Season Nine is coming to an end tonight and in two hours the new American Idol will be revealed, but there's a whole party to be had leading up to that announcement. The top 12 got things started dressed in their prep school uniforms to rock it out with Alice Cooper and his top 10 hit from 1972, School's Out.
Last year at this time Adam Lambert was all over the media on magazine covers and websites as the clear front runner to win the season eight Miss American Idol crown, but in a shocking twist the title ended up going to pretty boy with no personality, Kris Allen. His first single, Live Like We're Dying, was a modest hit that failed to crack the top 10 so I'm sure there's hope that by performing his second single, The Truth, in front of millions of people tonight might make it into a hit.
The Bee Gees spent three weeks at #1 in 1977 with How Deep Is Your Love from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Siobhan Magnus has the voice and the personality that should have gotten her farther in the competition, but instead of being in the finals she had to sing this adult contemporary slow jam with the tiny little pixie, Aaron Kelly. Thankfully, the surviving members, Barry and Robin Gibb, appeared on stage to sing along with them.
The Doobie Brothers, lead by Michael McDonald, took Takin It To The Streets up to #13 in 1976 and he was joined on stage with finalist Michael Lynche. The judges wisely used the save to get Michael all the way up to the final four and earn him this chance to perform with a music industry great.
The top six girls sang a medley of Christina Aguilera hits including Beautiful and Fighter. The winner of the 1999 Grammy for Best New Artist has a new album, Bionic, coming out June 8th so she appeared tonight to debut a new song for the fans. Rather than doing her uptempo dance jam, Not Myself Tonight, she went for an intense ballad that showed off her big voice.
The top six boys sang a medley of Hall & Oates hits including the #1 smash hits I Can't Go For That and Maneater. The most successful duo of all time on the Billboard HOT 100 charts showed up in the flesh to make our dreams come true.
Crystal Bowersox put in the performances necessary all season to show that she is vocally talented and has the performance skills to be a very worthy Miss American Idol winner. She graced the stage to sing the Alanis Morisette song, Ironic, that peaked at #4 in 1996. Crystal sounded much better than the original and she continued to outsing the real Alanis who showed up to sing You Ought To Know along with her.
The Supreme Miss American Idol, season four winner Carrie Underwood has gone on to sell millions of albums, top the charts and win numerous awards including the 2006 Grammy for Best New Artist and the ACM Entertainer of the Year two years in a row. Tonight she came back to the American Idol stage to sing the latest single from her smash third album. After making huge hits out of Cowboy Casanova and Temporary Home, Undo It is sure to race up to the top of the country chart.
Bret Michaels and Poison took Every Rose Has Its Thorn to #1 in 1988 and he was joined on stage with this year's 2nd runner up, Casey James to make his "look at me, I'm a live and well" reappearance to the world.
Both Crystal and Lee went to their first American Idol audition in Chicago and Lee is actually from the Chicago suburb, Mount Prospect. So it's quite fitting that the legendary classic rock super group of the same name would be here tonight to sing with Lee. This was the perfect fit for Lee because with the huge horn section you could hardly hear his weak vocals at all.
In honor of this being the last night on American Idol for Simon Cowell, former judge Paula Abdul came back to make a loopy speech in his tribute. It was kinda nice to see her, but it was also pretty awkward. And then things turned around when the parade of Miss American Idol winners started with Season One Winner Kelly Clarkson singing an inspirational ballad. She was joined by Ruben Studdard, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks and Kris Allen. For some reason David Cook couldn't make it, but the season seven 1st runner up David Archuleta lead the pack of other former finalists who filled the stage in appreciation of Simon.
How do you follow such a jam packed stage full of stars? With superstar Janet Jackson of course! She started with a medley of Again and Trust In Me and then shouted "Gimme a beat" and launched into her classic pop jam, Nasty.
With just minutes remaining until one of them is crowned the new Miss American Idol, Crystal and Lee sang a rousing version of With A Little Help From My Friends along with Joe Cocker.
And then the announcement was made. The golden envelope was opened to reveal that the Season Nine Miss American Idol is ... Lee DeWyze!
Crystal was robbed just like Adam Lambert was. I guess we have the American Idol voters to thank for this musical embarrassment.
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