I have to admit – I just don’t get it! I truly don’t. The fact that David Cook has eluded superstardom leaves me completely and utterly baffled.

It leaves me to question the nature of the promotional process once American Idol completes a season.

All that hype, all the hoopla, all the exposure garnered from weekly appearances on American Idol should be an enormous platform for catapulting an artist’s career, especially one as talented as David Cook. You would think so, right?

But, no, it rarely happens and no one knows why.

Season Seven Of American Idol, where David Cook emerged as the winner, was arguably the most successful season ever.

Their summer tour sold out huge venues both in the United States and Canada. Many, many unique stars were born, including David Cook, David Archuleta, Jason Castro, Carly Smithson, Michael Johns, Brooke White.

Just reflecting on this wonderful group of singers brings a smile to my face. They are all phenomenally talented in their own special way.

While Simon Cowell wants us to believe that he and he alone has found artists with the X Factor, I beg to differ. All of the American Idol singers mentioned above possessed this integral factor in spades.

David Cook’s version of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean“, which originated with artist Chris Cornell, was a show-stopping moment on the show, one that repeated itself many times throughout Season Seven.

Did record producers not realize the gem they had in David Cook? Could someone not have envisioned an album of classic rock songs featuring David’s signature style and sound?

We all know that Rod Stewart has made gazillions with his cover albums, launching another exciting phase in this singer’s career.

Listen to the video below. It screams superstar. Please, record producers, stop with the cookie-cutter, mind-numbing approach to musical success and stardom and start producing stars of quality, intelligence and charisma.

The world needs singers of passion, with a strong moral compass and multi-dimensional visionary approach to their artistry.

David Cook’s new CD, This Loud Morning, was impeccably conceived and produced. David threw his heart and soul into this CD and it deserves to be recognized at a higher level.

You can purchase “This Loud Morning” on Amazon.Com or download it via ITunes.

Where are the David Cook fans? Are you as frustrated as I from the lack of exposure David is receiving? Hit the comments below, while you listen to “Billie Jean”.

But, more important, tell your friends to download his album pronto. Please. We need more people like David in the music industry and we must ensure his longevity as an artist.

Lately, it has been so exciting to watch David Cook fly above the radar.

His absence from the music scene over the last year or two created an enormous void for many American Idol fans.

Although he was making some public appearances, they were, generally, very low profile.

But, today and hopefully for a very long time, David is receiving tremendous exposure to mark the release of his new album, This Loud Morning, on June 28th.

Today, David escorted AOLMusic to a “behind the scenes” look at the making of his new album.

AOL’s first look at the recording process was via the first installment of his exclusive, documentary-style ‘From the Studio’ video series.

I found this AOL observation very fascinating: “Over the backdrop of Cook’s raspy powerhouse vocals and guitar jammin’ on lead single ‘The Last Goodbye,’ the singer-songwriter explains he is trying to create a “sonic landscape” from song to song and cover a “larger scope, musically” with his new material.”

This statement reinforces the intelligent and creative approach David is using in creating this CD. And, the main reason why we fell in love with this exceptional performer during Season 7 of American Idol, now known as the good ‘ole days of Idol in my mind.

Additionally, the AOL verbal interview was short but quite revealing. David has such a concise, yet powerful way of summing up his musical journey thus far.

Plus, I know you will enjoy watching David’s ‘Light On’ (AOL Sessions) Video.

Let me know what you think.

And from all of us here in the MCL Community, congratulations, David. Nice to have you back from and center where you belong.

Over at David Cook’s Official site, they are doing some spring cleaning and renovations.

The site is in the midst of a makeover and you are invited to decorate one of their pages with your personal Cookie photos. Very cool.

DavidCookOfficial.Com had this to say:

“Are you an amateur photographer or the ultimate David Cook fan? David Cook Official is getting a makeover in a few weeks and David has reserved a special location on his new site to feature photos submitted by amazing fans like YOU! The feature will span the length of the new DCO site and measure 960 pixels wide by 250 pixels tall, so only high resolution photos will measure up (pun intented). “

I think I may submit a pic or two that I snapped at the “meet and greet” after the Top 10 Toronto performance three years ago.

