http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/news.shtml Sun, 11 Oct 2009 05:55:19 EDT The latest news from The Official Soul Patrol. en-us Copyright The Official Soul Patrol Coranto using the Feed Builder Addon Sat, 10 Oct 2009 12:14:33 EDT http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVVEAulZFOzdBlIOX http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVVEAulZFOzdBlIOX By Kathleen Felleca - WriteOnNewJersey.com Good music bypasses the intellect and goes straight to the heart. Brilliant music remains there forever. With energy off the Richter scale, Taylor Hicks' performances of September 25 and 26, 2009 at Birmingham's WorkPlay Theatre stand in that latter, rarified category. Compared to those concerts, this review will be flimsy. Words cannot match the live gigs, the best I've ever been blessed to experience in my long history as a music geek. So I'll ju Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:52:25 EDT http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVVEklZuVOWQrbotC http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVVEklZuVOWQrbotC AmericanIdol.com Season 5's American Idol, Taylor Hicks, is celebrating a birthday today. When Taylor auditioned for American Idol, Simon Cowell - who shares a birthday with Taylor - said that Hicks would never make it to the final round of Season 5. After Taylor's first live TV performance for the voting public, Simon admitted he was wrong and that Taylor's personality is what makes him stand out. Taylor became the new American Idol on May 24, 2006, winning the title over Katharine McPhee, wit Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:44:06 EDT http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVVEklkuyekxLatkv http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVVEklkuyekxLatkv By Jim Cantiello - MTV 'We're really close but are making some final tweaks so it can be exactly the album that I imagined it would be,' Castro writes online. Looks like Jason Castro fans are going to have to wait a little bit longer to hear original music from the season-seven "American Idol" finalist. His debut album, originally slated to hit stores November 17, has been bumped to "early next year," according to a message posted on Castro's site Tuesday. Castro, currently on a mall tour to Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:37:24 EDT http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVVEkZluuNkueQufB http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVVEkZluuNkueQufB By Elizabeth Shestak - The News & Observer If you see "Grease" at the Durham Performing Arts Center this week, do not go hoping to see the movie reincarnated right before you. Instead, prepare for a fun version with a slightly different plot, a few extra, forgettable songs and a swell time -- but not much more. The 1978 movie starring John Travolta as Danny Zuko and Olivia Newton-John as Sandy Olsson has been seducing teenage girls at slumber parties for more than 30 years now. It might b Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:06:10 EDT http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVulZpFZpTJFZvMTl http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVulZpFZpTJFZvMTl By Nellie Andreeva - Reuters "American Idol" is bringing back its "Idol Gives Back" charitable special on April 21 after a yearlong hiatus. The special, airing during the top-seven Wednesday results show, will benefit Children's Health Fund, Feeding America, Malaria No More, Save the Children and the United Nations Foundation. More than $140 million was raised in two previous specials. In addition to the fundraising, the April 21 show also will feature that week's voting results and the elimi Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:34:56 EDT http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuZlVyAybxHpbQdi http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuZlVyAybxHpbQdi - The Birmingham News By Mary Colurso Over time, it's become clear: Taylor Hicks is the most dynamic, interesting and consistently entertaining member of Birmingham's "American Idol" trio. Perhaps it's unfair to lump Hicks, 32, into a category with Ruben Studdard and Bo Bice, because their music styles are so different - soul-pop, R&B and Southern rock, respectively. But all three are local guys who made their fame on the same TV reality series, and their successes happened within a sp Sat, 03 Oct 2009 11:28:34 EDT http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuVlZFEuBynhnAUO http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuVlZFEuBynhnAUO By Rodney Ho - American Idol Buzz Today is a deathly quiet day so far in the "Idol" world. This might be a good time to do this: After eight seasons, we've had 95 'American Idol' alums over eight seasons. That's 10 season one, 12 each for the next six seasons and 13 last year. I'd say at least one third have now been able to leverage their fame into some semblance of a music career. In other words, many don't have to go back to being a postal service worker or a Sonic waitress. I decided ju Sat, 03 Oct 2009 11:11:06 EDT http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuVlykyyOqxYTnTw http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuVlykyyOqxYTnTw 'He had a really strong sensibility,' singer/songwriter says of collaborating with Allen for major-label debut. By Jim Cantiello - MTV Mat Kearney's songs have been featured everywhere from "Grey's Anatomy" to a Bruce Springsteen-helmed charity CD. The next place the singer/songwriter hopes to hear his work is the major-label debut of "American Idol" winner Kris Allen. Kearney teamed up with Kris in early August to write a top-secret tune and is very pleased with the results. "We wrote a song Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:16:42 EDT http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuuAFppkIMbyyPEF http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuuAFppkIMbyyPEF BY David Menconi - The News & Observer In the future, every "American Idol" finalist will spend at least 