Here are the tour dates are as follows:

• 3/15/09 – Ft. Pierce, FL at Sunrise Theatre
• 3/18/09 – Panama City, FL at Marina Civic Center
• 3/20-3/21/09 – Dallas, TX at Dallas Symphony
• 3/25/09 – Lancaster, PA at American Music Theatre
• 3/26/09 – Kalamazoo, MI at Wings Stadium
• 3/27/09 – Dearborn, MI at Ford Center
• 3/28/09 – St. Charles, IL at Arcada Theatre
• 3/30/09 – Marion, IL at Marion Cultural and Civic Center
• 4/15/09 – Worcester, MA at Hanover Theatre
• 4/16/09 – Springfield, MA at MassMutual Center
• 4/17/09 – Morristown, NJ at Mayo Center for the Performing Arts
• 4/18/09 – Glenside, PA at Keswick Theatre
• 4/24/09 – Boise, ID at Morrison Center
• 5/1/09 – Ivins, UT at Tuacahn Center for the Arts

Melinda has been pretty great, updating her comings and going on Twitter.  If you haven’t added her already, you should! – http://twitter.com/mdoolittle

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• Michael Johns (finalist, season 7) – http://twitter.com/michael_johns
• Jordin Sparks (winner, season 6) – http://twitter.com/TheRealJordin
• Ryan Seacrest (host) – http://twitter.com/RyanSeacrest
• Melinda Doolittle (finalist, season 6) – http://twitter.com/mdoolittle
• Anoop Desai (top 36, season – http://twitter.com/noopdogg
• Brooke White (finalist, season 7) – http://twitter.com/babblingbrookie
• Alexis Grace (finalist, season – http://twitter.com/AlexisGOnline

Do you use Twitter?  If so, feel free to add me (http://twitter.com/JeanneD) or share your Twitter ID in the comments section below!

image: twitter.com

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I will cover the event in three parts (motorcade, American Idol Experience show and the after-party) over the next three days.  Today, I’ll kick things off by telling you all about the American Idol motorcade. 

The blue carpet was rolled out for the stars and one by one.  Mickey Mouse got things started but was then followed by Justin Guarini (runner-up, season 1).  He looked great and was all smiles for the fans and the media.
Next was Chris Sligh (finalist, season 6).  He talked a little bit about how his song “Here Comes Goodbye” was picked up by Rascal Flatts and is actually the first single off of their new album.

It was a star-studded event.  Check out more pictures including Carrie Underwood, David Cook and David Archuleta after the jump!

Michael Johns (finalist, season 7) was right behind him and the one of the hostesses commented on how attractive he looked (the ladies in the crowd cheered in agreement). The reigning American Idol winner, David Cook, was next to drive up and he looked really great in his white jacket.  He was asked if he was sad to be losing his title in the next couple months and he said “no” because it’s great to have the Idol family expand.  Awwww!
Bucky Covington (finalist, season 5) was up next.  He got quite a bit of applause from the country music fans in the crowd.  The hostesses commented on his beautiful hair and asked him about his new album.  They asked when it was coming out (June-ish, 2009) and what it would be named (he had no idea). 
The adorable Ace Young (finalist, season 5) followed and I have to admit that his shorter hair is growing on me. The infamous Sanjaya Malakar (finalist, season 6) drove up and was actually filming the crowd.  One of the hostesses asked him what he was going to do with the footage.  He told her that he was going to put it up on his website (www.sanjayaworld.com).  They also asked about his new book Dancing to the Music in My Head (I talked to him about it at the party – come back on Monday for more!).  When probed for some juicy revelations from the book, Sanjaya declined to answer but he did tell them that there was a lot that he wanted people to know about the audition process.
The gorgeous Carrie Underwood (winner, season 4) was next to arrive and she really did look stunning.  The crowd erupted in applause for the tiny country music superstar.  She really is as sweet in real-life as she seems on television.
Jason Castro (finalist, season 7) drove up just as the hostesses were talking about his hair.  One asked what he held his dreads together with and the other one said “dirt.”  Wow.  Fortunately, the crowd was told that his hair actually smells nice so I’m sure they were joking about the dirt!  They asked about the fact that his brother was cut from the show (Jason actually made the slit-throat motion when they asked about Michael – ha ha!).  Jason said it was fine and was a learning experience.
Season 3 runner-up, Diana DeGarmo, looked great with dark hair and purple streaks!  They asked her about her role in Oz: The Musical, which is currently on tour.  She plays Dorothy and I’m sure she’s great.  Pick up tickets at Ticketmaster.com!
Joshua Gracin (finalist, season 2) looked really good (but different than I remember him – did he get his teeth done?).  Again, the country music fans showed their love for him.
Season 2 winner, Ruben Studdard, looked great in a tan suit.  He was asked about his stint in Ain’t Misbehavin’ but I couldn’t hear what he said about it.  The crowd was loud that day! Bo Bice (runner-up, season 4) was the next Idol star to drive up the blue carpet.  One of the hostesses joked that it wasn’t fair that he could grow his hair so long and not have any split ends.  I agree!

