another Oklahoman American Idol?

[jbrown84]

There are 2 Tulsans in the top 24 on American Idol this year. They aren't front-runners, but there's always a chance...

[bandnerd]

Really? Which ones?

[jbrown84]

David Cook and Alaina Whitaker.

[bandnerd]

Oh, I like David Cook! He did a nice job with "So Happy Together," a song the judges ripped...I was left there thinking, hey, I like that song!

[MadMonk]

Alaina did okay tonight, but not so good that I was saying "wow" to myself. I don't really remember much of David's performance either. Damn, I'm sounding like Simon.

But, based on tonight's performances, Syesha Mercado was hands-down the best, IMO. Better than any of the girls and better than any of the guys last night (and the guys had some excellent performances).

I'm going on record with her as my pick as the overall winner when it's all done.
She's got the looks, the confidence and the best voice on the show.

[jbrown84]

Well Alaina shockingly got the boot last week. I thought she was one of the top 2 or 3 girls and had nothing to worry about, but not so.

[jbrown84]

Woot woot! David Cook wins in a surprising turn of events. Everyone though little Archuleta would win.

David was raised in the Kansas City area, but he has lived the last several years in Tulsa working as a bartender and musician.

[kmf563]

YAH! Go Cook. I actually watched the entire season of this dreadful show just to root for him. I'm so happy for him. And by 12 million votes! That is amazing. He is an awesome guy.

[jbrown84]

This story is on the front of the paper today. It's neat to have someone that can speak from a personal perspective.

My friend David Cook: Honest, gracious, genuine
By John Estus
Staff Writer


My friend David Cook has had quite a ride since I last saw him play 375 days ago, when he opened a concert for a band I once managed at a smoke-filled Tulsa bar.

Six or seven fans stood up front to cheer when he took to the rickety little stage that night. Most of the stage light came from a neon sign at stage right that read: "BEER.”

The rest of the few dozen in the crowd sat at tables in the back.

But by the end of Cook's set, he'd won them all over. Most people weren't talking about the headliner — the band I managed — by the time the bar closed.

Cook had stolen the show.

It didn't surprise us at all. We had all known how talented he was since he started making waves in Kansas City with a band called Axium a few years before.

All we could offer David for the show on May 12, 2007, was an opening slot, but he took it without hesitation. He wanted to sell some copies of his debut solo album, "Analog Heart,” which he had just finished recording at a downtown Tulsa studio.

That's an interesting gauge of how far "American Idol” has taken him. David was selling his CD for $5 or $10 that night, and he even gave a couple copies away to an Oklahoma City radio host who was impressed with his performance and wanted to play his songs on her local music show.

Wednesday, someone from Tulsa sold that CD on eBay for $325. David was paid less than a third of that for the 45 minutes he played at Boston's last May. There's a good chance a lot of other radio hosts will be spinning his songs soon.

A lot can change in 375 days.

TV cameras and state-of-the-art stage lights replaced the glow of the bar's neon beer sign. He sang to millions of people and made believers out of them just as he did to the fans, friends and drunks at that Tulsa bar and across the region.

And he's remained gracious and level-headed through it all. That's why David isn't like most people I've met in the music industry. He's a genuine, honest person who doesn't run away from hard work.

He's paid his dues, and that's rare. I'm glad I can call him a friend.

I just hope he gets me a free ticket to his show at BOK Center in September. This reporting gig doesn't pay like the rock star thing does.

[Karried]

so cool! I haven't watched the show but I Youtubed a few songs.. a few of his songs gave me serious goosebumps! Billy Jean in particular... WoW!

[jbrown84]

Yes his rendition of Billie Jean got raves. It really is when he started to stand out and make some think he could actually win over Archuleta. My favorites were his version of Mariah Carey's "Always Be My Baby", the Beatles' "Elanore Rigby", and "Music of the Night" from Phantom of the Opera.

[mmonroe]

American Idol and Oklahomans, we go hand in hand...

[venture]

Definitely who I wanted to win...was it a shock? Not at all. All the Idol tracking sites, like DialIdol.com, had him tracking ahead of Archie about an hour into voting. Cook has also been #1 for the majority of the Top 12 weeks, so definitely not an upset like people are claiming.

Either way, he showed variety in his singing and strong confidence on stage. Little David had one singing style and was a puppet to his insane father. Feel sorry for the kid.

[mmonroe]

Well, David did have one part in his song with ZZ Tops where it seemed like he forgot a line, or forgot to sing it.

[jbrown84]

Archuleta's stage presence amounted to (1) holding a hand out to the audience, (2) shaking his hips back and forth, and (3) closing his eyes a lot.

I know his dad was kicked out of rehearsals a few weeks ago. Are there more details about his involvement?