On Thursday night, David Cook made his sixth post-victory appearance on American Idol in just as many years, putting him in the esteemed company of fellow winners like season four's Carrie Underwood, season three's Fantasia Barrino and season one's Kelly Clarkson.
AmericanIdol’s top four elimination night results show is notoriously the most emotional night of the season. With no more saves left, there is plenty on the line, including the show’s famed hometown visits for the top three remaining Idols.
And who did Idol have on hand to lend emotional support for the occasion? Season seven winner DavidCook (pictured below), who offered the remaining girls sage advice: “You're gonna cry. I did. And I don't ever cry. That's a lie. That rhymed a lot."
Every year, David Cook has a date with American Idol. Since winning the show on season seven at the age of 25, the Missouri native has been back to perform five times, most often to perform a new single, as he will be on May 2, but not always.
FEEL THE HEAT: Last week, season 10 alum Casey Abrams returned to American Idol and reminded everyone of his inherent musical talent by performing his own unique take on the Beatles’ “I Saw Her Standing There.” In a clear case of cause and effect, Abrams now makes another return -- to the Billboard charts.
It's been a long lingering issue on America's most popular singing contest: the "white guy with guitar" phenomenon wherein in the last five American Idol winners -- David Cook, Kris Allen, Lee DeWyze, Scotty McCreery and Phillip Phillips of seasons seven, eight, nine, 10 and 11, respectively -- are all known for their six-string-based sound, with a hint of singer-songwriter troubadour and aspiring rock star thrown into the mix.
THE WINNERS TAKE IT ALL:Philip Phillips is the only American Idol sitting at No. 1 on the Billboard charts this week, as his album The World from the Side of the Moon spends a second week in pole position on the Top Rock Albums chart, while his single “Home” is No. 1 for the fifth week on Triple A Audience and for the fourth week on Triple A. All 11 of the Fox-TV’s series winners have collected No. 1s on the Billboard charts, but who has had the most chart-toppers, and who has spent the most weeks in first place?
Ever since he performed "Home" on the season 11 finale of American Idol, Phillip Phillips' coronation song has grown into a radio smash, been used as the theme song of the Olympic Women's Gymnastics team, featured in a movie trailer for the new Clint Eastwood film and as an instrumental in a commercial for insurance.
American Idol Season Seven winner David Cook closed out the day-long Tampa Bay Summerfest celebration on Saturday with the Counting Crows' ode to a winter month -- "A Long December." Cook's concert also included the premiere of a new song, "From Here To Zero."
"We like to throw covers in the shows," Cook told the audience before launching into a poignant, stripped down version of the 1996 song from Counting Crow's album, "Recovering the Satellites."
With this week's announcement that Mariah Carey is taking a seat at the American Idol judges table, we had to wonder: will future contestants be brave enough to perform the diva's hits in her presence?
