AMERICAN IDOL ALUMNI, UPCOMING ALBUMS TO BE RELEASED THIS YEAR

American Idol alumni will be giving their fans lots of music choices to buy in the months leading up to the end of this year.

Current 2009 American Idol Kris Allen, runner-up Adam Lambert and the last-girl-standing this season, rocker Allison Iraheta, are all signed with record labels and scheduled to release albums this fall. And former Idol contestants with releases also scheduled for fall are Season 7 third runner-up Jason Castro and Season 5 finalist Bucky Covington.



Daughtry’s “Leave This Town”, due for release on July 14th, is a follow to the band’s Grammy nominated, 5x platinum debut album, is described as pushing even deeper into melodic rock. Many of the songs on this album, according to frontman Chris Daughtry, “reflect how where we’ve been determines where we are going.” And the first single, “No Surprise,” is co-written with Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger, and the album’s cover comes from a new song that Daughtry wrote with Steely called, “September.” Daughtry actually speaks about songs from the album on his official website: http://www.daughtryofficial.com/home

Billboard writes very flatteringly of the album: “It’s another record full of songs that make you want to roll down the car windows and bus a vocal cord or two while trying to match Daughtry’s gravelly wail.”



And Season Six Top 5 finalist Phil Stacey will come forth with his own album, “Into the Light” for fans. After a brief stint on the country music scene, Stacy, a former worship leader, presents contemporary Christian music album that celebrates faith and family.

“It’s understandable that people are quick to ask me about the musical side of what I do,” says Stacey on his website. “I enjoy talking about the music, too. In fact, I love it. But the biggest hope I have is that what I do will help draw people to God—whether that’s through the songs I write, how I conduct myself on stage, or more importantly, the ways I relate to other people. Everything I did with American Idol has readied me for this platform and this album.”

The first single, “You’re Not Shaken”, is already being played on Christian radio stations. The release date is Aug. 25. Fans can listen to Stacey’s sound at his website: http://philstacey.com



American Idol Season Six runner-up Blake Lewis’ electro-pop album, “Heartbreak on Vinal”, has a release date of Oct. 6th – and the first single, “Sad Song”, will hit the airwaves this month. “’Heartbreak on Vinal’” is the culmination of over 10 years in the dance scene – the music that gets me out onto the dance floor to lose my inhibition,” Blake said in a press release. “The title is an ode to all the record stores that have been closing down due to my industry eating itself. These are the stores that brought inspiration to all of us music lovers and have led me to make the music I create today.” Sphere: Related Content

MATT GIRAUD'S TALENT -- OR SENSE OF HUMOR -- OR BOTH

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AMERICAN IDOL KRIS ALLEN TO APPEAR ON CONAN O'BRIEN

American Idol Kris Allen will appear on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien on July 15th, it has been announced.

Allen, who was crowned the 2009 American Idol in May, is currently a headliner of the American Idol whirlwind tour of 50 cities throughout the US. His passionate version of "Heartless" -- and his show favorite of "Ain't No Sunshine" have been garnering cheers and standing ovations from fans of his easy style. And the highlight of Allen's tour numbers is a captivating rendition of The Beatles' "Hey Jude."

There has been no word on what song/songs Allen will perform on The Tonight Show. Sphere: Related Content

ALLISON IRAHETA POWERFUL ON AMERICAN IDOL TOUR

American Idol sixth place finisher Anoop Desai opined that rocker Allison Iraheta has one of the strongest sets on the new 50-city American Idol whirlwind tour.

A highlight of Iraheta performances is a gritty, Janis Joplin-like "Cry Baby" -- which she also performed during the American Idol competition. And she hits two other songs, Pink's "So What" and Heart's "Barracuda" out of the ballpark.

"She sings, and I don't believe that's coming out of her," Desai told eonline.



In some ways the Idol tour is easier for Iraheta than the regular season competition. "You're nervous on the show because you have these four guys who are going to tell me how much I suck in front of so many people," she explained, "but with the tour, I know there are a lot of people out there who voted for me."



Desai said that before the Idol Tour's initial performance in Portland on July 5th, "It was sort of an eerie calm. I was more anxious than I was nervous. Once I got out there onstage, the energy of the crowd kept me going. It was easy to perform for everyone because they really want to hear you. To stand in front of that many people an be appreciated and do well was just great. We're lucky our first show went really well."

