American Idol

It may only be October, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get in the holiday spirit with some Christmas music.

“American Idol” Season 5 finalist Elliott Yamin is one of three artists releasing an “NBC Sounds of the Season” album. Yamin, who happens to be Jewish, is releasing the disc Oct. 14 exclusively at Target through Sony/ATV Music Publishing’s Hickory Records.

“NBC Sounds of the Season: The Elliott Yamin Holiday Collection” is among three such discs being released. Other “Sounds of the Season” collections will feature country singer Taylor Swift and KT Tunstall, who was covered in one of the best performances by Season 5 runner-up and recently engaged Katharine McPhee.

All of the CDs will have new holiday songs mixed with classics. Among the songs included on Yamin’s CD are “This Christmas, “Little Drummer Boy,” Merry Christmas, Baby,” “The Christmas Song” and “Jingle Bells.” The singer also recorded original songs “A Very Merry Christmas,” “Let’s Be Naughty” and “Warm Me Up” for the project.

This is the fifth year NBC has teamed up with Target for the “Sounds of the Season” collections.

Yamin, who reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 earlier this year, has sold 500,000 copies of his self-titled debut. The “Idol” Season 5 third-place finisher also recently announced extended fall and winter tour dates behind the release of his second single, “One Word.”

Aside from Yamin, Kimberley Locke also recently announced she would release a series of holiday classics exclusively as a digital download package. The collection, titled “Christmas,” will be available Nov. 6 It includes tracks such as “Frosty the Snowman,” “Holly Jolly Christmas” and “Away in a Manger.”

American Idol, Elliott Yamin, Katharine McPhee, Kimberley Locke

She does seem a little too soft for “American Idol.”

That’s exactly why country superstar Dolly Parton said she turned down the chance to be a guest judge on the hit reality series. She’ll leave the judging — and nasty comments — to Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and, obviously, Simon Cowell.

“I couldn’t do that,” Parton said of judging.” I can’t tell people they aren’t doing a good job even if they ask me. To tell someone they’re good or bad, or if they suck isn’t me.”

The 61-year-old country music icon will appear on a special episode, where singers will get to work backstage with the woman who wrote “I Will Always Love You.” That hit, one of many for Parton during her long career, was made more famous when it later was recorded and released by Whitney Houston, arguably the most imitated singer on “Idol.”

Parton, a Grammy Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated performer, is the perfect fit as a celebrity guest on the show. The singer’s hits, which also include “Coat of Many Colors,” “Jolene” and “9 to 5,” offers contestants a large catalog of songs from which to choose. She also defines what it means to be a true idol. She’s not only a singer and actress, but she also is an accomplished songwriter, composer, author and philanthropist. Plus, the Tennessee-born superstar also has her own theme park.

After last season’s star-studded season — Celine Dion, Olivia Newton John and Tony Bennett were just a few of the guests — it appears the folks behind the scenes at “Idol” still are counting on the celebrity factor to draw in new fans. Parton certainly is a good start for Season 7.

American Idol, Dolly Parton, Whitney Houston, Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, Celine Dion

Kelly Clarkson has been promoting an upcoming tour and her latest CD, “My December,” during a quick trip to Australia. These photos are from the singer’s Oct. 1 performance on the morning TV show “Sunrise” in Sydney.

Later Monday, Kelly will perform her hit “Never Again” when she is a guest on “Australian Idol.”

American Idol, Kelly Clarkson, Australian Idol

Following in the footsteps of Fantasia Barrino, “American Idol” finalist LaKisha Jones also is headed for the stage of “The Color Purple.”

Jones will join the Broadway cast of the show staring Dec. 19. She will sing the show’s opening number, “Mysterious Ways.”

Also joining the cast is Chaka Khan, who will play Sofia, beginning Jan. 9, and BeBe Winans as Harpo. After Khan joins the show, Jones will fill in as Sofia for matinee performances.

Jones, a native of Flint, Mich., finished in fourth place on the sixth season of “Idol.” She spent the summer with other “Idol” finalists on the American Idols Live tour, and she has started work on her debut CD.

Season 3 “Idol” winner Fantasia Barrino has been performing in “The Color Purple” as Celie. She is signed to keep performing through Jan. 6.

The Color Purple, American Idol, LaKisha Jones, Fantasia Barrino

She hasn’t even released her first CD — it’s coming Nov. 20 — but Jordin Sparks is topping magazine lists. The latest is Us Weekly’s Hot Hollywood Power Players.

Jordin was named “The People’s Choice.” The magazine’s Web site says, “In a subpar American Idol season of gimmicks and forgettable faces, Sparks, with her powerful pipes and girl-next-door good looks, was the show’s saving grace …”

Has everyone really forgotten about Blake? Chris Richardson? And the other Season 6 finalists?

No matter what, it seems like quite a title for the show’s youngest winner. The magazine says everything is set for her to become the next Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood.

Also included in the Power Players list are Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) as “The Pop Princess” and Chris Brown as “The Wonder Boy.”

American Idol, Jordin Sparks, Blake Lewis, Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana, Chris Brown, Us Weekly

Kimberley Locke has helped organize a Clothes Off Our Back Foundation charity auction featuring clothes she and other “Idol” contestants, judges and hosts have worn during the six seasons.

Kimberley Locke is not only taking pounds off during this season of “Celebrity Fit Club,” but she also is cleaning out her closet. And she’s getting this season’s top 12 finalists, Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Ryan Seacrest and many others to do the same.