Season 6 finalist, Lakisha Jones, looked really nice in her black and white dress.  It suited her so well!  They briefly asked her about her new album and her role in Broadway production of The Color Purple.
Phil Stacey (finalist, season 6) was the only star that I saw standing in his vehicle as he made his way down the blue carpet.  Fortunately, they were only going about two miles an hour at that point so it was reasonably safe!
Brooke White (finalist, season 7) is soooo much tinier in person than I ever expected.  She’s adorable too!  Still, there’s something about her doing the devil horns that just doesn’t look quite right…
Taylor Hicks (winner, season 5) drove up and it was announced to the crowd that the singer is “very single.”  Wow!  Of course, one woman in the crowd offered to help him get over his loneliness! Mandisa (finalist, season 5) showed up looking absolutely incredible.  She revealed that she had lost 70 pounds through a lot of dieting and exercise and said that she’s have to avoid all the good food at the party later that night.  It’s entirely worth the sacrifice, Mandisa – you look great, girl!  They asked her if there was an Idol here that she hadn’t met before and she said that she was really excited to meet Fantasia!  Syesha Mercado (finalist, season 7) showed up wearing the kind of big earrings she is known to love (I was scared for her later when she got on a ride wearing them – more on that on Monday!).  She looked gorgeous!
American Idol season 3 winner, Fantasia Barrino, looked really polished in her black, white and red outfit and I really loved her hair. 

Carly Smithson (finalist, season 7) was asked about this season’s disqualified hopeful, Joanna Pacitti.  Some felt that Carly, like Joanna, had too much experience going into the contest but Carly maintained that their situations are different.  I didn’t quite understand her whole explanation but she mentioned that she had really wanted to make it in the business and felt that she deserved the chance. Melinda Doolittle (finalist, season 6) was asked about her album (I got to tell her how much I loved it – more on Monday!) titled Coming Back to You which was released earlier this month.  I love the album so you should consider picking up a copy! Season 7 runner-up, David Archuleta, was next to drive up and it was hard to get a good picture of him since the crowd was going crazy and he was turning in so many directions.  He was so cute!
The winner of the sixth season of American Idol, Jordin Sparks, looked really elegant in her cream-colored dress.  She also looked noticeably slimmer.  What do you think? 

American Idol host, Ryan Seacrest, was asked about the Joanna Pacitti disqualification but he said that he doesn’t know what happened and just knows that she left the show.  Good answer, Ryan!
American Idol judge, Paula Abdul, was asked about Joanna Pacitti but, again, declined to give a complete answer.  Paula said that Joanna was disqualified and that was about it.  She looked like she was having an absolute blast, though!  Kimberley Locke (finalist, season 2) was the final person in the motorcade and, unfortunately, things were changing around me so quickly by the time she drove up that I don’t really remember what she was talking about.  The motorcade had also sped up so the pictures we took weren’t great either.

