AI Season 8: Top 11 - Week of 3-17-09

[Moonshot]

This thread will contain real time SPOILERS! If you don't want to know what happens please read the thread after the show premiers in your area. All discussion related to the show should be contained in this thread so as not to ruin surprises for the different time zones.

The parties will start when the show starts at 8:00 PM Eastern time.

1: Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. You are allowed to discuss opinions in a reasonable manner but you can not attack someone if they like or dislike a particular contestant.  Please respect your fellow posters.

2: There will be no personal bashing of any contestant. You can say you don't like the contestant for their performances or because you just don't like their personality but please do not personally attack the person. No name calling will be tolerated.

3: Please do not post pictures in the thread.  Some people still have dial up and the speed of the thread is impacted with the number of pictures posted. In other words, it takes a long time for their thread to load.

4: People come back and read the thread after the show is over, we're going to try to do our best this year to note who is singing and what for each show. When referring to a contestant, if possible, please use their names so we know exactly which contestant you are referring too.

5: Remember our Claymaniac friends on the West Coast and don't post AI information in community threads. Keep discussion and spoilers here.

6: Also asking you not to post Dial Idol results. Many people don't want to know who may or may not be voted off until the show airs.

[Moonshot]

The Top 11 Contestants are:

Adam Lambert - 26, Los Angeles, CA

Alexis Grace - 21, Memphis, TN

Allison Iraheta - 16, Los Angeles, CA

Anoop Desai - 21, Chapel Hill, NC

Danny Gokey - 28, Milwaukee, WI

Kris Allen - 23, Conway, AR

Lil Rounds - 23, Memphis, TN

Matt Giraud - 23, Kalamazoo, MI

Megan Joy Corkrey - 22, Sandy, UT

Michael Sarver - 27, Jasper, TX

Scott MacIntyre - 23, Scottsdale, AZ

[Moonshot]

The theme this week is Grand Ole Opry. The contestants will sing songs by Opry members. This is a list they had to choose from:

Alan Jackson - Don't Rock the Jukebox
Alan Jackson - Summertime Blues
Alan Jackson - Chattahoochee
Alison Krauss - When You Say Nothing Ar All
Alison Krauss - Baby Now That I've Found You
Barbara Mandrell - If Loving You Is Wrong I Don't Want to Be Right
Brad Paisley - Celebrity
Brad Paisley - Mud on the Tires
Brad Paisley - When I Get Where I'm Going
Carrie Underwood - Jesus Take the Wheel
Carrie Underwood - Before He Cheats
Carrie Underwood - Wasted
Carrie Underwood - So Small
Carrie Underwood - All-American Girl
Carrie Underwood - Last Name
Diamond Rio - Beautiful Mess
Dierks Bentley - What Was Thinkin
Dierks Bentley - Come A Little Closer
Dierks Bentley - Every Mile a Memory
Dierks Bentley - Feel That Fire
Dolly Parton - Jolene
Dolly Patron - I Will Always Love You
Dolly Parton - Here You Come Again
Dolly Parton - 9 to 5
Dolly Parton - Why'd You Come In Here Lookin' Like That
Garth Brooks - Friends in Low Places
Garth Brooks - The Dance
Garth Brooks - Shameless
Garth Brooks - More Than a Memory
George Jones - She Thinks I Still Care
George Jones - He Stopped Loving Her Today
Hank Williams - I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues
Johnny Cash - Ring of Fire
Johnny Cash - I Walk the Line
Josh Turner - Your Man
Josh Turner - Would You Go With Me
Josh Turner - Firecracker
Lorrie Morgan - Watch Me
Martina McBride - Wild Angels
Martina McBride - A Broken Wing
Martina McBride - Anyway
Pam Tillis - Cleopatra, Queen of Denial
Pam Tillis - Maybe It Was Memphis
Patsy Cline - Walkin' After Midnight
Patsy Cline - I Fall to Pieces
Patsy Cline - Crazy
Patty Loveless - Blame On Your Heart
Randy Travis - Forever And Ever Amen
Reba McEntire - Fancy
Reba McEntire - Why Haven't I Heard From You
Ronnie Milsap - It Was Almost Like a Song
Tammy Wynette - Stand By Your Man
Terri Clark - Poor Poor Pitiful Me
Trace Adkins - Honky Tonk Badonkadonk
Trace Adkins - You're Gonna Miss This
Travis Tritt - I'm Gonna Be Somebody
Travis Tritt - T-R-O-U-B-L-E
Travis Tritt - Tell Me I was Dreaming
Travis Tritt - It's a Great Day To Be Alive
Trisha Yearwood - She's In Love With The Boy
Trisha Yearwood - Walkaway Joe
Trisha Yearwood - How Do I Live
Vince Gill - I Still Believe In You

[Moonshot]

Thursday, Mar 12th 2009
Carrie Underwood & Brad Paisley Perform During Grand Ole Opry Week

Carrie Underwood will be gracing the Idol stage once again on Wednesday, March 18. To make it an epic evening, Reigning ACM and CMA Male Vocalist and Grand Ole Opry member Brad Paisley will be performing during that same show. American Idol will feature a Grand Ole Opry theme March 17 & 18, as contestants will select and perform songs popularized by Opry members.

