March 2, 2012 
by Pamela Pike and Rosanne Simunovic
Pamela Pike’s Recollections
There’s nothing that compares when 16 year old David Archuleta arrived in San Diego, California in 2007 to audition for American Idol. He came with immense talent and excitement to find his dream, an artist working through the heart.
David appeared as a singer who kept reaching beyond his every achievement, concerned not with winning, but to see how far one could go. What he could not have known at the time was that he was to show America how to see itself as it never had before.
David is special in many ways, and has brought so many people together in faith. His talent has brought him to the forefront of the world and his faith has kept him on target with all the responsibility that it brings.
As David leaves on his mission one of faith and service for the next two years, we will be providing a Retrospective for his fans consisting of David’s recordings and performances from American Idol to the present. It will be a history of a young artist’s impact on the fans who love him.
This is music clearly for keeps, and its essential vitality needs to be passed on and not forgotten. These are not just great performances but an entire process of work that deserves repeated listening.
While we wait for his journey to complete we can take our journey, one of patience, love, understanding and remembering why the last four years took a piece of our heart.
It is with great respect and my honor to have Rosanne Simunovic join me on this two year journey of love.
Rosanne Simunovic’s Recollections
I feel fortunate and privileged indeed to have been invited by Pamela Pike to be part of this exciting David journey. When collaborating with Pamela on this Retrospective Series, the first song that came to mind was “Think Of Me” from “Phantom Of The Opera”.
Arranged by the very talented Richard Parkinson and performed by David during American Idol Season 7, the lyrics seemed a perfect launch pad for David’s two-year Mormon Mission.
For even though he will be fully embracing this religious calling, we know that his thoughts of family, friends and fans will never be far from his mind and heart.
Therefore, we feel it is important that David knows and understands that he will never be far from our thoughts and our hearts as well. His talent is unique, a God-given gift and one that always deserves our utmost devotion and praise.
We know how much he adores and appreciate his fans, for this is what keeps him grounded and motivated to strive for the very best.
“Think Of Me” is more than just an exquisite arrangement. It is a testament to the kind of music that attracts David and, ultimately, defines who he is as an artist.
David performs songs that speak to him on a very personal level, which is why he has chosen to create his own journey toward international success as a music artist.
David’s innate ability to create a current sound for this theatrically-based song was truly inspired. I don’t think I have ever heard a more expressive delivery of this song. It was so genuine and heartfelt, a soulful take on this classical musical theatre song.
It was ready for air play four years ago and still is to this day. Imagine a musical theatre song hitting the Billboard Charts? What a rare achievement this would be.
So, by featuring it once again in this Retrospective Series, it may fall on influential ears and receive the recognition it truly deserves.
But, more important, it will encourage us to hold fast to our musical memories of David during his two-year musical hiatus and gently, but firmly, further tighten the bond between singer and listener.
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Hi, I don’t have much to add to this wonderful series that will be viewed throughout the next 2 years while David partakes on his mission. JUST TO ADD…THANK YOU!!! Sincerely, Madeline
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Reblogged this on My Kind of Perfect and commented:
Thank you for this wonderful article MasterClassLady!
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Hi! I always enjoy your writings, esp when it comes to David Archuleta. Thank you for always supporting him and will even continue covering him while he is on hiatus from his showbiz career. For sure, he will appreciate that.
Since you will be doing a Retrospective of David’s performances in Idol, may I offer my collection of videos in HDTV format –
This is a collection of his solo performances
http://www.youtube.com/user/JRforDAI#grid/user/049B9C0B79E4EF44
I have his other performances (groups, commercials, etc..) and even beyond AI in HQ or HD, just check out the channel 🙂
Again, thanks for your support of my artist of choice.
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“THINK OF ME” is my personal favorite performance from AI. It was THE song that made me realize that David was something different and special. Those words were the last ones my dad said to me before he died.He loved good singers and he would have LOVED David. David opened up a new world of music and friends and travel and sheer JOY to me. I will be forever grateful for his presence in my life.
Thank you for this series. I will be here with you the whole way.
Janet D.
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01-12 David Archuleta – THINK OF ME @ AIS7 HDTV (Top06) w/ Andrew Lloyd Webber’s session & comments
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JackRyan – thank you so much for sharing your videos. I will consult with Pamela Pike but most certainly use them for future articles. And we will credit you of course!!! 🙂
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Janet – thank you for sharing this heartwarming story re your Dad. It brought tears to my eyes. This song holds special meaning for you and so many others, regardless of the situation. Thank you again. Beautiful story.
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Special thanks to all of you for your positive feedback. A new blog topic will be added on the first Friday of each month for the next two years.
This was the brainchild of author Pamela Pike and feel grateful that she included me in her Retrospective Vision for David.
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Thank you Pamela and Masterclass Lady for this blog. This will give us something to look forward to while David is gone. I love the fact that both of you get David. David is the first celebrity that I have ever shown any personal interest in. I loved his voice from day 1, but there was just something else about him that drew me in. I remember people not being very kind in writing about David saying things like his gentle, sweet nature was all an act. Hope people who did so are now eating their words. No one carries on an act without a blip for 4 years. David is the person that he appears to be, and everyone who meets him can feel that glow of goodness shining through. He took my breath away the first time I met him and continued to leave me pretty much speechless during other meetings. His eyes look right into your heart and they are filled with such kindness. The first time I met him I had my grandsons with me. The second time I met him he asked me, “Where are the boys?” I was pretty much dumbstruck that he remembered. He is definitely one of a kind.
