mean you can't buy the sort of exposure that we got on that show," Guarini told King. "And, I mean, the fact that this is a reality TV show that is based on talent, not about stabbing some teammate in the back...It's not about some wacky family versus some other wacky family. It's about talent and it's about America choosing who they want to hear and see on the radio."

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We've shown your Clay Aiken yukking it up on stage and Chris Daughty rocking out on a similar platform.

One place the American Idol Picture of the Day has not taken fans, however? DisneyWorld. We figured it was time to change that.

Below, Kevin Covais, Mandisa, Paris Bennett and Ace Young all take in the sights. Among them, of course, was a certain happy, silly dog. He's quite goofy, if we do say so ourselves.

Here’s some information we’ve come across from around the world of American Idol. There’s certainly a lot going on with our favorite stars, as we try our best to keep you updated...

KELLIE PICKLER

Although she confessed terrible details of her childhood this week, there's been nothing but good news for Kellie Pickler (right) in terms of album sales and critical recognition.

Her CD, Small Town Girl, sold 79,000 copies in its first week and debuted at #9 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on the Country chart! Good for her!

CHRIS DAUGHTRY & ACE YOUNG

Tickets are now on sale for San Diego Star 94.1's Jingle Ball, a concert takeing place Friday, December 8 at 7 p.m. Chris Daughtry and Ace Young will appear, along with Jewel, Smashmouth, Five for Fighting and 3 Doors Down. For ticket information, check out the station's website.

Also, if you want to hear a preview of the debut album from the Daughtry band, the Sony music store has put up a few clips to stir fans' appetites.

FANTASIA BARRINO

The release date for Fantasia Barrino's CD has been moved from November 28 to December 12. Not clear on why this delay is taking place, but we look forward to hearing the album in December.

KATHARINE MCPHEE

The debut album was first moved from November 28 to December 5, and now, we're told it's been moved again, back to December 19, barely enough time to capitalize on Christmas sales. Of course, as tends to happen with Katharine McPhee, rumors are swirling regarding the delay. Does the starlet continue to have voice problems? Are there issues between her and the producers?

One item that has not been delayed is Katharine's appearance on VH1's Big in '06 on Sunday, December 3. She'll also be presenting on the American Music Awards along with Taylor Hicks and Clay Aiken. Carrie Underwood will be a performer. The AMA's will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and will air live next Tuesday, November 21!

Here's some information we've come across from around the world of American Idol. There's certainly a lot going on with our favorite stars, and we try our best to keep you updated! Below is our breakdown...

CARRIE UNDERWOOD

As you’ve probably heard, Carrie Underwood will perform at the Charleston Municipal Auditorium December 9. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m.

Speaking of Carrie, we caught her video for "Before He Cheats" the other day. Though she’s come a long way from her simpler American Idol days, it is still not easy to believe she's the kind of girl who would bash her boyfriend’s headlights in with a baseball bat.

Look at her! She's just too sweet! We don't buy the vengeful angle... we will, however, buy her music!

KELLIE PICKLER

Kellie Pickler’s CD, Small Town Girl, is in stores as of today! Be sure to check out our review in a separate post, coming very soon. Kellie will perform her first single, "Red High Heels" on The Tonight Show Friday.

BUCKY COVINGTON

Bucky Covington and his wife are moving to Nashville today. We hear he plans to go straight to the studio to record some tunes. Good luck, Bucky!

ACE YOUNG

The new single from Ace Young, “Scattered,” is officialy available for download on iTunes. We thought it was a little cheesy, to be sure, but it grows on you. And yes, his falsetto is on full display. As far as we know, though, Ace has not signed with any record label.

KATHARINE MCPHEE

Looks like Katharine McPhee’s a little gutsier than I gave her credit for. Katharine was scheduled to sing “Over the Rainbow” at the Carousel of Hope Gala, but when she saw Whitney Houston in the audience, she changed to “I Have Nothing.”

Considering the performance of that song that she gave on American Idol, it was certainly a testament to McPhee's courage to get up there and try it a second time. It paid off, though, as Whitney nodded her head in approval at the performance.

You might remember that Katharine (seen here with beau Nick Cokas, right, at the event in Beverly Hills) was roundly criticized by the judges after performing "I Have Nothing" On American Idol. The viewing audience, however, disagreed and voted her into the Top 2. Simon Cowell apologized to her on that week's results show.

TAYLOR HICKS

Taylor Hicks’ CD release date has been moved to December 5, which means he will be after Katharine (November 28) and on the same date as Fantasia. According to GrayCharles.com, he continues to work on his upcoming album, 75 percent of which is complete.

The producers are beginning to mix some of the songs. If you, like many of his fans, are eagerly looking forward to seeing Taylor Hicks in concert, the Soul Man will start a three-month tour in February and plans to "play lots of different size towns, even smaller ones."

Hopefully, that's going to be a town near you.

CHRIS DAUGHTRY

Chris Daughtry’s release date is still set for November 21, but he's ditching the first name thing... the release will come from Daughtry -- the Bon Jovi-esque name of his new band. Howard Benson, who worked with All-American Rejects and My Chemical Romance, is the producer. Chris says he realizes not winning Idol was better for him.

According to a blurb posted on puretonemusic.com, here are all 12 confirmed song titles (in sequence): It's Not Over, Used To, Home, Over You, Crashed, Feels Like Tonight, What I Want (featuring Slash), Breakdown, Gone, There And Back Again, All These Lives, and What About Now.

The site also reported that the song, "Sorry" will be exclusive to iTunes and the newly recorded acoustic versions of "Home" and "Crashed" will be exclusive to WalMart.