Brad will debut his new single, "Then," performing it for the first time on national television. The first single from his upcoming American Saturday Night album (due out June 30), "Then" will also be commercially available as a digital single at your favorite online music store, just in time to coincide with his performance on Idol. Carrie will perform her current hit single "I Told You So" with fellow Opry member Randy Travis, who will also be participating as Idol's "Opry" mentor for the show's contestants. Carrie's version of this 1988 #1 classic by Randy Travis can be found on her Carnival Ride album, and fans will soon be hearing another version on the airwaves as a new studio recording pairing Carrie and Randy arrives at country radio next week.

"I am so excited that two of my musical passions, American Idol and the Grand Ole Opry, are joining together to create a really special week of music," says Carrie. "I am always thrilled to return to the Idol stage, and am so proud to this time be bringing with me one of my heroes, Randy Travis. I knew the Opry first, but Idol gave me my start and helped lead me to the Opry stage. It's a great feeling to be able to help bring these two worlds together."

Carrie Underwood made her first live performance on the Grand Ole Opry on June 10, 2005, just two weeks after winning American Idol. Her love for the Opry started as a child as she grew up watching and listening to the show, dreaming of one day performing there and even becoming a member herself. She was invited to become a member by Randy Travis in March 2008 and her official induction took place on May 10, 2008 by Opry member Garth Brooks.

These Grand Ole Opry episodes air on FOX Tuesday, March 17 at 8/7c and Wednesday, March 18 at 9/8c.

http://www.americanidol.com/news/

[mrs. c.]

Hi Michelle Looks like Megan may have cut her hair.

[mrs. c.]

I'm also likin' the pretty boy in the centre

[Pepe]

MICHELLE, what interesting inside information you bring to us.  I can't wait to hear Carrie and Randy  Travis together.  I am constantly learning about Carrie who would have thought her idol was Randy Travis.  I have always been a fan of Randy Travis and wish I could see him more often.

[mrs. c.]

Well tonight should be interesting

[Sundancer]

Simon's gonna love it!

[Moonshot]

I can't tell you how much I am dreading this evening  I like country music but Idol and Country...not so much.

[Moonshot]

Randy Travis is "mentoring" this evening.

[claydevotee]

I can't tell you how much I am dreading this evening   I like country music but Idol and Country...not so much.

  Michelle and everybody!  I have to laugh at your comment, Michelle.  I was just saying the very same thing to Phil about two minutes ago.  And on top of everything else, we have to throw in a little bit of St. Paddy's flavor into the mix.. 

[claydevotee]

  Sunny and everybody else coming on!

[claydevotee]

The halls are echoing here, ya'll!   

[Sundancer]

I like the way Garth does this song better. Sorry, Michael.

[WilsonClaymate]

    Hey Michelle, Sunny & Thea

Well, it seemed like Mike remembered all the words but that is a very hard song to sing because it goes so fast.

[wisconsinmaniac]

Hi Everybody!  

I don't care for the song that Michael did.  Too many words . . .  hardly any melody.  

Michael likes country music.  He reminds me of Josh Gracin.

[WilsonClaymate]

    Hey Barb

Well, Mike didn't make a friend out of Simon

Paula can't seem to get one sentence out -- how is she going to make it through the night.

[Moonshot]

Michael Sarver -  Ain't Goin' Down til the Sun Comes Up - Garth Brooks


Uh..no.  That was horrible.


Randy - it was a cool song choice b/c it showed a fun side of you but it didn't show us your vocal capabilities

Kira - got to see your personality; it's the big notes that I missed from you this week; impressive that you can remember all those words

Paula -allowed us to see you have fun; artistic; boosted confidence; genre suits you well; babbles incoherently

Simon -it should have been good but I couldn't understand a single word you sang; you could have been singing in Norwegian; clumsy; it's about you coming over as a star but it came out as a guy who likes country and a bit karaoke

Michael responds "if we were all perfect we wouldn't need this show"

[Sundancer]

Michael responds "if we were all perfect we wouldn't need this show"

He came across sounding a little defensive up there, talking back to the judges.