The above picture was submitted by super fan Kathy Keeley which was also recently used in the DC newsletter! Very good picture. Congrats Kathy!

So, will you be adding some photos? C’mon – I know you want to!

Hey Cookie Fans! David Cook is set to take over ITunes and the Nokia stage next week.

On Monday, May 23rd, David will premiere his new music video for “The Last Goodbye” on ITunes. Finally, a music video I care about!

Then, on Tuesday, May 24th, David will be performing his song, “Don’t You Forget About Me” on American Idol during the Top 2 Performance Show.

Here is the official press release I found on David’s Official Website:

(New York – NY) David Cook will be premiering the new music video for his first single “The Last Goodbye” on iTunes on May 23rd. The video was directed by the acclaimed and award winning Nigel Dick (Britney Spears, Oasis, Nickelback, etc.) and shot in Malibu earlier this month.

Also on May 24th, Cook will return to the American Idol stage for a live performance of “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”. Earlier this year Cook recorded this as the farewell song for the 10th season of American Idol, which has been heard every week this season. The song, chosen by American Idol creator and Executive Producer Simon Fuller, is a remake of Simple Minds 1985 smash “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”. Cook has already graced the American Idol stage once this season when he debuted “The Last Goodbye” last month to rave reviews and stellar fanfare.

Cook will be releasing his sophomore album, This Loud Morning (19 Recordings/RCA Records), on June 28th. This Loud Morning is currently available for pre-sale at DavidCookOfficial.com and other digital retailers.

Executive produced by Matt Serletic (Rob Thomas, Matchbox Twenty, Collective Soul), This Loud Morning features tracks written and co-written by Cook along with many acclaimed songwriters including, David Hodges, Ryan Tedder, Kevin Griffin and Marti Frederiksen.

After winning the Idol crown in season 7, Cook went on to sell over 1 million copies of his self-titled debut album and set out on a year long nationwide tour in support of his multiple hit singles. Released on November 18th, 2008, David Cook (19 Recordings / RCA Records) entered the Billboard charts at #3 and the digital album charts at #1, marking the best debut from an American Idol winner since 2006. Collectively the songs from David Cook have sold over 2 million tracks and ringtones combined. Cook’s coronation single, “The Time of My Life” was certified platinum and is not only the biggest single debut but the highest selling coronation single in the show’s history.

This just in courtesy of Rickey.Org. Feast your eyes on this great video of David’s photo shoot for his new album, This Loud Morning, schedule to be released on June 28th, 2011.

As thousands of “Cookie” fans already know, David has released his first single from the album, “The Last Goodbye”.

If you have been following American Idol, this season, you had the opportunity to see him perform it live on the Results Show a few weeks back. It was a great performance.

I have missed seeing and hearing David very much and am hoping this album will escalate his talented presence in the music industry. He is one of the kindest, gracious, most gifted and intelligent artists to have ever graced the American Idol stage and deserves to be recognized in a monumental way.

Enjoy the video over at Rickey’s and don’t forget to leave some David love in the comments section of this blog topic.

Image via Wikipedia

Boy, what a busy week.  I am rushing this blog topic now in anticipation of tonight’s show.

I am very excited. We get to see and hear Season 7 American Idol winner, David Cook.

Who hasn’t missed Cookie? I sure have. 

And, of course, another singer is leaving us tonight. Nothing is certain and conjecture is useless.

We have to patiently wait for Ryan Seacrest’s ”And the person leaving us tonight is…..” announcement.

And, oh, did I mention David Cook was on the show tonight?

Rosanne Simunovic AKA Masterclass Lady

Happy New Year everyone! And I would like to thank you for your patience and support during my self-imposed hiatus from MasterclassLady.Com.

