American Idol

Nick Cokas and Season 5 American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee were married on Saturday.

Katharine McPhee is now Katharine Cokas. The Season 5 American Idol runner-up married her fiancee, Nick Cokas, on Saturday in Beverly Hills.

McPhee and Cokas were surrounded by 300-plus guests, according to reports, including some former Idol contestants. Reports indicate the bride wore a strapless ivory Manuel Mota gown and diamond and platinum Neil Lane jewelry for the ceremony, which took place at the Beverly Hills Presbyterian Church.

Among the guests in attendance were Season 5 finalists Kellie Pickler and Mandisa.

McPhee and Cokas, who were engaged last year, met in 2005 when working together on the production of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. McPhee’s debut CD was released in January 2007, but the singer recently left her label, RCA.

American Idol, Katharine McPhee, Nick Cokas, Kellie Pickler, Mandisat

They are the moments we watch an entire season to see. It’s that last few minutes of the finale when the winner is announced and the first performance as the nation’s newest American Idol.

So, in preparation for Tuesday night’s Season 7 premiere, let’s take a few minutes to remember those moments from the first six seasons.

Kelly Clarkson: A Moment Like This

Ruben Studdard: Flying Without Wings

Fantasia Barrino: I Believe

Carrie Underwood: Inside Your Heaven

Taylor Hicks: Do I Make You Proud

Jordin Sparks: This Is My Now

American Idol, Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks

Jordin Sparks responds after it’s announced she was the sixth winner in American Idol history. Sparks was the fourth female and youngest winner ever on the show.

Four girls. Two guys. In the first six seasons of American Idol, twice as many females have won the top prize — a recording contract and instant fame. And the two guys recently lost their recording contracts. So, does it matter if you’re male or female when it comes to capturing America’s votes on the FOX reality hit?

I’m not sure it does, but here’s a look back at the lives and success of the first six Idol champions.

Kelly Clarkson
Born Kelly Brianne Clarkson, this 25-year-old has enjoyed major success since becoming the first American Idol winner. In September 2002, Clarkson beat out runner-up Justin Guarini with 58 percent of the votes.

Clarkson, who is set to start touring this week with country superstar Reba McEntire, has released three CDs — Thankful, Breakaway and My December. Thankful debuted in April 2003 at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and since has sold more than 3 million copies worldwide. Breakaway sold more than 11 million copies, and last year’s My December has been certified platinum (1 million copies).

The original Idol is a Grammy Award-winning musician, and she seems to be slowing down no time soon. Let’s just hope she doesn’t attempt to recreate Grease in another box-office flop like From Justin to Kelly.

Ruben Studdard
Born Christopher Ruben Studdard, the 29-year-old was known as “the Velvet Teddy Bear” and often wore jerseys featuring “205″ to honor his native Birmingham, Ala., area code. Studdard garnered 134,000 more votes than runner-up Clay Aiken to take the Season 2 title. About 24 million votes were cast for that season’s finale.

Studdard has released three discs — Soulful, I Need an Angel and The Return. Soulful debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard charts, but none of the CDs have garnered major attention. In all, Studdard has sold just more than 2.4 million albums total, which led to his recently being dropped from J Records for falling short of label expectations.

Aiken has released four CDs since the show and has become a much more successful artist. In fact, aside from Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, no finalist on the show has sold more albums.

Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Monique Barrino simply became Fantasia when she started her rise to the top during American Idol’s third season. She drew much attention — and a little controversy — for being a single mother. She ultimately beat out runner-up Diana DeGarmo in May 2004 by earning 1.3 million more fan votes.

After taking the title, Fantasia released her debut, Free Yourself. Four Grammy nominations followed. In 2006, her second CD, a self-titled album, was released. But it has been success on the Broadway stage in The Color Purple that really has helped Fantasia make a splash on the music scene. The singer also released a book on the heels of announcing she struggled with literacy.

The critically praised acting Fantasia does on stage in The Color Purple certainly is not the same kind of praise she got from her role as herself in the made-for-TV movie Life is Not a Fairy Tale: The Fantasia Barrino Story. Of course, it was Lifetime’s second-most-watched program ever.

Carrie Underwood
She has, without question, become the most successful American Idol winner. Carrie Marie Underwood, now 24, beat out Bo Bice to take the Season 4 title.

Upon the release of her debut, Some Hearts, it was clear Underwood soon would be a country superstar. She won numerous country music awards, as well as two of the four Grammys in which she was nominated for in late 2006. Some Hearts produced a number of hit singles, helping it lock in several weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard country charts.

Last year, Underwood released her sophomore effort, Carnival Ride, which was certified double-platinum in December. The singer has sold more than 13 million albums in just two years.

Taylor Hicks
He arguably has the most vocal fans of any American Idol winner. Despite the Soul Patrol’s support, Taylor Hicks (born Taylor Reuben Hicks) has not found major success on the music charts.

