Top 11/12 — One Sweet Day
Top 13 — I Have Nothing
Semifinals — Go Light Your World
By my count, Idol introduced us to 14 Hollywood bound contestants in Wednesday night’s premiere, featuring the auditions in Savannah.
Of those 14, six were either 15 or 16 years old. And none of the 15’s came off as more poised or prepared for the Idol pressure than Shannon Magrane of Tampa Bay, Fla.
After all, she wound up auditioning with her entire family on stage, including her dad, former Major League pitcher Joe Magrane.
At first, the judges had trouble believing Shannon’s only 15, party because she stands 6 feet tall. That explains why she was middle hitter on a volleyball team.
But they weren’t about to pass on her voice after she belted out “Something’s Got a Hold on Me.”
According to the Tampa Bay Times, Shannon has turned 16 since the auditions were held last summer and has performed the national anthem at Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays several times. Her father was part of the Rays TV team for several years.
Shannon attends Blake High, a magnet school for the arts in the Tampa Bay area.
If you’re not familiar with her dad, he pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1987 through 1993, helping the team to the World Series as a rookie, leading the National League in ERA in 1988, and compiling an 18-9 record in 1989, his best season.
He retired in 1996 with a final record of 57-67 and a 3.81 ERA.
Check out the Tampa Bay Times story for his explanation of where his daughter’s singing talent comes from.
Now, for some pre-Idol performances from Shannon …
Singing the national anthem before a Rays game
“Empire State of Mind” featuring Danielle Lopez
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