[Harp-L] Subject: Stay tuned for a Blues win on American Idol?

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

And speaking of Jimmy Rogers....
 
While I know some people look down their noses at American  Idol,  tonight 
in the finals (results tomorrow night), a young female  
Blues/folk/country/rock harp-in-a-rack guitar-playing female singer blew the  audience away with 
her versions of "Me and Bobby McGee' 
 
(here's a previous performance - the finalists got to reprise their best  
performances of the season tonight)
 
_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSL_g0s9Hi8_ 
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSL_g0s9Hi8) 
 
 
and 'Black Velvet' ("Jimmy Rogers on the Victrola up high"......)
 
 
performed here by Alannah Myles (in 1989) - (Crystal's version tonight was  
beautifully done).
 
 
_http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=buMpRdJhwFI&feature=related_ 
(http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=buMpRdJhwFI&feature=related) 
 
 
She then sang a bluesy/gospel-tinged and stunning 'Up to the Mountain'  
which would be her first record released should she win. Written by Patty  
Griffin, it's an emotionally moving powerhouse song which Ms.  Bowersox made her 
own tonight. 

 
I don't believe half the audience have any clue what kind of singer Crystal 
 Bowersox from Northern Ohio actually is since most of the tweens who text  
their votes wouldn't know Blues/rock or folk if they fell over it. I think  
they think of her as country pop.  
 
 
Tonight she all but cemented her win with 3 terrific performances - if  
those who vote have a clue just how good she is...here's hoping, although that  
horrible web-site 'vote for the worst' had chosen Lee Dewyze to vote for 
just to  skew the competition.  I quite like Lee since he has the kind of 
voice  I like listening to, but to have a bona-fide working class non-Hollywood, 
 American singer/harmonica/guitar player take the top prize on American 
Idol  would please me enormously and tonight this 24-year old was in a Class of 
her  own. 
 
For anyone still interested...check out this site and listen in to some of  
her own songs (she's a singer/songwriter). Farmer's Daughter is  
autobiographical. Powerful stuff. Brought me to tears for several reasons  besides the 
obvious one of giving a voice to motherless, abused children...grown  or 
not ("...and when you broke my bones I told the School I fell down the  
stairs"). 
 
_http://www.crystal-bowersox.net/_ (http://www.crystal-bowersox.net/) 
 
 
Elizabeth