After beating out Katharine McPhee to win Season 5, Hicks released a self-titled disc featuring the blues and classic R&B sounds he was known for on the show. Unfortunately, the disc failed to sell even 1 million copies and resulted in being dropped from his record label earlier this month.

Hicks is a strong live performer and continues to tour post-Idol, just as he did before rising to fame on the reality hit. Much like many other contestants, Hicks also released a book about his life, Heart Full of Soul: An Inspirational Memoir About Finding Your Voice and Finding Your Way. It officially is the longest title for any memoir released by an Idol contestant.

Jordin Sparks
She was the youngest American Idol winner ever. So, it was quite an impressive run for Jordin Sparks (born Jordin Brianna Sparks), who beat out beat-boxing Blake Lewis to win the Season 6 Idol crown.

The teenager, much like other winners Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Hicks, never was in the bottom two or three during elimination episodes of the show. Sparks’ self-titled debut CD was released in November and features the first single, Tattoo. The CD has sold more than 450,000 copies since its release.

Sparks recently released her second single, No Air, which is a duet with Chris Brown.

So, what do you think? Even though the numbers and awards seem to show Carrie Underwood is the most successful winner to date, do you think someone else is the ultimate American Idol?

American Idol, Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks

Even without an audience of fans, Daughtry won a People’s Choice Award at the 34th ceremony.

Queen Latifah hosted the show in its audience-less format because of Hollywood’s continued writer’s strike. The show featured many of its winners giving pre-recorded acceptance speeches, including Daughtry. The band took home the Rock Song honors with its hit single, Home.

“I knew I was going to be away from my family for a really long time, and I got in that mindset and the lyrics just flowed,” Chris Daughtry said about the song during the pre-recorded speech and interview. Home helped Daughtry become the best-selling artist of 2007, according to Billboard magazine’s annual Billboard 200 list. The CD has sold more than 3.2 million copies to date.

Daughtry’s next big chance to add some prizes to the trophy case will be at the 50th Grammy Awards. The band has four nominations, including Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Rock Song for It’s Not Over, as well as Best Rock Album and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group for Home.

The Grammy awards are scheduled to be broadcast at 8/7c Feb. 10 on CBS.

American Idol, Daughtry, Chris Daughtry

J Records is wasting no time cleaning up the American Idol winners that aren’t pulling in the cash.

The label dropped Season 2 winner Ruben Studdard in December, and now Season 5 winner Taylor Hicks is getting the boot. “Taylor is going to record his next album on his own,” a label representative told Entertainment Weekly. “He is no longer on the J Records roster.”

Hicks still is one of the most popular winners from the show. His fans — the Soul Patrol — have kept the singer touring across the country. In an interview last year, he told me, “It is important to stay working as a musician. If you’re not working, you’re not getting paid. You can say that for anybody.”

American Idol, Taylor Hicks, Ruben Studdard

Daughtry, led by former American Idol finalist Chris Daughtry, racked up four nominations for the 50th Grammy Awards.

It’s going to be a monumental year at the Grammy Awards, for sure. Not only is it the 50th year for the music industry’s most celebrated and recognizable night, but it also is the year American Idol is most represented with nominations.

Six former Idol contestants and/or winners are nominated in several categories, led by Daughtry with four nominations. The rock band fronted by Season 5 finalist Chris Daughtry is nominated in the Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Rock Song categories for It’s Not Over; Best Rock Album; and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group for Home.

Ace Young shares part of the Best Rock Song nomination, being named as a co-writer of the hit.

Season 3 winner-turned-Broadway star Fantasia garnered three nominations in R&B categories. She is nominated in the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for When I See You, as well as in the Best Contemporary R&B Album category for her self-titled release.

Multiple Grammy and Idol winners Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood also made the short list for the 50th Grammys. Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood was nominated in the Best Female Country Vocal Performance category for Before He Cheats from her debut release, which helped her carry away some awards at last year’s ceremony. Underwood also is a nominee in the Best Country Collaboration category
for her work on Oh Love. She is up against the original Idol, Kelly Clarkson, who is a Best Country Collaboration nominee for her Reba McEntire debut, Because of You.

The sixth Idol finalist to be recognized at the awards is Mandisa, who earned a nod in the Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album category for her CD True Beauty.

The Grammy awards will be broadcast at 8/7c Feb. 10 on CBS.

Grammy Awards, American Idol, Daughtry, Chris Daughtry, Ace Young, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Mandisa

Less than two weeks after she pleaded no contest to charges of battery of possession of cocaine, Season 5 finalist Jessica Sierra was arrested this weekend in Florida on charges of disorderly intoxication, resisting arrest and violating conditions of her parole. The 22-year-old was being held without bond.

The former American Idol top 10 finalist had entered a rehab facility in July that was supposed to be documented in an upcoming VH1 reality show, Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. Her arrest at 2:10 a.m. Saturday at a bar in Ybor City may change plans.

“As the defendant was taken into custody, she attempted to push away and flee the scene,” arresting officers wrote in a report.

