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  • The X Factor USA Recap: Season 3 – And Then There Were 12

    X Factor elimination

    Oh X Factor. Why can’t you do anything right? And how much of this is to blame on Simon Cowell? Well, from a technical perspective, it’s not his fault that there was a technical slip-up, but this is his baby and the Mickey Mouse mistakes will all direct back to him as the face of the show.

    If you had invested two hours into Wednesday’s show like I did and then saw on Thursday that you weren’t going to get what was promised, which was an elimination, did you even bother with Thursday’s show? I don’t see why you would’ve. According to the ratings, no one did.

    The rhythm of the show is off. After eliminating someone tonight, they’re eliminating two people tomorrow. I wish the show was more organized. You have to think that this is probably the last season of the X Factor in the USA.

    X Factor Elimination

    Carlos Guevara was eliminated surprisingly. It made sense in that he was a great story, but when it came time to deliver, he didn’t deliver. Still, from a human interest story, they have to be disappointed that he was the first elimination. They could’ve told many more stories about Carlos.

    Performances of the night

    It was 80s night. This was both good and bad. It was good in the sense that most of the songs were fun and recognizable. But being recognizable made some of the acts try and change them up too much.

    Khaya Cohen performed Madonna’s Borderline, which was the perfect performance of the night. She has that Amy Winehouse twang. To me, it’s one of Madonna’s most fun song and Khaya’s performance was fun as well. However, she has the chops to sing it better than Madonna ever could.

    Rachel Potter and her legs performed Heart’s Alone. It was a diversion from her country style, but it worked well because it showed off her vocals and stage presence. She was once booed on stage, but now she’s getting those cheers, deservedly.

    Rion Paige sang Pat Benetar’s We Belong very well. She’s such a ball of fire.

    Duds of the night

    Tim Olstad just doesn’t have it. He redid Phil Collins’ Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) and if I closed my eyes, I’d think he did a pretty good job. But in watching him, I had to see how uncomfortable he was (which made me feel uncomfortable) and since this is a TV show, he just doesn’t have it. Demi said it best. He doesn’t have the X factor.

    No one else really did terribly. Even though Carlito Olivero is a mess on stage, I found his energetic performance of Rhythm Is Gonna Get You fine. Can you really do an outstanding performance of that song, or is it supposed to be a clusterf***?

    Who are the front runners?

    At this point, my girl Khaya is the best singer. Simon is propping up Restless Road as the best thing since Wonder bread. And Alex & Sierra to me, seem to be the best mix of solid vocals, excellent stage presence, and creative versions of the songs they’re singing. Either that, or I just dig me some Sierra. She’s the baddest girl in his history of this show.

    I wasn’t a fan of Josh Levi’s version of Straight Up, but he’s got a mini-Usher vibe going. Everyone’s favorite grandmother, Lille McCloud took a step backward by doing Chaka Khan, but she’s still really good. I still think Rachel Potter has her work cut out for her, no matter how well she’s done so far.

    Who goes home?

    I think Tim is done. He’s like Old Yeller after getting rabies. We just have to shoot him out of his misery.

  • Veteran’s Day…

    Veteran’s Day…

    I know yesterday was Veteran’s Day, but I was spending that day with my favorite veteran…

    I come from a long line of veterans. My father, most of my uncles, and quite a few cousins are vets. I think the only service that hasn’t been represented by someone in my family is the Coast Guard. I am married to a soldier who will finally be retiring next year after thirty years of service. The military has its problems and some may think of it as a job no more honorable than any other job. And maybe, when we’re at “peace”, that’s true.

    Anyway, in a few days, my husband Bill and I will celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary. For most of our marriage, the United States has been at war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Bill went to Iraq for six months in 2007. Somehow, he has avoided other deployments, though he has friends who have gone downrange over and over again. They leave behind family members who worry about them all the time. Many times, they survive their deployments just fine. Sometimes, they don’t. I wanted to dedicate a post to all the veterans and their families out there.

    Rhonda Vincent and the Rage is one of my favorite bluegrass bands. They have done a couple of great songs for vets.


    “Till They Came Home”


    “God Bless The Soldier”

    Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler famously sang “The Ballad of the Green Berets”.


    I’ve always thought this song was kind of hyperbolic, but it’s definitely a song for veterans.