Your dedication to the MCL site has been deeply appreciated and I tremendously value your generous and educational feedback. I am feeling much better and thank all of you for your prayers and concern. I hope that the New Year brings health, prosperity and happiness to each and every one of you.

I have been watching the successful journey of so many of my favorite artists, including Michael Buble, David Archuleta, The Canadian Tenors, David Cook, Jason Castro, Jaydee Bixby, Katharine McPhee and Adam Lambert. I do plan to devote more time to these artists in future blog topics but, for now, I would like to give them a standing “0″ for their enormous success during 2010.

I am also anticipating the premiere of Season 10 of American Idol, scheduled for Wednesday, January 19th. I plan to walk into this year’s show with my eyes wide open and give the new format of judges an opportunity to carve their niche during the course of the season. I am hoping and praying that the vocal talent is exceptional, mirroring the enormous success of Season 7.

So, I look forward to your comments. Rest assured that, over the course of the next few weeks, I will be making some new changes to this site and adding new blog topics for your reading enjoyment.

Chords of Strength: A Memoir of Soul, Song and the Power of Perseverance

American Idol Season 7 Top 2 Finalist, David Archuleta, is releasing his first book, a memoir of his musical and personal journey to date, on June 1st!

I know I will be purchasing this book. David has so much to offer  - his enormous vocal talent combined with his genuine strength of character is a rarity in the music business.

Sometimes when I watch the music award shows, the polluted musical nonsense  masquerading as “freedom of art and expression” is enough to make me cringe.

Is the ability to plant your two feet on stage and just sing from your heart becoming a lost art?

Oh wait, David Archuleta can do this!  Jason Castro can do this, David Cook can as well and so can Michael Buble and Josh Groban.

And, let’s not forget Britain’s Got Talent winner, Susan Boyle, who’s first CD out-sold everyone’s CD during the Christmas/Holiday season.

Thankfully, there is light at the end of the dark tunnel as many more pure and true vocal artists begin to emerge and thus discovered, hopefully marking an end the to flash in the pan music stars and their equally flash in the pan songs.

So, in the spirit of musical excellence, I truly hope that everyone rushes out and purchases many copies of this book to give as gifts. David Archuleta is a rare gem and I ache for the day when I can see vocal excellence comparable to his on live television once again.

Pre-Order is available on Amazon now!

I thought I would add a separate blog topic for this evening’s  star-studded 2-hour presentation of   Idol Gives Back

And you don’t have to wait until the show airs to donate to this extensive charitable cause.

With just a click,  you can donate now by visiting the Idol Gives Back website .

Two evenings ago on Larry King Live,  all the main players  of American Idol – Simon Cowell, Ryan Seacrest, Ellen DeGeneres, Kara Dioguardi and Randy Jackson -stated that they would be donating their salary for this week’s show to the Idol Gives Back Foundation.  Very nice.   

And what an evening this will be!  Scheduled to perform and/or appear are David Cook,  Alicia Keys, Carrie Underwood, Sir Elton John, Bill Gates, Kris Allen, Justin Beiber and many more.

 I will add more news as the information becomes available but, from all accounts, it is going to be quite a night of entertainment!

UPDATE #1: CARRIE UNDERWOOD JUST PERFORMED AND WAS JUST AMAZING! BRILLIANT!

UPDATE #2: ELLEN  TO FOOTHILL UNITY CENTER TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THEIR CAUSE.  SUCH A SHOCKING AND HEARTRENDING COMMENTARY  ON THE STATE OF POVERTY IN THE USA.  TEACHERS CAN’T FEED THEIR KIDS?  MOVE TO CANADA!

The theme this week is Inspirational Songs and you can find the list of available songs over at MJSBigBlog.Com.  The one song that flew out at me was Carole King’s, “You’ve Got A Friend”.

Maybe Crystal will go back to her keyboard and deliver a soulful, bluesy rendition of this number. I can’t see anyone else capable of performing this number and it just seems so logical in my mind.

