Taylor Hicks is no Clay Aiken, but he is entertaining and I have enjoyed watching him this season. I laughed so hard last night when he left Paula twirling on the catwalk. Taylor seems so comfortable and confident on stage that I have never "worried" about him like I've done with other contestants I've liked. This is probably because of opening the show up to older contestants and perhaps, although absolutely no fault of Taylor's, unfair to the younger performers. AI should make up their mind if this is a talent show to find new, young, untried talent - or just a reality show.

I haven't found any video for last night, but here is Taylor doing "Something". Please turn Clay's song off in the Jukebox in the sidebar to the right before you click on the video.



Kat is a beautiful young lady with a gorgeous voice and what appears to be stage fright. She just loses it sometimes. Whole pieces of songs get lost or misplaced. I thought her "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" last night was spectacular. Someone asked me if I liked it better than Kim Locke's version and I can't answer that question. Kim's version was Kim's and last night Kat did it her way. Just beautiful. She seems to sing better sitting on the floor, what's up with that?

The judges song choices were right on, as much as I hate to admit it....and "Hello", was Simon kind of.....well, nice last night? Nah!

I suspect that whether Taylor wins or comes in second, it doesn't matter if they allow him to do the kind of album that suits his sound - as they did with Carrie. I hope they do, it is a sin what they did to poor Bo. Kat is the one they will probably push into the mainstream. Shouldn't have any trouble getting a beautiful song out of her in the studio and who knows, maybe the tour this summer will put her more at ease. Or, maybe TPTB have had an epiphany and realize you can't put the proverbial square peg in a round hole. In other words, let the kids make the kind of album that suits them. Pfft on the popstar thing.

Sorry, Elliott is forgettable. Seems like a nice guy, but I predict he will go home tonight. Simon gave him the kiss of death last night.

The song that comes up first in the Jukebox today is A Thousand Days. I ripped the audio from a video I took at Clay's Jukebox Tour concert in Merrilleville, Indiana last summer. Here is a yousendit if you would like to download it.

ATD - Merrillville

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