15 minutes on Broadway. Which means Taylor Hicks is ahead of the curve. Alabama native Hicks won "American Idol" in 2006, beating out a finalist field loaded with North Carolinians, including McLeansville's Chris Daughtry, who has emerged as the top record-seller from that year's "Idol" crop. While Hicks has not sold as well as Daughtry, he's still putting out albums, including this yea Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:37:36 EDT http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuuppyVyzDslqdUI http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuuppyVyzDslqdUI By Michael Slezak - Entertainment Weekly News that Simon Cowell might bring top-rated British singing competition The X Factor to the U.S. airwaves has me feeling a little skittish. Maybe that's because of my profound and deep-rooted fear of change. Or maybe it's because over in Jolly Old England, X Factor gobbled up American Idol's British cousin, Pop Idol, like the great white devoured that water-skier in Jaws 2.(For the record, Britain's iTV yanked Pop Idol after only two seasons in favor of Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:27:00 EDT http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuFFEykpZkjwRqvg http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuFFEykpZkjwRqvg By Monica Herrera - Billboard.com Jason Castro -- the original dark horse contestant on "American Idol" who finished fourth in 2008 -- is hitting the road for a national mall tour in support of his self-titled debut. The Texas singer-songwriter's trek begins Oct. 12 in Minneapolis, Minn. before wrapping Nov. 15 in Ontario, Calif. "I can't wait to get out and play the new stuff," Castro tells Billboard.com. "I'm itching for it." In a scheduling move that could potentially put his fans' loyalti Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:01:42 EDT http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuFFpEpkIIqxEOlw http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuFFpEpkIIqxEOlw By MJ SANTILLI - New York Post "AMERICAN Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert is bigger than Madonna and even The Beatles. Within hours of making his yet-to-be-released album available for pre-order on Amazon.com, a frenzy of ordering drove Lambert's ranking all the way to No. 2 on the online retailer's bestsellers list. That put Lambert ahead of Madonna, The Beatles and world-wide sensation Susan Boyle. Lambert's album won't be released until Nov. 24. The only CD that out-ranked him yesterday was B Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:26:01 EDT http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuEyAVyEDyVGfuXH http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuEyAVyEDyVGfuXH By Breanne L. Heldman - E! Online Someone needs to pull the pen from Simon Cowell's fingers. While we love it when the crotchety American Idol judge decides to air his dirty laundry in public (that Susan Boyle botch list was a classic), is an absurdly lengthy diatribe really necessary? On the cusp of his 50th birthday next week, Cowell wrote a letter to himself published in yesterday's Daily Mail in the U.K. In it, he looks back on the past few decades, scolding himself for poor decisions he Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:16:50 EDT http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuEyApEpnEpITPzC http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuEyApEpnEpITPzC By Shawna Malcom - People Surrounded by family and close friends, Justin Guarini married Reina Capodici at a private estate in his hometown of Doylestown, Penn., early Saturday evening, Guarini's rep Jeff Ballard confirms to PEOPLE. Guarini, 30, the runner-up to Kelly Clarkson in the first season of American Idol, and his new bride, 27, attended high school together but only started dating after reconnecting in the past few years. The intimate wedding was presided over by a female minister fr Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:08:39 EDT http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuEylVEAoTjICOsQ http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuEylVEAoTjICOsQ By Misha Berson - The Seattle Times Kris Allen's first post-"American Idol" single, "Live Like We're Dying," is good. It's surprising, and maybe a little jarring at first, if you expected a ballad or a mellow groove with a spare arrangement, like some of Allen's best performances on "American Idol" that paved the way to his Season 8 win. But "Live Like We're Dying," is very catchy, a bit inspirational (the lyrics are all about seizing the day, and making the most of life and love). Also it's e Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:33:10 EDT http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuEyyFAppafZitaM http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuEyyFAppafZitaM By Maria C. Montoya - Nola.com KELLY OSBOURNE - She didn't have the highest score of the week, but she was the biggest revelation, showing off a slimmed-down figure and graceful Viennese Waltz steps that had parents Ozzy and Sharon beaming in the audience. JOANNA KRUPA - If you don't subscribe to Maxim you may not have recognized the name of the Polish supermodel. But after getting last week's highest score for what Len Goodman called a "smoking hot salsa," everybody knows her now. AARON CART Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:32:53 EDT http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuEVVVZFokbvZcuX http://www.theofficialsoulpatrol.com/cgi-bin/coranto3/viewnews.cgi?id=EkVuEVVVZFokbvZcuX By DAVID K. L I - New York Post Simon Cowell is about to become the highest-paid star on TV. The "American Idol" judge who fans love to hate has signed a deal worth more than $100 million a year to bring "X Factor" -- his "Idol"-like show in Britain -- to the United States, the Daily Mirror newspaper in London reported. Cowell will produce, but not appear on, his American version of the show. The deal will also extend his contract with "Idol" -- which had been due to expire -- another two ye