Locke has partnered with the Clothes Off Our Back Foundation to help raise money for Camp Heartland and other children’s charities. In an auction, which opens Monday, fans can bid on clothes worn by these “Idol” contestants and judges, as well as Carrie Underwood, Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard. The auction also will include CDs and autographed merchandise.

The Kimberley Locke & Idol Friends auction came about after Locke said she knew she had some clothes she had worn on the show still hanging in her closet. She said the auction not only will help children’s charities, but it “will also bring fans just a little closer to their favorite Idols.”

Find out more about the auction at www.clothesoffourback.org.

Kimberley Locke, Clothes Off Our Backs, American Idol

Who knows why she did it, but former “American Idol” finalist Jessica Sierra was arrested early this morning on felony battery charges. She allegedly hit a man over the head with a glass at a cafe in her native Tampa, Fla.

Sierra was booked on a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Police also charged her with possession of cocaine, according to reports. Her bail was set at $11,500.

Jessica Sierra, American Idol

Jessica Sierra is among a small group of “American Idol” finalists who will appear at the second-annual Reality TV Convention this summer in Nashville, Tenn.

If you’re a big fan of Jessica Sierra, Scott Savol or Lindsey Cardinale, you may want to make plans to get to Nashville, Tenn., on June 30 and July 1.

The three are among a group of reality TV stars whose appearance is confirmed for the second Reality TV Convention at the Radisson Hotel in Opryland. The two-day convention also features appearances from cast members of “Big Brother,” “The Real Gilligan’s Island,” “The Real World,” “Trading Spouses,” “Nashville Star” and several others.

Tickets are $10 per day and are available at the door, or you can visit the convention’s official Web site to find out how to reserve a two-day pass for $15.

American Idol, Reality TV Convention, Jessica Sierra, Scott Savol, Lindsey Cardinale

Click here for a great story about the “losers” from the top 20.

Antonella Barba performs on “Idol” (with her clothes on).

You knew it was only a matter of time before the scandal began. And, it seems the first victim this season is none other than Antonella Barba.

Images of Barba in less-than-”Idol”-approved poses — including on the toiled and, allegedly, performing a sex act — have been popping up on the Internet this week.

“Idol” producer Nigel Lythgoe told Entertainment Weekly, ”We have really good background checks on everybody, and we deal with that every season. It’s sad, isn’t it, that your best friends are the ones that come forward with information that will go to Smoking Gun or put your photographs on the Web?”

Hmmm, if only we knew Barba’s best friends.

The 20-year-old Barba certainly isn’t the first “Idol” to be caught on camera. Frenchie Davis, one of the most promising contestants from Season 2, was eliminated from the competition after nude photos of her were discovered online. Of course, she rebounded with a Broadway role in “Rent.”

It will be interesting to see how America responds to these allegations and photos, especially considering Barba’s rendition of “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” earlier this week should have been enough to get her booted already.

To see the images of Barba or to find out more about this story, well, I’m sure if you were that interested, you’d already be looking.

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Chris Daughtry performs Thursday at TRL on MTV.

Simon Cowell said he should have won last season’s show. Chris Daughtry certainly is taking the Clay Aiken trail — except for the style of music, of course — and now the up-and-coming rocker has announced a free concert.

The March 23 date has been set in Greensboro, N.C., where officials at the Greensboro Coliseum have organized the event to lead up to the March 24 start of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament.

Even though he finished fourth on last season of “Idol,” he currently is getting a ton of radio play with his first single, “It’s Not Over,” from his debut CD. That CD, by the way, has sold more than 1.3 million copies.

Daughtry seems to be staying busy keeping his name out there, too. He stopped by MTV’s TRL on Thursday, and he continues to keep promoting and promoting his music with a tour that includes these dates through February:

Sunday, Jan. 28: House of Blues, Anaheim, Calif.
Monday, Jan. 29: Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach, Calif.
Thursday, Feb. 1: The El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles
Sunday, Feb. 4: Slim’s, San Francisco, Calif.
Tuesday, Feb. 6: Neumo’s Crystal Ball and Reading Room, Seattle, Wash.
Wednesday, Feb. 7: Berbati’s Pan, Portland, Ore.
Thursday, Feb. 8: The Boardwalk, Orangevale, Calif.
Monday, Feb. 12: Clubhouse, Tempe, Ariz.
Tuesday, Feb. 13: The Rock, Tucson, Ariz.
Wednesday, Feb. 14: Launchpad, Albuquerque, N.M.
Friday, Feb. 16: Old Kelly’s, Abilene, Texas
Saturday, Feb. 17: Dos Amigos Cantina, Odessa, Texas
Sunday, Feb. 18: Jake’s Sports Cafe, Lubbock, Texas
Monday, Feb. 19: Gypsy Tea Room, Dallas, Texas
Wednesday, Feb. 21: The Meridian/Red Room, Houston, Texas
Thursday, Feb. 22: White Rabbit, San Antonio, Texas
Friday, Feb. 23: Stubb’s Bar-B-Q, Austin, Texas
Sunday, Feb. 25: The Other Side, Tulsa, Okla.
Tuesday, Feb. 27: The Black Sheep, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Wednesday, Feb. 28: Bluebird Theatre, Denver, Colo.

I guess this proves Daughtry is working hard to make the most of his “Idol” success.