The Harmony of ‘Jack and White’
Harmony in modern music – as in modern life – can sometimes be elusive. Thankfully, there are artists like Jack and White (aka Jack Matranga and Brooke White) for whom harmony comes naturally. Though...
View ArticleDavid Archuleta’s Farewell
Though we practice different faiths, I can’t help but admire David Archuleta’s decision to step away from his singing career for two years in order to be a Mormon missionary and develop his...
View ArticleBrief Thoughts on “American Idol” and “Touch”
1. There was an interesting emotional moment on “American Idol” last night during Stevie Nicks’ mentoring session of contestant Hollie Cavanagh who sang the Carrie Underwood hit “Jesus, Take the...
View ArticleThe Hands of Mother and Child
Singer/songwriter Brooke White facebooked and tweeted this photo of her and her baby daughter London holding hands. It looks like a piece of art that conveys a world of meaning, so I’m re-posting it...
View Article2012: A Blog Year in Review
Happy Belated New Year to Everybody! After three weeks of being largely offline, it’s taking time to get back in blogging mode, so I thought this would be a good time to look back at Year One of our...
View Article“American Idol” winner Candice Glover and Other Women Who Derive Their...
Candice Glover was crowned the winner of “American Idol” season 12 last night – and much like her gospel-tinged performances throughout the year, her new single – “I Am Beautiful” – is a declaration of...
View ArticleCan Music Heal a Broken Family: A Review of the Hallmark Channel’s “Banner...
Most Hallmark Channel movies attempt to convey a sense of uplift, poignancy or inspiration strictly through the story and characters. “Banner 4th of July,” premiering Saturday June 29 at 9pmET/PT, gets...
View Article“American Idol’s” Catholic Judging Panel
It’s well-known that the United States Supreme Court includes a number of Catholic judges. But television’s Supreme Court of New Music Talent – a.k.a. the “American Idol” judging panel – can boast the...
View ArticleHarry Connick Jr. Goes to Confession
In a previous blog post, I looked at the Catholic backgrounds of 2014 “American Idol” judges Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez and Harry Connick Jr. On the Jan. 22 episode, Connick, who in a more serious...
View ArticleUPDATE: Overcoming Troubles Leads to Life, Hope and a Grammy Award
I just read that former “Christopher Closeup” guest Mandisa won her first ever Grammy Award last night for her album “Overcomer” in the category Best Contemporary Christian Music Album. In addition,...
View ArticleHarry Connick Jr. Kicks Into ‘Dad Mode’ Again After Contestant’s Sexually...
Since I’ve been watching the Olympics for the past two weeks, my “American Idol” viewing fell a little behind before catching up on the DVR this weekend. One of the most interesting moments of...
View ArticleRole Models, Celebrities Behaving Admirably, & Patheos’s Fifth Anniversary
Now that “Star Wars Day” is over (May the 4th be with you), it’s time to celebrate another special occasion: namely, Patheos.com’s 5th anniversary! It was a mere three-and-a-half years ago that I...
View ArticleSuperstars Keith Urban & Nicole Kidman Duet on “Amazing Grace” at Children’s...
Keith Urban has always come across as a genuinely nice guy during his two judging stints on “American Idol.” He also takes his faith seriously, as I covered in my recent blog post “American Idol’s...
View ArticleUPDATE: Michael Johns Brought Soul to “American Idol.” Now May His Soul Rest...
There’s no shortage of stories that make you realize how fragile life is. That fact was brought home to longtime “American Idol” fans this weekend with the announcement that season seven contestant,...
View ArticleLook to Him for Your Sight and Find Something Divine Inside
Two-time “Christopher Closeup” guest and “American Idol” alum Brooke White posted a new song online recently called “Something Divine.” She actually wrote the music and lyrics many years ago in...
View ArticleHarry Connick Jr. and Keith Urban Duet on “Beverly Hillbillies” Theme
Last night’s “American Idol” included an accordion player, a banjo player, yodeling, and Harry Connick Jr. and Keith Urban dueting on the “Beverly Hillbillies” theme song. In other words, I was in...
View ArticleUPDATE: Kelly Clarkson on Sexual Imagery, Curt Schilling on Bullies, &“House...
A few quick observations on topics in the news today: 1. Since winning “American Idol” in 2002, Kelly Clarkson has built an amazing career for herself in the music industry. Unlike many pop stars, she...
View ArticleBlue Hair Ain’t Just for Old Ladies Anymore (& Other “American Idol” Musings)
(All photos property of Fox and American Idol) One of the noveltys on “American Idol” this season is that two of the female contestants have blue hair. Thankfully, that’s not the only reason they stand...
View ArticleKelly Clarkson Makes “American Idol” a Family Affair, Calls on Men to Be...
A seven-months-pregnant Kelly Clarkson served as a guest judge on “American Idol” last night and made it something of a family affair. When contestant Mackenzie Bourg was singing, she said her unborn...
View ArticleGo Rest High on That Mountain
One of the things the TV landscape will be losing when “American Idol” ends its farewell season is a public outlet for faith-inspired singers. Every season has at least some contestants who come from a...
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