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Thank you for your terrific retrospective Pam and Rosanne, and MCL for posting it. I enjoy reading the praises of David in the comments as well. Think Of Me was the first song I ever heard David sing, as it was the first Idol show I watched that season. My thought at the time was that NO one sings like THAT anymore. I was hooked for good and have been a big fan of David ever since. I’ll still be here like everyone else two years from now. Looking forward to your next installment.
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Thank You Masterclasslady and Pamela for the beginning of a wonderful series and tribute to David Archuleta. Wow how appropriate to start with “Think of Me” David’s words are so apropo. I definitely will think of David as I am on this journey for the long run. So many good memories of the past 4 years.
I have always appreciated your support of David and I know you’ve been a fan from Day One too! The difference being you have the expertise to explain David’s singing and persona so well and I’ve always appreciated it.
Richard did a nice arrangement of this song and David sang it so beautifully.
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Thank’s for this beautiful writing. Such an touchful writing. We will never stop to love him.
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Madeline, lorms, Jackryan4da, Janet, grannycrush, Jeff, Heidijoy and Rachel,
Many thanks for all your gracious and positive feedbacks. We are looking forward in the next two years reflecting and sharing David’s music with all his loving fans.
Thank you again.
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This is an appropriate phrase from one of his song. “There will never be a day that I wont think of you”. David is the first artist that I fell in love with not with just his music but more on his personality. He has become a vital part of my life for four years now. For me he is my personal yoga. Listening to him sing relaxes my bothered soul or just merely hearing him blabber put a smile on my lips before I realized it. Whenever I am depressed or down I just look on his videos on YT and this never fails to uplift my soul. I was amazed at his wisdom at such a young age. He always sees good things above any uncertainties. I would like to applaud his parents for his upbringing and for sharing a beautiful child as David. As he embarks on this two year mission I am greatly sad and happy at the same time. Sad because I will be missing him so bad. It would be hard to think that there were significant chapters of his life that he can’t share with us. Two years seems so long I would like to jump time to his return on 2014! I know I’m not the only soul who is feeling this way. Lots of fans and most especially his family. What I’m happy about is because I know that he will be doing this for his faith and this would help him grow as a person as well. And once again he proved to me that I am not wrong for admiring this young man. He is not just a pretty face with a great voice and talent. He has a heart of gold full of unconditional love and kindness and for me this combination is priceless. I just hope lots of people would see this gem and give him the proper appreciation that he deserves. Thank you so much Masterclasslady and Pamela for this wonderful article. I will be looking forward for the likes of this for the next two years. This would help us somehow get through two years while waiting for the return of our love great guy David Archuleta!
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MCL,
I am writing this with tears in my eyes. “Think of Me” is one of my special favorites as done by my angel David Archuleta. I have loved his recording of this amazing song, forever and always. He did a truly magnificant job of reworking the song into a current pop song and sang it in the way that only he could.
David has been very special to me ever since the first time I saw him sing “Imagine” on Idol. He is the reason why I watched that season. I was thrilled and inspired watching him on his Idol journey. He has given me the gift of hearing an incomparable voice, watching his grace, kindness and poise and cherishing every moment of every song.
No words can possibly do justice to the impact David Archuleta has had on my life. However, reading your heartfelt thoughts about him was poignant and moving. You did him justice and I thank you.
No matter where David is and what he is doing, he will be in my heart always.
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All I can say is “Ditto” to everything that has been said here. Think of Me is also my favorite song from Idol. So glad to see that Pamela and you, Rosanne, are going to be posting these special articles every first Friday of the month. I will be looking forward to reading them. I think I have only commented here once, but I visit quite often. I will miss David these next 2 years, but I’m also very happy and excited for him on this journey he is undertaking. I’m also glad he went with his heart on making this decision. It couldn’t have been easy. He is truly loved by many, not just for his voice, but also for his impeccable character and integrity. He is #1 in my book, and I will be waiting for his return, cause I know he will only be better when he does!
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Hiii MCL, I’ll take a stroll down memory lane with you any day of the week and twice on Sundays 🙂
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Thank you from the bottom of my heart Pamela and Rosanne, for this Retrospective Series. Thanks also Pamela for asking Rosanne to share this with you. This just brought tears to my eyes. What an amazing way to honor David, as he prepares to serve the Lord for 2 years starting the end of this month. David’s rendition of Think Of Me was so original,stellar, and gorgeous. I agree that it would be perfect for radio airplay. I’ve always felt it was a shame Simon didn’t see how special David’s performance of this was.
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To Sweettonda, Maribeth, Anita,
You are so welcome, thank you for all your sweet comments and support. These next two years will be a labor of love.
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🙂 Thank you for always supporting David
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Hey everyone! I will always support David and am so glad you enjoyed the first article. And thank you Pam for coming over to my blog to acknowledge the readers. You are terrific.
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Thank you both for this wonderful article. What a fabulous idea! David has given us more than enough content to fill up these two years. It is truly staggering to me how much he has accomplished in 4 short years. I so look forward to these articles as well as hearing occasionally about how David’s mission is going. David has swept us all up and sent on our own amazing journey as fans.
MCL – Did you get a chance to read Chords of Strength yet? It’s wonderful. Also, If you’d like to watch David’s TV miniseries Nandito Ako, go to http://fansofdavid.com/?page_id=67917. English subtitles are added to each episode as soon as possible after they air. A HUGE thanks to the Filipino fans for helping to provide this archive. It’s a soap opera, so if you watch, be prepared for TONS of DRAMA.
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Was going to listen to David’s songs and find that they are “blocked”
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