Kellie Pickler brings us more thoughts (some of them deep, others not so much) from the road. In her previous journal entry, Kellie talked about what a thrill it was to be on tour, and what a strange trip it's been for her since her first auditions. Now she's back for round two of her tour exclusive, courtesy of USA Today. Here's what K.P. has to say:

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Hi again! Thanks to all of you who read my first online diary entry and posted your comments. It’s great to have your support and encouragement! Here’s the latest on where I’ve been and what I’ve been up to.

After Carolina it was off to Georgia!!! We had a lot of fun there because it was our own Georgia peach, Paris Bennett's hometown! You could tell that Georgia was very proud of Paris! Unfortunately for me I was under strict doctors orders to be on vocal rest for the next three shows! I guess I was overdoing it when we were in Carolina -- of course I wanted to show off in my hometown!

So in the meantime I focused my attention on writing songs for my album. Even though I was on vocal rest for shows in Georgia and Florida, I still wanted to say hello to all the fans, so after Bucky performed I would go out and wave to the crowd so everyone knew that I was there and appreciated their support.

After that, I would change into all black and a hoodie and I’d sit right in front of the stage and enjoy watching the others perform. And I have to say that they put on a great show!

When we left Florida I was so excited about the next stop that I couldn’t sleep. Finally we were headed to my future hometown... NASHVILLE, TN!!!!! As soon as we arrived I went straight to the doctor for a checkup to see if I was fit to sing in the tour again. Thankfully she said that I was ready to join the other Idols and perform again!

I think that Nashville was the biggest show of the whole American Idol tour for me because after all, Nashville is Music City! Everyone welcomed me with open arms and really made me feel at home.

Plus, not only were we touring there, I began recording the album too, which comes out October 31. Yeah, my first time in the studio recording for my album, I will never forget that feeling! During my first session this man walks in the door and I looked over my shoulder and quickly took a second look. I was so excited when I realized who it was... Kenny Chesney!!!!!

I couldn’t believe that he was standing next to me! It was so weird because just last year I went to one of his concerts and after his show I remember going home and calling my friend Summer and telling her that after seeing Kenny on the stage that night, I knew that that was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Until next time!
Love Kellie

Reigning American Idol winner Taylor Hicks is high on life these days. The champ sat down with EW last week and talked about working with John Mayer, keeping the Soul Patrol happy, his new album, and his aspirations of becoming a legend -- all, of course, in the span of half a year. The full transcript of the modern-day Soul Man's interview appears below.
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EW: So you're on the American Idol tour right now, but what's going on with your new album?
TAYLOR HICKS: I'm collecting and writing music. I'm starting to put ideas together for the record to have a similar thread, and I'm using one producer as opposed to 50. It's going to be soulful, very old-school-R&B-flavored, but it's also going to have a new-wave edge to it. I'm trying to fuse both of those sounds.

EW: New-wave sounds, eh?
TAYLOR HICKS: I'm gonna leave that up to Matt Serleti [the producer]. He was able to incorporate that with [Carlos Santana's] "Smooth" [with] his effects and stuff like that. We just really have to get into the laboratory and make it work.

EW: And are you writing some of the songs?
TAYLOR HICKS: I've got a song that I'm writing that's going to go on the album, and I'm working with a couple of people. You can write with the greatest songwriter in the world, but the formula for writing a hit is different no matter who you're writing it with.

EW: It's all about chemistry, right?
TAYLOR HICKS: Exactly — the chemistry of the song. I could write with famous people until I'm blue in the face 'cause of their track records with hits, but it doesn't lend itself to being a hit.

Continue Reading...

They can sing. That, we know already.

But, according to E!, Clay Aiken and Taylor Hicks are also strangely sexy. In fact, these two American Idol crooner comprise a pair of months on the network's Strangely Sexy Calendar of Hollywood'd Most Unlikely Man Candy.

Let's take a look at their pages:

You know, ladies may also like how charitable and adorable this Idol is.

You just can't compete with the Soul Patrol, people. You can't.

Bo Bice wrote three songs on his current album. Apparently, that's not enough for many enthusiastic fans.

TMZ.com obtained a petition begging Bice's record label to green light more music written personally by the American Idol runner-up.

The petition, signed by over 1,400 Idol fans at the moment, speaks directly to RCA chief Clive Davis and is below:

Bo Bice's first CD was made up of songs almost exclusively written by other artists and songwriters. When the CD was released, many of Bo's fans found they preferred his original songs, and would like RCA to support his aspiration to become an original recording artist.