Also, upon reading the list, it confirmed in my mind that Katie Stevens did indeed select “Over The Rainbow” as her Top 7 number. She performed this song so beautifully on the Ellen Show earlier today.

But let’s not be sad folks! Both Top 9 eliminated contestants, Katie Stevens and Andrew Garcia, have tweeted that they will be part of the 2-hour Idol Gives Back extravaganza on Wednesday.

If anyone knows if  the entire Top 12 are coming back for an encore, give me shout here in the comments section and I will update this blog topic ASAP.

I am hoping that Alicia Keyes can inject some soulful inspiration into the remaining singers -Aaron Kelly, Casey James, Crystal Bowersox, Lee Dewyze, Michael Lynche, Siobhan Magnus and Tim Urban.  She is such a gifted artist and these singers are so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to learn from her.

Best of luck to the Top 7 Finalists and feel welcome to add your comments before, during and after the live telecast on Tuesday, April 20th.

UPDATE: SONG SPOILERS FOR TONIGHT”S SHOW

Picture Courtesy Of AmericanIdol.Com

What a terrific show last evening! It always seems to me that the music of Lennon and McCartney brings out the very best in all the singers.  Many of these singers have worked extremely hard to prepare for this show and their hard work paid off.                

There were so many wonderful performances but  I thought two or three were stand-outs.  Alas, you will have to wait for my Top 9 Vocal Masterclass article to view my personal preferences, but, for now, I congratulate all the singers for pulling together to produce a showstopper of an evening. The best yet!                

And can I tell you how excited I am to see and hear the extremely talented David Archuleta perform his extraordinary version of John Lennon’s “Imagine” during this evening’s Results Show telecast?                

Seems to me that he and/or David Cook would be ideal mentors for this show. During Season 7, these guys knew how to select songs and, more important, how to deliver the goods with sincere passion and artistry.                

Hope to comment further this evening as the show unfolds and don’t forget to add your opinions as well. You can start now or come back later!                

UPDATE #1 : They are creating  groups of three on the stage. So far. Siobhan, Crystal and Katie are in one group and they are SAFE!   Now, on to the guys. Who will be eliminated?             

UPDATE #2: David Archuleta just sang the heart and soul out of “Imagine”.  Gorgeous.  He showed everyone  how it’s really done.  What a prodigy! And what a gift!            

UPDATE #3: Ryan is forming two groups of 3 with the guys. Y’all know where this is leading, don’t you?          

UPDATE #4: Group One: Lee, Casey, Tim                

                               Group 2: Michael, Aaron, Andrew         

BOTTOM 3:     Michael, Aaron, Andrew (well, that wasn’t shocking at all Ryan!)       

BOTTOM 2:       Michael, Andrew       

SINGING FOR THE SAVE: Michael- oh dear!             

UPDATE #5: This was outstanding. Save him judges! Save! Him!    

SAVED:  Michael Lynche – I have tears in my eyes!     First time all season! The big guy made me cry! Thank you judges. I ♥ you! 

Picture Courtesy Of AmericanIdol.Com

Who is not excited to see American Idol Season 7 winner David Cook perform on the Results Show tonight?  Finally, we are treated to some Cookie love and the Top 12 can witness what it takes to become the next American Idol.

I hope to update this blog topic as the one-hour telecast unfolds. I feel that, based on performances last evening, that either Lacey or Andrew will be leaving us tonight. I could be wrong – we shall see.

Come back and comment after the show – or start now!

UPDATE #1: David Cook opened the show and demonstrated is immense talent. A rock-infused voice powered by classical technical skills! Doesn’t get better than this!  “Jumpin’ Jack Flash…it’s a gas! gas! gas! - his new song. He will also be on Idol Gives Back later on in the season.  Cookie Monster – are you excited??? HA!