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AMERICAN IDOL 2002 RUNNER-UP JUSTIN GUARINI ON NEW ALBUM

American Idol 2002 runner-up Justin Guarini is on center stage with Philadelphia based Drivetime in a new jazz album, ‘Reflections’, that is scheduled to be released next month.

The Philadelphia based jazz sextet and Guarini, as lead vocalist, perform a collection of classics ranging from ‘What You Won’t Do’ to ‘Let’s Stay Together.’

“Drivetime is a rock-solid band that has been working hard on the East Coast jazz scene for a couple of years,” said Guarini. “It was an absolute pleasure to work with them on the project. ‘What You Won’t Do’ is a classic tune that I grew up with, and I jumped at the opportunity to record when … asked.”

Rick Denzien of Slot-1Studio, who recorded and mixed the new release, said, “Reflections has the honest sound of real instruments, human feel and human taste.” Sphere: Related Content

SIMON AND PAULA ARE NOMINEES FOR BEST REALITY PERSONALITY

Two American Idol judges are among nominees in the Zap2It poll for naming the Best Reality Personality.

Simon Cowell, noted for his tell-it-like-it-is judging style, and Paula Abdul, who sweetly tries to say something nice about every contestant, perfectly compliment each other on the American Idol television show and are the show's representatives in the contest.

Cowell was leading all contestants at about 10 p.m. on Tuesday with about 19.4 percent of the votes.

In total, there are sixteen nominees in the Best Reality Personality category. In addition to Cowell and Abdul, the nominees include Jeff Probst, Survivor; Tim Gunn, Project Runway; Rob and Amber, Survivor and The Amazing Race; Tyra Banks, America's Next Top Model; Flavor Flav, The Flavor of Love and Jessica Simpson, Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica.

Also nominated for the award are Paris Hilton, The Simple Life; Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance; Janice Dickinson, Multiple; Bret Michaels, Rock of Love; Phil Keoghan, The Amazing Race; J. Alexander, America's Next Top Model; Will Kirby, Big Brother 2 and Kathy Griffin, My Life on the D-List. Sphere: Related Content

KARA DioGUARDI AND MIKE McCUDDY MARRY IN A DOWNEAST FISHING VILLAGE CHURCH

Beautiful in her Vera Wang wedding gown, American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi married Maine contractor Mike McCuddy in an intimate church ceremony in the Downeast fishing village of Prospect Harbor.

“I felt great,” DioGuardi told an MTV reporter. “What was most unbelievable about the experience was when I looked out at the church and saw these people that were so important to me and Mike, who were there for us. It was pretty powerful. I was very emotional, and I’m not somebody who breaks down and cries.”

She also marveled the good luck of scheduling the wedding for what turned out to be an incredibly beautiful and comfortable day. “It has been raining in Maine for 60 days,” she explained.

DioGuardi also claims that when the couple met, it was “love at first sight.” That meeting occurred, according to reports, when DioGuardi went to complain that a house that McCuddy was building next to hers was too close.

Following that meeting, the couple dated for about a year and a-half before McCuddy asked her to marry him while they vacationed in Mexico to celebrate her 38th birthday on December 8th.

“I was in, of course, my thermal smiley-face pajamas that one of my best friends gave me for Christmas,” she recalled of the day that McCuddy, a former school teacher turned general contractor, proposed.

Initially, she said, McCuddy had worried that he would not be comfortable in her Hollywood lifestyle. But DioGuardi, who grew up in New Rochelle, NY, said that, in fact, “I have no Hollywood life, believe me. I’m working 18-hour days, going home and catching a ‘Law & Order’ episode and calling him at night.”

None of the American Idol cast was reportedly at the wedding, but the guests included the couples family and closest friends, according to Scott Nurse Sr. who performed the ceremony at the United Methodist Church. Among attendees was DioGuardi’s father, former New York Congressman Joseph DioGuardi.

“They are absolutely in love,” said Nurse told US Weekly. “When I told him (McCuddy) that he could kiss the bride, everybody cheered. It was a very close, small family-type service.”

When DioGuardi was asked about her fellow American Idol cast, she explained that she could not visualize them in Prospect Harbor. “I can’t really see Simon Cowell landing in Prospect Harbor. I don’t think that soul happen,” she said.

In addition to her stint as an American Idol judge, DioGuardi is known as a music producer and composer of songs that have been recorded by the likes of , Celine Dion, Gwen Stefani, Faith Hill and former American Idol Kelly Clarkson. Sphere: Related Content