We, the undersigned, want Bo Bice's original music to make up the majority of songs on his next CD.

Sincerely,
The Undersigned

Tonight marks the beginning of the stage career for Constantine Maroulis, we he debuts in the Broadway music, The Wedding Singer. We wish him very ounce of luck.

Fans who wish to follow Constantine, however, will also able to find him on the TV screen in a few months. He'll serve as a guest host on MTV's "The Little Talent Show," premiering September 18 at 6pm PDT/EDT.

But, wait, there's more from Kellie Pickler's ex-boyfriend!

For one night only, Constantine will be back in L.A. The show will be held at The Viper Room and feature his own songs, as well as songs written by Angie Aparo, Jeff Buckley and Willie Nile, one of Bono's favorite writers.

Of Maroulis performs as he did al summer on a tour of the Northwest, fans are in for a treat. The Allentown Morning Call had the following to say about these concerts:

" [American Idol] Season 4 finalist Constantine Maroulis showed he not only has a rich Broadway-style tenor voice that can go seamlessly from belt to croon but he's got the whole package."

Look out, Clay Aiken, you may have competition for most charitable American Idol contestant.

Bo Bice made a surprise visit to Youree Drive Middle School in Shreveport, Louisiana, yesterday as part of a $10,000 donation of new equipment.

Bice, the fourth season runner-up, has been making a name for himself with radio hits such as "The Real Thing." He arrived after students were told their teacher, Krista Fanning, had won new musical instruments and equipment in a contest sponsored by Intune magazine.

Needless to say, jaws dropped when the American Idol performer entered the room.

The new amps, drum set, guitars and keyboard will comprise what the school hopes will be a state of the arm music rom. Fanning was one of 200 music teachers across the country who wrote essays explaining why they needed new equipment for their students.

She obviously did a mighty fine job with her entry.

As Katharine McPhee came oh-so-close to winning American Idol this past season, a star from a different FOX show was cheering her on throughout the competition.

Rachel Bilson, who portrays the adorable Summer Roberts on The OC, says she following her former high school classmate very closely ... and tried to help her achieve victory.

"I went to support her and watched a taping of the show. I voted 100 times," Bilson said.

Alas, it wasn't enough, as Taylor Hicks walked away with the singing crown. But Bilson still has fond memories of performing with McPhee back in the day.

"We did a musical together. She was a freshman, I think, when I was a senior, so she's a few years younger, but we were friendly."

Bilson says she likes to sing "alone," so don't count on her trying out for American Idol 6. But will McPhee ever appear on The OC? You never know.

Now that they've been properly introduced, we can tell you what Kelly Clarkson was doing with this highly-respeced democrat from Illinois.

Turns out Clarkson wasn't the only person to win an MTV Video Music Award, but fail to attend the ceremony. Obama actually won, as well, for Best Spoken Album.

We're not entirely sure why Kelly handed the award over, but we do know her and her band debuted the new song, "Believe" once they were there.

We told you Simon Fuller had plans above and beyond American Idol.

The British television and music producer is adding a new division to his entertainment company in roder to promote a struggling fashion designer, Roland Mouret (pictured, right).

Mouret, 45, was well-known for a thigh-binding collection of skirts and dresses in 2004 that made a noticeable impact on his standing within the fashion industry. He enjoyed international attention when Scarlett Johansson wore a dress from his collection at the Academy Awards.

But his fortunes reversed the next season when he resigned from his label over a compensation dispute with its backers.

Now, however, Fuller has come to the rescue.

The new partnership between will be called 19RM, operated as part of Fuller’s company, 19 Entertainment, which produces albums for alumni of American Idol and the British version, Pop Idol, with singers like Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken and Taylor Hicks.

Fuller began the company in 1985, setting records for chart-topping hits and expanding its scope to representation for celebrities like David and Victoria Beckham. He sold 19 Entertainment last year to the American music industry baron Robert F. X. Sillerman, whose CKX company has also acquired most of the Elvis Presley estate.

In a statement, Mr. Fuller, who is president of 19 Entertainment, described his interest in a fashion business as a “final piece of my 19 jigsaw.”

“Fashion is the glamour that makes the soccer player an individual, the movie star a sex symbol and the musician a trendsetter and idol,” he said.

An American Idol, perhaps.

As he's proven so many times, Clay Aiken is about more than just great music. The American Idol runner-up often comes in first when it comes to charitable causes.

This is no different.

According to the White House, Aiken has been named to the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities. The committee was originally formed in 1961 by President Kennedy as the President's Panel on Mental Retardation.