UPDATE #2: Paige Miles = Bottom 3;   Lee Dewyze is safe;  Siobhan Magnus is safe; Aaron Kelly is safe;  Andrew Garcia is safe    Tim Urban = Bottom 3

UPDATE #3: Didi Benami is safe;  Crystal Bowersox is safe; Katie Stevens is safe; Michael Lynche is safe;  Casey James is safe; Lacey Brown = Bottom 3

UPDATE #4: Tim is safe

UPDATE #5 :  Paige  is safe     Lacey  is eliminated and singing for a “save”

UPDATE #6: Lacey is permanently eliminated by the judges and it was a fair assessment.

He is a true gentleman – kind, compassionate, intellectual yet extremely forthright and honest.

He addressed many issues, including the recent death of his beloved brother, Adam. He also stressed that he is ready to be part of a greater musical experience and is open to every level of the performing arts, including acting.

I especially enjoyed his acknowledgement of David Archuleta.

They have formed a special brotherly bond and it was clearly evident that he is very fond of Archie. I think that, above all else, American Idol solidified their friendship – an unexpected but extremely welcome gift.

I will post the Larry King Video video as soon as it is available, but, for now, enjoy his newest video, “Come Back To Me“

David Cook Performing Permanent

American Idol Season 7 winner, David Cook , gave an outstanding  and incredibly moving performance of his song, “Permanent”, on the finale Of American Idol Season 8.

The song was performed by David as a tribute to his late brother, Adam, who died of cancer earlier this year.

I was so inspired by David’s performance. It was a sensitive, raw, yet powerful testament to Adam’s legacy and David was obviously moved by the entire experience.

And so was I!  His beautiful voice and vulnerable demeanor just touched my heart in a very special way.

It has been a year since we last saw David on the American Idol stage and he made me remember why I love this show so much. 

He so fully represents the heart, the dreams, the blood, sweat and tears of all performers who came before him and those who have come after.

It is exciting to watch the metamorphosis of the singers during each American Idol season and David’s journey certainly is legendary

David was a relatively undiscovered talent before American Idol.  He came out of nowhere during the semi-final rounds and, through ingenuity and charm, catapulted himself into the Top 12, leading him on an exciting journey toward the American Idol crown. 

 His genuine persona coupled with his enormous musical talent created many memorable musical moments during Season 7. 

Earlier this evening, I was sent a memo from a fan – Jaye-asking me to encourage people to download the correct “Permanent” performance from ITunes. Com.  

Per David’s request,  the proceeds are to benefit David’s personal cancer cause, Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure; however, there are two versions on the ITunes site one to benefit cancer and one strictly for profit, so make sure you grab the correct version before you download.

I believe this is the link or you can follow Jaye’s excellent instructions:

This is not about promoting Cook. If people aren’t Cook fans, then they can delete the file after you buy it. But, a simple $.99 download can help fund research to find a cure for cancer. And as I said, if we can just get it into the Top Ten, then there’s a much better chance that downloaders will direct their money to the right source.

There are three ways that people who want to download can get to the page for the correct version of the performance.

1. On the Itunes Idol page, they finally put up a rotating banner, where a link to the performance flashes in rotation with other finale performances

2. If you scroll WAY down to the bottom of the front page, Itunes has a link to the performance  under  the “What We’re Listening To” section.

3. If you just use the search function and type in “Permanent charity”, you should be able to find it.

Please download this song and help support cancer research. We have all been touched by this horrendous disease and want to eradicate the devastating effects it causes in the lives of so many.

Picture Courtesy Of AmericanIdol.Com

Who will be crowned our next American Idol?  Ah, yes, therein lies the question and it’s a biggie. Will it be the theatrical rocker, Adam Lambert, or the subdued, acoustically driven stylist, Kris Allen?

According to DialIdol.Com, the race is an extremely close one and, in the final tally, it will come down to the power of text voting.