It was announced that Kelly Clarkson’s vehicle wasn’t coming out and they speculated over the possibility that the first American Idol winner had come late and maybe missed the motorcade.  Hmmm…

images: Jyle Dupuis

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The album, Coming Back to You, was recorded using live instruments and you can feel and hear the richness in the quality of the tracks.  It’s got a real old-school, Motown kinda feel to a lot of it but I think it’s definitely worth a listen.

image: Amazon

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What do you remember about that year?  Was it Jordin Sparks’ winning moment?  Blake Lewis’ killer performance of “Shot Through the Heart (You Give Love a Bad Name)”?  Sanjaya’s ponyhawk? 

To help jog your memory, here’s the Top 12 list from the sixth season of American Idol (dates indicate when the contestant was eliminated, year was 2007):

• Jordin Sparks – Winner
• Blake Lewis – May 23
• Melinda Doolittle – May 16
• LaKisha Jones – May 9
• Chris Richardson & Phil Stacey – May 2
• Sanjaya Malakar – April 18
• Haley Scarnato – April 11
• Gina Glocksen – April 4
• Chris Sligh – March 28
• Stephanie Edwards – March 21
• Brandon Rogers – March 14

image: Newscom

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Her rumored guests include former Idol hopefuls, Melinda Doolittle and Gina Glocksen, singer Chaka Khan and a performance by the legendary gospel singer, BeBe Winans.

I wish Lakisha and Larry all the best and hope that their wedding day is everything they want it to be!

image credit: newscom

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Watch Melinda sing “Never Felt This Way“

Watch Melinda sing “I Love You I Do” after the jump!

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Here’s her performance of "Nutbush City Limits"

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Shocker #5 – A Chinese Contestant on Indian Idol

Meiyang Chang, a dentist, was the first contestant of Chinese origin to reach the top 5 on Indian Idol. 

His elimination on August 25, 2007 (he finished in 5th place) was so shocking to judge, Alisha Chinai, that she got up and left the stage in tears.  She later returned at Chang’s request.

Watch Meiyang Chang perform!

More after the jump!

Shocker #4 – Liam Styles Chang Doesn’t Make Top 10 on Canadian Idol

Liam Styles Chang was a crowd favorite and undeniably talented.  His failure to make the Top 10 on Canadian Idol this year was a complete shock.  He was cool and different and had a really smooth voice.  I just couldn’t believe it!  His elimination sparked petitions and protests and definitely made this season less interesting to watch! 

Watch Liam perform!

Shocker #3 – Ben McKenzie Fails to Make Top 5 on Australian Idol

Ben McKenzie was my absolute favorite on Australian Idol and I was gutted when he was knocked out of the competition.  He is an incredibly good singer (especially considering the fact that he was just 16-years-old when he began on the show). I am sorry but he was better than Carl Riseley and Marty Simpson (they outlasted him!) and I was so disgusted, I lost complete interest.

Watch Ben perform!

Shocker #2 – Greg Neufeld Eliminated From Canadian Idol

Greg Neufeld was my favorite Canadian Idol contestant this season and I was absolutely horrified when he was sent home.  He was never in the bottom three and he never got any serious criticism.  He had the looks, the style, the stage presence and the voice but it wasn’t enough. 

This was the worst Idol story for me this season, on a personal level, as a fan.

Watch Greg perform (this was the only video I could find that hadn’t been removed by YouTube – I’m accepting submissions)!

Shocker #1 – Melinda Doolittle Fails to Make the American Idol Finals

Dumb, dumb, DUMB!!!!  Ultra talented Melinda Doolittle failed to make the finals on this past season of American Idol which makes very little sense to me if the show truly is about singing (which is what they kept saying to Blake Lewis during the final performances when he squared off against Jordin Sparks).  Some feel that Simon Cowell, who favored Melinda, may have jinxed her when he lavished her with praise… whatever!

Watch Melinda perform!

Do you have some outrage to express!  Of course you do!  Tell me about your favorite "shockers" of 2007 in the comments section!!!

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Post from: Idol Stalker