    “Dogface Soldier” by Russ Morgan

    This first time I ever heard the song “Dogface Soldier”, I was at a dining out with Bill and some old veteran got up and sang this. The guest of honor happened to be Captain Dale Dye, a highly decorated Marine who went on to consult on military affairs in Hollywood. Dale Dye was a really good sport and gave the veteran the sharpest salute ever!

    In 1990, Hank Williams Jr. famously sang a song for the late Saddam Hussein, who had just invaded Kuwait…


    This song kind of cracks me up now. It’s full of bravado and bullshit.

    Like something a little edgier? Sammy Hagar has you covered.


    “Remember The Heroes” by Sammy Hagar

    Actually, this is the first time I’ve ever heard this song. I give Sammy Hagar props for this. It’s nice to hear a rock star singing something for the troops.

    Want something even edgier than Hagar? Check out “Don’t Tread On Me” by Metallica…


    This’ll get you out of bed for PT…

    A woman I used to work with was in the Army for a spell. She said her daily workout sessions with her unit started with this song…


    I’ve always loved this song, but never thought of it as a military song until my former co-worker pointed it out.

    Veteran’s Day is over now and so is this post. I’m grateful to all the veterans in my life… and the day off my sweet veteran enjoyed yesterday.

  • Discovering Sandy Denny…

    Discovering Sandy Denny…

    I am a little ashamed to admit that 35 years after her death, I am only now discovering Sandy Denny…

    My husband, Bill, has been out of town all week. When he goes out of town, I try to find more things to keep me busy. That keeps me from wallowing too much in self-pity. I hate it when he goes away on business because I end up feeling pretty lonely. This week, I ended up making a number of new recordings and a tentative deal with a fellow music enthusiast who plays guitar. My YouTube friend from Scotland proposed that he play a track for me on guitar, which I would then add vocals to. As we were trying to come up with an appropriate song, he suggested “Who Knows Where The Time Goes”, which was written by British singer and songwriter Sandy Denny.


    Sandy Denny sings “Who Knows Where The Time Goes” with Fairport Convention.

    I knew the song. The person I first heard sing it was not Sandy Denny, though. It was Judy Collins. I own a copy of her greatest hits album, Colors of the Day, which I used to listen to all the time when I was in college twenty years ago. That album includes Judy Collins’ take on Sandy Denny’s beautiful song. For some reason, I never bothered to find out who had penned it, even though I so enjoyed the lyrics and melody.


    Judy Collins’ version of “Who Knows Where The Time Goes”.

    Years later, the late Eva Cassidy covered “Who Knows Where The Time Goes” and my YouTube friend proposed that we should try to do the song in Eva’s style. Honestly, I am not all that familiar with Eva Cassidy’s music, either. Sure, I have heard some of her better-known covers like “Fields of Gold” and “Songbird”, but I haven’t yet sat down with one of her albums and given it a proper listen, even though I think Eva Cassidy’s voice was beautiful.


    Eva Cassidy’s version of “Who Knows Where The Time Goes”.

    As I listen to these three women’s interpretations of the same lyrics, I am struck by how beautiful and ethereal they are in their own way. Sandy Denny’s vocals are simple and pure, while Judy Collins gives the song sort of a luminous quality. Eva Cassidy’s take is more soulful and emotional. All three versions are timeless and would have been as much at home in the 60s as they are in 2013.

    Sandy Denny, like Eva Cassidy, died young. She was just 31 years old and a new mother when, in March 1978, she fell down some stairs and hit her head on concrete. Denny abused drugs and alcohol and in the wake of her accident, she visited a doctor who prescribed Distalgesic, a drug that does not mix with alcohol. On April 17, 1978 Denny collapsed and fell into a coma. She died four days later, officially of a traumatic mid-brain hemorrhage after blunt force trauma.

    Though Sandy Denny had a devoted cult following, she never quite made it to mainstream success. That’s why I’m learning about her now. Oddly enough, I was actually living in England when Sandy Denny died. Granted, I was only five years old at the time, but I was already a music lover.

    Anyway, I did try my hand at this song, though not with help from my YouTube friend, and I think it turned out pretty decently. But I think I need to spend more time discovering Sandy Denny and Fairport Convention.


    My version of “Who Knows Where The Time Goes”.