However, in an effort to make the two-hour telecast breeze by, tonight’s show will feature an array of established talent and some of these artists will be performing with our Top 4,  Adam, Kris, Danny and Allison.  Hopefully, the remainder of the Top 13 will have a chance to shine, as well.

Scheduled to perform on the show are: Lionel Richie, Keith Urban, KISS, David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper , Jason Mraz and Santana.

And, of course, last year’s winner, David Cook, will be front and center performing “Permanent“, one of the songs from his outstanding CD. What I would give to see and hear David Cook and Adam Lambert in concert. Ah well, a lady can dream, can’t she? Or is it a crystal ball prediction? Time will tell!

So, hold on to your seats everyone, as tonight’s show is going to be a thrilling ride, one that will lead us to the final big announcement from Ryan Seacrest: “The American Idol winner for Season 8 is……”.

I will have my Masterclass article online early tomorrow. And make sure you follow my Twitter updates !

 Enjoy the show!

Oh – and don’t forget to download the Top 13 performances on I-Tunes. And, while you are there, catch a couple of songs from one of my three CDs.

More updates will be added as they come in.

David Cook and David Archuleta in Manila

 I am a little behind in speaking about this monumentous event, but one of my readers, Janey, who is an avid David Archuleta fan, asked if she could share her views on David Cook ‘s and David Archuleta’s recent performances in Manila.

I have been meaning to cover this wonderful collaboration of this talented duo, so I thank God everyday for fans -in this case Janey, as well as others - who gently nudge me back to my computer keyboard.

The Davids are never far from my mind and heart and I know that they will continue to have very successful careers.

These two young men are truly special!

Here is what Janey had to say about the Manila concert and I welcome your comments as well.

Many of you here at Masterclasslady.com might already know that I’m a HUGE fan of David Archuleta.

Having followed his career ever since he stepped foot on the Idol stage I felt it was important to update you on THE EVENT in Manila that occurred Saturday, May 16 at the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds.

David Archuleta and David Cook performed in back to back concerts in front of a sold-out crowd of 50,000.

Both performed a full concert set with 14 songs each giving concert goers reason to stand on their seats the entire time. The Davids were overwhelmed by the magnitude of the occasion and the support shown to them by their Filipino fans.

Doesn’t it sound like a spectacular show? She went on to say that, later on that evening, David Archuleta personally thanked his fans on one of his blogs.

Janey also sent me a clip of David Cook singing the final song of the evening -” A Daily  Anthem“- with David Archuleta  joining him on stage during the final moments of this song.

I so enjoyed seeing his presence in the audience last year.  His smiling face and positive spirit certainly superceded anything that was happening on the stage. Adam Cook’ s presence was a reality check – one that reminded all of us that life is indeed precious and needs to be embraced and celebrated at every turn of the road.

This morning, David Cook released a statement about the passing of his brother.

He has asked people to honor the memory of his brother by donating  to the Race for Hope (through September 30, 2009). You may also decide to honor Adam’s memory by lighting a virtual candle – what a lovely idea, indeed!

For those of you who may have not seen this, I have added this video where David Cook addressed the Race for Hope crowd after the race.

Rest in Peace, Adam Cook. Our prayers and thoughts are sent to family and friends at this very diffcult time.

Picture Courtesy Of AmericanIdol.Com

I am not here, but my blog topic is. Ahh – the wonders of technology and the fabulous WordPress.Com blogging format!

As I am traveling and will be in and out of dentist chairs (ugh!)  and wedding apparel stores ( my daughter is getting married in December) over the next  few days,  I am not unable to supply a full Vocal Masterclass article for the Top 9 performance show last evening.

However, I did add a mini-Masterclass article here yesterday, after the performance show was over. You can either add your comments there or continue commenting on this blog topic in anticipation of the Results show.

And as I will be missing David Cook’s performance on the show tonight, as well as Lady Gaga’s, you can bet I have my DVR set to record it. However, please add your comments and let me know what happened. I love my Cookie and wish him all the success in the world.