JOSH GRACIN

Josh Gracin’s next CD, All About Y’all will be released in early 2007. I was a little worried about Josh since his original release date came and went and his website had not been updated in months. His new single, "I Keep Coming Back" is from the same songwriting team that wrote "What Hurts the Most."

KIMBERLEY LOCKE

The second CD released by Kimberley Locke, Based on a True Story, will hit the shelves of record stores in March 2007. It will be great to hear what the Supawoman has in store for us then!

CLAY AIKEN

The one and only Clay Aiken is scheduled to appear on The Megan Mullally Show this Thursday, November 2.

And, as we reported last week, Clay will also appear on Days of Our Lives as himself December 22, serenading Steve and Kayla with “Everything I Have.” Clay’s version of “O, Holy Night” will also be featured in the episode.

FANTASIA BARRINO

Fantasia Barrino's single, "Hood Boy" is being released to radio. Her album is set to be released on December 12. You can listen to a stream at her MySpace. Lastly, Season 5 semi-finalist Patrick Hall releases his single "One For the Ages" tomorrow. The album, One For the Ages, will be available February 2007.

Ace Young and Kimberley Locke (pictured) will appear in Denver, Colo., on November 5 for Operation Holiday Spirit, a fundraiser that strives to raise money to send "packages stuffed with holiday treats plus personal messages from the stars and gifts like portable DVD players and iPods" to troops overseas.

The group aims to raise at least $100,000 at the event. Celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Rosie O'Donnell and Cher have already donated items for a silent auction.

Red carpet begins at 5:30 p.m. outside Denver's Paramount Theater. The show starts at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale through TicketMaster and the Paramount box office. Tickets range from $65-85 and include parking.

Meanwhile, two time zones away, another American Idol finalist from this past season will be a presenter at the Long Island Music Hall of Fame's first annual Induction Gala.

Chicken Little, a.k.a. Kevin Covais, will be on hand and performing at the Patchogue Theatre on October 15. Some of the inductees include Billy Joel, Joan Jett, Twisted Sister, Little Anthony, Leslie West and Mountain, and Peter Criss of KISS.

Thank goodness for Entertainment Weekly. The magazine reviewed a concert from the Season Five American Idol tour last week. With Taylor, Chris and the crew at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, NJ, here's one critic's take on various performers:

Most likely to succeed: Based on audience feedback, Chris Daughtry may be poised for the biggest post-Idol career. It doesn't hurt that the guy is sex on a stick - parents should probably to cover the wee ones' ears and eyes during his cover of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" - but he's also the most polished, confident performer of the bunch.

Most embarrassing: Ace Young will never advance beyond cheesy Idol also-ran status, if only for his painfully literal on-stage gestures. He traced a tear down his face on two separate occasions - singing the words "cried" on "Father Figure" and "cries" on Maroon 5's "Harder to Breathe." He also tapped his head meaningfully on the word "mind." That's just wrong.

Most surprising: Tenth-place finisher Lisa Tucker had the night's strongest showing among the women, sitting down at the piano to offer a restrained, heartfelt rendition of Elton John's "Your Song" - with no accompaniment from the band.

Most disappointing: Since her grandma Ann Nesby is apparently unwilling to say it, I'll deliver a much needed newsflash to Paris Bennett: "Young lady, you are not, nor will you ever be, the next Beyoncé Knowles." Paris' shenanigans on "Crazy in Love" provided too much awkward wiggle, and almost no vocal sizzle.

Most in need of a good life coach: After hearing his awesome one-two-three punch of "Moody's Mood for Love," "Never Too Much," and "Trouble," who could deny that Elliott Yamin is the best singer on the entire Idol tour? However, even after winning over millions of fans en route to a third-place finish, the guy still looks vaguely skittish at center stage. It might help if he traded a solo career for fronting a smooth jazz-R&B band.

Most sincere: It was actually Kellie Pickler. She sounded sincerely genuine thanking her fans for giving her a chance at fulfilling her dreams.

Most puzzling: No doubt, Taylor Hicks has a fine voice. And no doubt, he's going to sell boatloads of records. Still, this year's champ offered up a set that was just slightly underwhelming. Perhaps he's a little burned out from taking the lion's share of tour publicity, but after opening strong on "Jailhouse Rock" and Bob Seeger's "Hollywood Nights," he seemed oddly detached on "Sweet Soul Music" and "Don't Let Me Down."

What can't the American Idol finalists live without?

A lot of things, ranging from the physically essential (insulin) to the spiritual (the Bible) to the emotional (a blanket from home). As they kick off their 51-city tour in Manchester, N.H., the awesome Idols told People Magazine what special things they'll be taking with them on the road. The tour begins July 5. That's today!

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"I have two things: a bracelet that my fans made for me that says Ace Music on it and beanies so I can throw them out to fans. I have over 300 made. They're going to have a logo that my fans and I have put together." -- Ace Young

"A Taylor travel guitar. It's a little bitty one. It'll go in the bunk with me." -- Taylor Hicks

"A couple pictures of my family and my dog Lily." -- Katharine McPhee

"I have to bring my cowboy hat, black and brown." -- Bucky Covington

"My Bible, of course. The Psalms is a really great book because it runs every emotion possible. I imagine I could use that on tour." -- Mandisa

"My teddy bear. I got it for my Sweet 16 birthday last year and he's still alive. He's a caramel color and so soft. I bought him a new outfit because I just turned 17 on June 13." -- Lisa Tucker

"My little blankie from home. I've had it ever since I was little. It was passed along my family from my grandparents, from grandma to grandma to grandma." -- Kellie Pickler

"My stuffed-animal SpongeBob and my SpongeBob blanket. Kellie's blankie is not as cool as mine!" -- Paris Bennett

"Insulin. I really can't live without it (as a diabetic)." -- Elliott Yamin