section D
December 2-8, 2009
You don’t have to win
Reflections
By Steve Holsey
It’s an ‘A’ thing
This has been noted before, but we are
doing it again because of its significance:
The overwhelming
to win
majority of female
singers from Detroit
have a first name that
ends with an “a.”
By Steve Holsey
Think about it:
Anita Baker, Diana
There is a song titled “Everybody Loves a
Ross, Aretha Frank-
Winner,” and there is a lot of truth in those
lin, Ortheia Barnes,
words. But it is also true that a first place finish
Rena Scott, Martha
is not mandatory for success.
Reeves, Sandra Nowhere is that more evident than “Ameri-
Feva, Freda Payne, can Idol.” In the show’s eight seasons, a
Erma Franklin, number of first place finishers have gone on to
Della Reese, Thor- major stardom, but so, too, have a surprisingly
Anita Baker
netta Davis, Pris- large number of finalists who placed further
down the list.
A key example is Jennifer Hudson. She was
one of “the divas” of Season 3. (Amiable host
Ryan Seacrest gave the “diva” designation to
Hudson, LaToya London and Fantasia).
Despite her talent and solid performances,
Hudson ended up with a seventh place finish,
much to the surprise of many viewers.
Jennifer Hudson
Fantasia ultimately won and, as expected,
became a star, but Hudson landed a leading
Melinda Doolittle
role in the film version of “Dreamgirls,” proved
to be a strong actress and subsequently won an
Academy Award in the Best Actress in a Sup-
Freda Payne Ortheia Barnes
porting Role category.
In addition, her debut album, “Jennifer
cilla (CeCe) Winans, Belita Woods, Ursula
Hudson,” was certified Gold and went on to
Walker, Laura Lee, Elbernita (Twinkie)
earn a Grammy.
Clark and Dorinda Clark-Cole of the Clark
LaToya London has done well as a recording
Sisters, Kierra (Kiki) Sheard, Brenda
artist and stage actress, as has Diana DiGarmo.
Franklin (one of Aretha’s backup singers),
George Huff has also achieved a level of suc-
Alberta Adams, Sandra Bomar, Agatha (Kim)
cess, primarily doing gospel music.
Weston, Telma Hopkins and Vanessa Bell
Armstrong.
RIGHT NOW, Season 8 runner-up Adam
Lambert is a red-hot attraction. The coura-
IS THERE no end to the exploitation
geous, unpredictable, self-confident, colorful,
of Michael Jackson?
gender-bending glam rock singer is also the
Reportedly, there is now
subject of many conversations. No matter. Su-
a cologne called “M” —
perstardom is a certainty. And even though tal-
based on Jackson’s DNA!
The company is called
“My DNA Fragrance.”
What next?
Sade has finally
finished her new album,
elliott Yamin
chris Daughtry
titled “Soldier of Love.”
Michael Jackson
Why such a long delay?
She hasn’t had a new
release since 2000! Max-
well, who knows a lot about unbelievably
long delays between re-
leases, has heard much
of the new Sade album
and says the fans will
love it. He even went so
far as to label it “mono-
lithic.”
Speaking of new
albums, if you like the
smooth, warm vocal
stylings of Harry Con-
nick Jr., be sure to pick
up his latest release,
“Your Songs.” He puts
Sade
his unique spin on fa-
miliar material such as
“First Time Ever I Saw
Your Face,” “Smile,”
“Just the Way You
tamyra Gray
Are,” “Mona Lisa” and
Kimberley Locke
“The Way You Look
Adam Lambert
Tonight.”
That was silly and ented and personable Kris Allen won the com-
shortsighted of ABC to petition, the real winner was Adam Lambert.
cancel Adam Lambert’s
Another sure bet for success from that
Harry Connick Jr.
appearance on “Good
season is teenaged rocker Allison Iraheta.
Morning America”
because of his raunchy performance at the
Season 5 was particularly fruitful. Taylor
American Music Awards.
Hicks, the highly animated, prematurely gray,
blue-eyed soul man most recently seen in the
IN A RECENT column there was an
stage musical “Grease,” won, but he was up
inaccuracy regarding the first family of jazz,
against a lot of formidable talent.
the Marsalises. There
are six brothers. Bran-
Chris Daughtry, with his band Daugh-
ford plays saxophone,
try, has become a major rock star. His debut
Wynton plays trumpet,
album, “Daughtry,” went multi-Platinum and
Delfeayo plays trom-
the band took home the coveted Best New
bone and Jason plays
Artist Grammy. Their latest album, “Leave This
drums. Ellis III and
Town,” will reach the 500,000 Gold mark very
Mboya are not in the
soon.
music business.
ELLIOTT YAMIN, another White R&B
Some people get
singer, has had solid success with his two
tired of Jesse Jackson
albums and is expected to be around for a long
popping up everywhere.
Branford Marsalis
constantine Maroulis
time. Same for perky Kellie Pickler, who was
David Archuleta
One of our readers, Greg
embraced instantly in the country music field.
Hendricks, described him as “an eternal
Bucky Cunnington was well received there as
opportunist and photo-op king.” Another
well.
reader identifies him as “Jesse ‘Where’s-
Pop success beckoned for second place
The-Camera?’ Jackson.” What I hate is the
finisher Katherine McPhee and she answered
media setting up people like Jackson, Al
the call. Meanwhile, Mandisa, the big lady with
Sharpton, Cornel West,
the big R&B voice who has been losing a lot of
etc. as spokespersons
weight lately, has enjoyed substantial success
for the African-American
on the charts. Her first release, in the gospel
community. Basically
genre, was titled “True Beauty,” the second,
they think and speak for
“Freedom.”
themselves, just as we
all should.
Season 2 made winner Ruben Studdard —
nicknamed “the Velvet Teddy Bear” by Gladys
Queen Latifah’s latest
Knight — a star. But Clay Aiken, who placed an
album, “Persona,” has
extremely close second, has had Platinum re-
basically been given the
cording success and was recently on Broadway
cold shoulder by radio
Queen Latifah
in the comedy “Monty Python’s”Spamalot.”
programmers. She says
it has a lot to do with
Third place winner Kimberley Locke has
sexism in the hip-hop world. (She returns
made a name for herself not only as a record-
to rapping on “Persona.”)
ing artist, but also as an official spokeswoman
for plus-size women.
There could be some validity to her
Mandisa
See Don’t have to win Page D-2 Latoya London
See Reflections Page D-2
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