The Masterclass Doors are now open for business! Enjoy the show and, as Seinfeld said: “Look To The Cookie!”

Oh – and don’t forget to download the Top 13 performances on I-Tunes. And, while you are there, catch a couple of songs from one of my three CDs. (shameless self-promotion – couldn’t resist. haha)

And, I have received a “heads up” that Michael Castro, brother of Top 4 Season 7 finalist Jason Castro, will be making a long-anticipated appearance on this leg of the tour. And, to make things even more interesting, Jason decides to support his bro’ and come along for the ride. More on this later.

As in yesterday’s Arizona auditions, this article will be written in real time and published immediately after the end of the 2-hour show. Therefore, unlike the full-length Vocal Masterclass articles for the Top 12, my first impressions from the Kansas City Auditions will be abbreviated. I will leave it up to you to fill in the blanks and add your comments.

The show opens with an appearance by Jason Castro. Wheee! It is good to see him again and, for a minute, I am transported to the magic that was American Idol Season 7.

Chelsea is our first delusional singer of the day. God Bless her sweet heart. Her problem is that she is a complete nervous wreck and, if there is a voice in that sweet young body, it has yet to be unleashed. She needs to find a way to manage her nerves or else the party is indeed over.

Ashley Anderson is a 20-year-old singer with a lovely mellow voice and she is not afraid to sing with a variety of nuances. I’m not sure how far she will go in this competition, but it was definitely a very good audition for the television judges. She performed “Footsteps In The Sand” expressively well and left a strong impression on all four judges. On me? Too early to tell.

Casey Carlson is an extremely attractive 20-year-old singer who has a very sweet voice and demeanor. And, as Kara DioGuardi says, “I see a package here” and just like that she is off to Hollywood. She didn’t exactly nail her song – a few nerves got in the way of a steady pitch-centered performance – but she did “keep it together” for the audition. I concur with Kara – she shows great, great promise.

Brian is a classical singer who tries to sing Aretha Franklin’s “Think”. And I emphasize the word “tries”! What a mess! And now he wants to sing Josh Groban and it is truly frightening. Oh my – why don’t these singers hear and see what we hear and see.

This is followed by lots of crying and screaming and yelling by a variety of “singers”. It’s just a show people! You haven’t been sentenced to death! Lighten up!.

Von Smith is 20-year-old who sings a dramatic version of “Over The Rainbow”. To me, it is an “over the top” performance. I would love to see what this guy could do with an upbeat song. He is different, but the question is: “Is it a good kind of different?” He seems gimmicky to me. So, the judges put him through, but he better cut back on the screaming or he won’t have a voice come Hollywood week.

Michael Castro is up next, along with his superstar brother, Jason. They make a cute couple, don’t they? Then Michael sings a Gavin DeGraw number and he has quite the set of chops. He is a bit nasal, at times, but he can really, really sing. He is more rugged in appearance than gentle Jason, but that is a very good thing. It will stifle the comparisons between brothers, as both have a distinct vocal style.

Matt is 27-years-old and is following his dream to be discovered as a singer. And he sings “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers. He has a decent voice, but he has mucho vocal problems. And he is off to Hollywood because of his heart and ambition, according to Simon. We shall see what happens. He is going to need to read a ton of Vocal Masterclass articles in order to get his voice on track. That’s why I get paid the big bucks! HA!

Jessica is an 18-year-old singer who absolutely nails a Janis Joplin song. A great powerful voice combined with a genuine persona! She will demonstrate great promise and resilience over the course of this season. This gal is a fighter! Plus, she is good to her grandmother and that touched a soft spot in my heart. There is nothing greater than watching a young person ineract with a senior citizen in such a loving and caring manner.

Asia and India are sisters and they couldn’t look and sound more dissimilar. But they are a hoot to watch. Asia can’t sing at all and India can sing. So, it’s no surprise when little India moves forward to Hollywood. But, Asia is a really supportive sister -what a sweetheart. You can’t buy love people and this segement is evidence of that.