Sierra’s previous trouble with the law was resolved Nov. 19 when she was sentenced to 12 months probation and random drug screening. The singer was accused of hitting a man in the head with a glass at a bar in April. At that time, officers also found cocaine in her possession.

Sierra was eliminated from Idol’s fifth season on March 30, 2005 after performing her rendition of the LeAnn Rimes song On the Side of Angels. The finalist also made headlines after it was uncovered she and fellow contestant Nikko Smith had a short relationship. She also was the target of a 59-year-old California man who left more than 40 voicemail messages telling Sierra he loved her and was willing to go to jail for her.

This summer, she appeared as a guest at the second-annual Reality TV Convention in Nashville, Tenn., where she had been working on new music late last year.

There’s no update on Sierra’s appearance on the Dr. Drew show, which also will feature Daniel Baldwin, Jeff Conaway, Andy Dick and Brigitte Nielsen, according to imdb.com.

American Idol, Jessica Sierra, Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew

Kellie Pickler responds to host Jeff Foxworthy during a taping of Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? Pickler’s episode airs Thursday.

Kellie Pickler may have come across as one of the, er, less intelligent contestants on American Idol. But now her smarts really are going to be put to the test.

Pickler, a Season 5 Idol finalist, is appearing on FOX’s hit game show Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? with host Jeff Foxworthy. The singer, who recently was nominated for the Horizon Award and performed at the 41st Annual CMA Awards, has filmed the episode, which airs at 8/7c Thursday. Pickler will try to answer as many questions in elementary school categories to try and earn as much as $1 million for charity.

Aside from Thursday’s airing of Fifth Grader, Pickler also will appear Sunday at the 35th Annual American Music Awards as a presenter. The ceremony, hosted by comedian Jimmy Kimmel, will be broadcast live at 8/7c Sunday on ABC.

American Idol, Kellie Pickler, Jeff Foxworthy, Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?

Katharine McPhee, Season 5 runner-up, has been credited for the success of KT Tunstall’s hit Black Horse and the Cherry Tree.

Not everyone loves the machine that is American Idol. KT Tunstall, for starters.

The Scottish singer recently said she’s not a fan of the show and, therefore, she’s not thrilled with the fact Black Horse and the Cherry Tree was used on Idol, which she calls “a money-making puppet show.”

If you recall, Season 5 runner-up Katharine McPhee made a big splash when she performed the new song on the show. It was considered one of McPhee’s best performances of the season. But Tunstall doesn’t seem to care.

“There’s no control given to the people,” she said. “They are nationally humiliated for being themselves. Horrible.”

Truthfully, Tunstall may want to reconsider her stance on Idol. Without it, she may not have become so popular in the U.S. It was McPhee’s performance of Black Horse that many credit for making it a hit. The Idol finalist even performed the song on the Season 5 finale, which she lost to Taylor Hicks.

According to Wikipedia, after McPhee’s performance, the song jumped from No. 79 to No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. The song then became Tunstall’s first — and only to date — top 20 song on the charts.

On iTunes, singer Katie O’Tool offers a version of Black Horse and the Cherry Tree on her Tribute to Katharine McPhee. That’s right, Katharine McPhee. Not KT Tunstall. On the other hand, YouTube renditions of the song have Tunstall getting much higher numbers than videos featuring McPhee’s version.

The top McPhee video has just more than 33,500 views. Tunstall’s top video has more than 662,000 views.

American Idol, KT Tunstall, Katharine McPhee, Taylor Hicks

Carrie Underwood accepts the CMA Award for Single of the Year.

Country music’s biggest night turned out to be a pretty big one for Carrie Underwood, too.

The 41st Annual CMA Awards were broadcast live from the Sommet Center in downtown Nashville, home of country music. The first award of the night, Single of the Year, went to the Season 4 American Idol winner for her single Before He Cheats from the debut album, Some Hearts.

Carrie Underwood performs at the 41st Annual CMA Awards in Nashville.

Underwood also performed on the show, spotlighting music from her sophomore CD, Carnival Ride. Later in the night, she took home one of the big awards, Female Vocalist of the Year. This was the second year Underwood took home the top female award. In 2006, she also won the Horizon Award, which recognized an up-and-coming performer in the genre.

Before He Cheats also was nominated in the Video of the Year category. It lost to Brad Paisley’s Online.

This year’s awards also honored Season 5 American Idol finalist Kellie Pickler, who was nominated for the Horizon Award. While she didn’t win the award — it went to Taylor Swift — Pickler did perform a pretty incredible version of her latest single, I Wonder, from Small Town Girl. The performance had Pickler in tears by the end of the song, which she co-wrote.

Pickler also got playful at the 41st awards, dancing alongside Brad Paisley during his performance. Both Underwood and Pickler have gone on the road with Paisley during his recent tours.

Also making an appearance and presenting an award at the show was Season 5 Idol finalist Bucky Covington. He helped present the Vocal Group of the Year award to Rascal Flatts.

Bucky Covington arrives at the 41st Annual CMA Awards

Carrie Underwood, CMA Awards, American Idol, Kellie Pickler, Bucky Covington, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts