Season 6 American Idol contestants. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)
In a single city, I personally had four different auditions. First the cattle call, where everyone in the coliseum gets to sing for one of the 15 (give or take) tables on the floor. Next I sang for Ken Warwick the first (and now only) executive producer. Then I made it through Nigel Lythgoe, the other (and now ex) executive producer. Finally, about a month after I first lined up at the FedEx Forum, I got to travel back to Memphis and sing for Randy, Paula, and Simon. This is when my wife decided to have our baby.
By the time I saw the judges, producers had narrowed the field down from 16,000 to around 350. It was quiet in the waiting room because people were filming their “stories” in the front of the room. Each of us was just waiting our turn. I had already become friends with Chris Sligh (we made it through the first round at exactly the same time, but he went to Birmingham for the subsequent rounds of auditions). I met Gina Glocksen and Melinda Doolitte on this final city audition day – along with several other people who are still friends. Chris, Gina and I became MySpace friends and stayed closely connected until the day all three of us moved to Los Angeles as semi-finalists for the show.
The day of the final audition, you are moved closer to the hall where the judges are as the wait becomes shorter. Once in the holding room, you watch as one by one people leave the room disappointed, sometimes crushed. And besides a few people who were dressed ridiculously, none of us knew who the “joke” auditions were until we saw the episode air the following January. This includes the people who gave the “joke” auditions. With that in mind, there were many funny auditions tonight, but they are less humorous when you realize that they really don’t know that they are bad. Hey, I confess, I thought I was better than I was!
A lot of great people auditioned in Kansas City. The people I am looking to go far are…
Von Smith - Sang “Over the Rainbow” with his big high voice! He will come in handy for all those cheesy group numbers during semi-finals.
India Morrison – A girl rapper. Blake Lewis taught us America likes to vote for originality.
Danny Gokey – He was great. And his heartbreaking back-story will not only endear him to the audience, but also give him a drive and purpose that will set him apart from other contestants.
Lil Rounds – Fantasia 2.0 sounded fantastic. I just want her to know how extremely hard being away from her three children for almost an entire year is if she becomes a finalist.
Now for question and answer…
James from Wichita writes: “My question has to do with the song that all the contesents sing in each of the preliminary episodes. Do the producers of the show make all of the contestents sing that song in their individual audition?”
The answer is yes. However, I was asked to sing this song during one of my producer audition… So I didn’t sing it for the three judges. I know the way they edit it makes it look like they sing it for Randy, Paula and Simon, but they don’t. Each audition with the judges only lasts a few moments, and then it’s done.
Please feel free to email me at staceypro@yaho.com with any Idol related questions you may have! Until next time, be blessed!
5 Comments
Thanks, Phil. Interesting stuff. I didn’t realize you actully auditioned 4 times. So the 2nd and 3rd auditions for Ken and Nigel were both in Birmingham if I understand you correctly. How much time between the final audition before you go to Hollywood?
Phil,
I’ve also posted on your blogspot blog, but haven’t seen your entries there yet. So I will comment here as well, as I don’t have a paper near me that carries your blog. I am enjoying these as well as your LA Times entries. I try to read as many of them I can, lol. I am so thankful the judges gave you the okay to Hollywood. With all that I’m finding out that you had to go through to audition, I can’t stop taking my hat off to you, or anyone for that matter, who makes it on the show. Looking forward to next week.
Phil,
I am trying to post again, as my first one didn’t go through, it looks like. After reading about all these auditions you had to go through, I take my hat off to you again, as well as anyone who has made it on the show. Looking forward to next week’s blogs.
Phil, knowing now how tough it was to make it through those auditions, I take my hat off to you, and anyone, for that matter, who has made it on the show. There is so much involved. Thanks for sharing with us.
Phil, it’s amazing how much it takes to make it to the show. I take my hat off to you and everyone else who has made it. I shall do my best to be patient now for next week’s blogs, lol.