Jamar- screams his way to Hollywood singing “California Dreamin” . What more can I say? It was a screamfest, but the judges loved it. Whatevuh!

Danny is a 22-year-old music teacher who just lost his wife after a lengthy illness. He performs a very good version of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”. Full of rhythmic soul and a voice that truly impresses. The best heard by the judges to date! Now those are great credentials to carry with him as he makes his way to Hollywood.

Anoop is a 21-year-old vocal major who performs a great “Boys To Men” number. Another soulful performance, but he needs to expand his performing skills. But, all that in time,right?

At this point in the show, I have just about had it! Two hours is way too long and it’s all getting old very quickly. And, truth be told, I haven’t found one singer that I have fallen head over heels in love with! Although I have heard Michael Castro’s songs over on hi MySpace site and he is very good. Those Castro boys are extremely talented indeed.

Andrew brings his own cheerleaders and they are as annoying as whatever! He belts out “My Girl” by The Temptations while the ladies in red provide background distraction. He is a great singer, but why he felt the need to bring these babes is beyond me. The judges found him too theatrical. I didn’t, but it was a huge mistake to bring the gals, dude. I cannot stand gimmick auditions.

Asa is a 28-year-old band director who sings a very good version of Michael Jackson’s “The Way you Make Me Feel”. He has a great tone to his voice – very passionate and full of natural head tone which I love!

Oy vey, when will this show end so I can watch my Frasier and Seinfeld re-runs? Is it just me or is this evening’s episode a boring mess. I want out of Kansas City. Maybe if I click my heels I will be transported to the land of Oz.

Michael is determined to prove that he can sing and can become a star. He is related to Hank Williams Jr.. Well, that’s impressive. However, his singing is not and, to add fuel to the fire, he sings an original composition. Oh dear, this is not good and it really tugs at my heatrtstrings. Hopefully, he can find his true path in life! Chin up, buddy

Dennis sings “With You” by Chris Brown and I love him. Simon does not? Hmmm. It looks like he could be a tad annoying, but I think the kid can perform. Who knows how far he will go? It’s a crap shoot at this point, but he is off to Hollywood.

The show ended with a strong performance by Lil Rounds. And, the judges are in love with her. She has a superb voice and a neat throwback sound in her singing style. I don’t see a whole lot of star power yet, but, the fashion police will take care of that if she finds a spot in the Top 12.

So that is it for Kansas City. I loved all the clips of David Cook and it was great to see his parents. Such wonderful memories from such a wonderful season.

Now, to you the readers, this is your forum as well. What say you? The Masterclass doors are now open.

So, I thought I would offer a December “to do” list for MasterclassLady.Com and, as each project is completed, I would “cross it off” my list and provide a link to the blog topic.

Also, please feel free to add your requests in the comments section – in case I missed anything.

So, here we go – Masterclass Lady’s December “To Do” List:

• BREAKING NEWS: Live Chat With Dean Kaelin and Masterclass Lady At Counting David’s Character On Wednesday, December 10th: Click here to read the transcript
• Review David Archuleta’s CD All Done. Click here.
• Clean My House All Done! Woo! Out To Purchase or Download Cookie’s CD after Church Services
• Snuck in a review of David Archuleta’s “O Holy Night” Performance Click here
• Review David Cook’s CD
• Decorate My Christmas Tree Done ahead of schedule because I missed my beautiful white and gold tree
• Review Jason’s Castro’s New Music
• Review David Archuleta’s AOL Performances
• Babysit My Almost 3-year-old Granddaughter For A Week
• Recover From Babysitting My Granddaughter for A Week. haha
• Bake, bake and bake some more
• Review David Archuleta’s Jingle Ball Performances
• Wrap My presents
• Review the Canadian Tenors’ New CD
• Plan Music Liturgy For Advent And Christmas Church Services All done!
• Review Jaydee Bixby’s New CD
• Anything Else?